How quickly Alabamians can get the COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks will depend on how much stock the state receives.
This is what Scott Harris, a civil servant, said at a news conference today.
Today, Harris said, 223,887 Alabamians received the first dose of vaccine, and the state had 502,950 doses delivered. The state has also made progress in finding about 800 vaccination providers, including doctors’ offices, provincial health departments, hospitals and clinics. But many of the providers are waiting for vaccination.
Currently, it is in Alabama that those in the Phase 1A and B category, which includes health workers, and people over the age of 75 have been vaccinated. How long before the state expands to other categories?
Karen Landers, a spokeswoman for the Alabama Department of Public Health, said ADPH did not set a threshold to move from one phase of the COVID-19 vaccine to the next.
“The ability to move to the next phase rather depends on the provision of vaccines and CDC guidelines regarding vaccine restriction priorities,” Landers said.
Harris said because not everyone in each group will take the vaccine, the state will not wait to cover an entire group before moving on.
“You know, there’s going to be places where we just do not have the recording,” he said. “You know, we already know a little bit about it. So we are never going to get 100% people, you know, we want to get 70% people. But we are not going to get there quickly without new products. And we hope to see more soon. ”
Harris said the problem is the amount the state receives – indeed all states – receive. Alabama currently receives approximately 50,000 to 60,000 doses per week and receives only one day notice of how much it receives. This causes many people in the state to scramble overnight to determine the logistics to get doses for those who need it.
Alabama wants to vaccinate an adult population of about 3.9 million. That is just under 8 million doses for the current vaccines, which require two doses to be fully effective.
“We clearly need more vaccine,” Harris said. “Realistically, we need new vaccine products. Without an increase in the order of the vaccine being sent to our state, it will take a long time. ”
Harris said the approval of a third vaccine by Johnson & Johnson requiring only one dose – which could come in February – could also speed up vaccination. Another vaccine, by AstraZeneca, requires two shots and has already been approved for use in the UK and Brazil. It may get approval soon.