State Immunization Laws for Healthcare
Workers and Patients

Immunization Administration Requirements
For State: GA

** Click on each result to read the abridged text of the state immunization law.

Patient Type	Vaccine	Requirement
Hospital Employees	Hepatitis B[1]	No[78]
	Influenza[2]	Offer[569]
	MMR[3]	No
	Varicella[4]	No
	Pneumococcal[5]	No
	Medical(M),Religious(R), or Philosophical(P) Exemptions[6]	No
Hospital Inpatients	Influenza[7]	Offer[533]
	Pneumococcal[8]	Offer[534]
	Medical(M),Religious(R), or Philosophical(P) Exemptions[9]	No
Individual Providers' Patients	Any Immunization[10]	No
	Medical(M),Religious(R), or Philosophical(P) Exemptions[11]	No
Ambulatory Care Facilities Employees	Any Immunization[12]	No
	Medical(M),Religious(R), or Philosophical(P) Exemptions[13]	No
Ambulatory Care Facilities Patients	Any Immunization[14]	No
	Medical(M),Religious(R), or Philosophical(P) Exemptions[15]	No
Correctional Inmates and Residents	Any Immunization[16]	No[79]
	Medical(M),Religious(R), or Philosophical(P) Exemptions[17]	No
Developmentally Disabled Facility Residents	Any Immunization[18]	Ensure[80]
	Medical(M),Religious(R), or Philosophical(P) Exemptions[19]	Yes – (M)[81]
	[]

