As the number of new COVID-19 cases in Georgia starts to tick upward ahead of Thanksgiving, The Food and Drug Administration has authorized booster vaccines for all adults.

Georgia families packing up to travel to Thanksgiving gatherings or preparing to host a dinner are currently enjoying relatively low case numbers of the virus, but a booster shot for those already vaccinated may be one tool to keep those numbers low through the December holidays.

While overall COVID-19 cases in Georgia are down sharply from the summer surge, new infections have been climbing upward over the past week.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports nationwide 31.4 million people have received booster shots, representing 17% of all adults who are fully vaccinated.

In Georgia, according to the state Department of Public Health, 690,227 Georgians have received a booster dose since they were authorized for some people on Aug. 13. That means 13.3% of fully vaccinated Georgians have had a booster shot.

AJC