Ministers and clergy members in Alabama will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine beginning Feb. 8.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and the Alabama Department of Public Health announced the move into Phase 1b of the Alabama COVID-19 Vaccination Allocation Plan on Jan. 29.
The vaccine was initially opened to Alabamians 75 and older, as well as first responders and law enforcement. Beginning Monday, individuals age 65 and older are eligible for vaccination, as are “critical workers at highest risk for work related exposure.” The plan states that “critical workers” as defined by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security include:
- first responders (firefighters and police officers)
- corrections officers and support staff
- food and agriculture workers
- U.S. Postal Service workers
- manufacturing workers
- grocery store workers
- public transit workers
- educators including child care workers, K-12, community colleges, and all higher education institutions (teachers and support staff members)
- judiciary (including but not limited to district judges, circuit judges, and district attorneys)
- clergy/ministers.
A number of state government workers, including legislators, justices and judges, and constitutional officers are also included in this phase of distribution.
Limited doses available
The state receives about 100,000 doses a week.
“We have all been frustrated that the supply of vaccine coming from the federal government hasn’t kept up with the demand,” Ivey said in a press statement Jan. 29. “To be blunt, we simply haven’t gotten the vaccine that we’ve been promised, and this has created a major backlog of aggravation.”
The broader eligibility will help ensure that all vaccinations are utilized, said Dr. Scott Harris, Alabama’s state health officer.
“Alabama is expanding its guidance, despite the limited vaccine, in order to accelerate the vaccine uptake in our state,” ADPH’s Dr. Scott Harris. “I want to reiterate that any remaining vaccines that have not been administered are either someone’s first dose and they are waiting on their appointment or they are waiting on their second dose. Any vaccine currently in the state has someone’s name on it.”
More information
County health departments around the state are holding clinics based on vaccine availability. Check with your local health department or visit this portal to find appointments near you.
ADPH also announced that beginning the week of February 8, there will be 8 large scale drive-through clinics throughout the state. Clinics will be located in Anniston, Birmingham, Dothan, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery, Selma and Tuscaloosa. The goal is for each location to be able to give 1,000 vaccines per day that week, totaling 40,000 doses administered, ADPH said. Additional information will be provided about the location in each city. You can also click here for more information:
Click here to download a list of county health departments with contact information:
Click here to read the Alabama COVID-19 Vaccination Allocation Plan.
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