[1] Does the jurisdiction require that any hospitals offer hepatitis B vaccine to any employees of the hospital, or ensure that any such employees are vaccinated with hepatitis B vaccine?
[2] Does the jurisdiction require that any hospitals offer influenza vaccine to any employees of the hospital, or ensure that any such employees are vaccinated with influenza vaccine?
[3] Does the jurisdiction require that any hospitals offer measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine (or any component thereof) to any employees of the hospital, or ensure that any such employees are vaccinated with MMR vaccine?
[4] Does the jurisdiction require that any hospitals offer varicella vaccine to any employees of the hospital, or ensure that any such employees are vaccinated with varicella vaccine?
[5] Does the jurisdiction require that any hospitals offer pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine to any employees of the hospital, or ensure that any such employees are vaccinated with pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine?	Top of Page
[6] If any hospitals are required to ensure that any hospital employees are vaccinated with hepatitis B, influenza, MMR, varicella or pneumococcal vaccine, does the jurisdiction provide any medical, religious or philosophical exemptions to such administration requirements?
[7] Does the jurisdiction require that any hospitals offer any inpatients of the hospital influenza vaccine, or ensure that any inpatients are vaccinated with influenza vaccine?
[8] Does the jurisdiction require that any hospitals offer any inpatients of the hospital pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine, or ensure that any inpatients are vaccinated with pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine?
[9] If any hospitals are required to ensure that any hospital inpatients are vaccinated with influenza or pneumococcal vaccines, does the jurisdiction provide any medical, religious or philosophical exemptions to such administration requirements?	Top of Page
[10] Does the jurisdiction require that any individual healthcare providers offer any vaccinations to any patients, or ensure that any patients are vaccinated with any vaccines?
[11] If any individual providers are required to ensure that any of their patients are vaccinated with any vaccines, does the jurisdiction provide any medical, religious or philosophical exemptions to such administration requirements?
[12] Does the jurisdiction require that any ambulatory care facilities offer any vaccinations to any employees, or ensure that any employees are vaccinated with any vaccines?
[13] If any ambulatory care facilities are required to ensure that any employees are vaccinated with any vaccines, does the jurisdiction provide any medical, religious or philosophical exemptions to such administration requirements?	Top of Page
[14] Does the jurisdiction require that any ambulatory care facilities offer any vaccinations to any patients, or ensure that any patients are vaccinated with any vaccines?
[15] If any ambulatory care facilities are required to ensure that any patients are vaccinated with any vaccines, does the jurisdiction provide for any medical, religious or philosophical exemptions to such administration requirements?
[16] Does the jurisdiction require that any correctional facilities or juvenile detention centers offer any vaccinations to any inmates or juveniles, or ensure that any inmates or juveniles are vaccinated with any vaccines?
[17] If any correctional centers or juvenile detention centers are required to ensure that any inmates or juveniles are vaccinated with any vaccines, does the jurisdiction provide for any medical, religious or philosophical exemptions to such administration requirements?	Top of Page
[18] Does the jurisdiction require that any residential facilities for the developmentally disabled or mentally retarded offer any residents any vaccinations, or ensure that any residents are vaccinated with any vaccines?
[19] If any residential facilities for the developmentally disabled or mentally retarded are required to ensure that any residents are vaccinated with any vaccines, does the jurisdiction provide for any medical, religious or philosophical exemptions to such administration requirements?
[78] For Georgia, no statute or regulation requires any hospitals to offer hepatitis B immunization to employees, or ensure that any employees are vaccinated against hepatitis B. However, note Ga. Code Ann. § 31-35-10, requiring that any active emergency medical technician who may be exposed to the hepatitis B virus during a period while such person is engaged in the performance of his/her duties shall, at such person’s request, be vaccinated against hepatitis B. However, this is not an “offer” requirement as immunizations must only be administered upon request. Note also that this requirement does not specify whether the employer must administer immunizations directly.
[79] For Georgia, no statute or regulation requires any correctional centers or juvenile detention centers to offer any vaccines to any inmates/juveniles or to ensure that any inmates/juveniles are vaccinated with any vaccines. However, note Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 125-4-4-.04, relating to Board of Corrections institutions, centers, and program services. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 125-4-4-.04 provides that Health Services will be furnished to provide immunizations and vaccinations, as recommended by the institutional physician.	Top of Page
[80] For Georgia requirements, see Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 290-2-5-.12, relating to “child caring institutions.” Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 290-2-5-.12 provides that each child shall have current immunizations as outlined in Chapter 290-5-4 of the Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia. Under Chapter 290-5-4-.02, immunization against varicella, diphtheria, pertussis (before the 7th birthday), tetanus, poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenzae type b (before the 5th birthday) is required in order for entrance into a facility. Requirements for hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccines may be waived with serologic proof of immunity. Certain certification requirements apply to show a child has been immunized (see Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 290-5-4-.04). “Child caring institutions” are defined in Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 290-2-7-.01 as any institution, society, agency, or facility which either primarily or incidentally provides full-time care for children under 17 years of age outside of their own homes. This chart assumes that the definition of “child caring institution” covers residential facilities for the developmentally disabled or mentally retarded, based on a plain reading of the definitional language.
[81] For Georgia, for medical exemptions to the immunization administration requirements set forth in Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 290-2-5-.12, see Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 290-2-5-.12, providing that each child shall have current immunizations as outlined in Chapter 290-5-4 of the Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 290-5-4-.05 provides that where a physical disability is found to exist, and in the opinion of the physician there is no clear prospect of when such disability can be removed, said physician may at his discretion issue a Certificate of Immunization indicating a medical exemption.
[533] For Georgia requirements, see Ga. Code Ann. § 31-7-18, relating to influenza vaccinations for discharged patients aged 65 and older. Ga. Code Ann. § 31-7-18 provides that annually between October 1 through March 1, prior to discharging any inpatient who is 65 years of age or older, a hospital shall offer the inpatient vaccinations for the influenza virus and pneumococcal disease, unless contraindicated and contingent on availability of such vaccines.
[534] For Georgia requirements, see Ga. Code Ann. § 31-7-18, relating to influenza vaccinations for discharged patients aged 65 and older. Ga. Code Ann. § 31-7-18 provides that annually between October 1 through March 1, prior to discharging any inpatient who is 65 years of age or older, a hospital shall offer the inpatient vaccinations for the influenza virus and pneumococcal disease, unless contraindicated and contingent on availability of such vaccines.	Top of Page
[569] For Georgia requirements, see Ga. Code Ann. § 31-7-18, relating to influenza vaccinations for discharged patients aged 65 and older, vaccinations or other measures for health care workers and other employees in hospitals, immunity from liability, and standing orders. Ga. Code Ann. § 31-7-18(b) provides that a hospital shall annually offer to its health care workers and other employees who have direct contact with patients, at no cost, vaccinations for the influenza virus in accordance with the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, subject to availability of the vaccine.

Disclaimer: The purpose of this database is to provide researchers, policymakers, and state and local public health practitioners with descriptive information concerning state immunization-related law. No part of this legal analysis involves providing legal advice or answering specific questions of law on behalf of any person or organization.