Alabama will begin offering COVID-19 vaccines to anyone 55 and older and anyone over 16 with certain health conditions, including heart disease, kidney disease, cancer, obesity, diabetes and more from 22 March.
Alabama state health officer Dr. Scott Harris made the announcement during a news conference on Friday morning in Montgomery, saying the state would also offer the vaccine to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and categories additional essential workers listed in Phase 1C of the flat state vaccine.
“We are concerned that many people at high risk and others involved in close contact work have not been eligible to receive the vaccine yet, but with the additional vaccine supply, we can better meet the needs of Alabama residents,” Governor Kay Ivey said in a press release. “As of March 22, individuals can be sure of receiving the injections they have waited for patiently.”
Alabama has already distributed more than 1.2 million doses of the vaccine, according to figures reported Friday morning, with more than 760,000 Alabamians having received at least one dose of the vaccine.
“It’s an incredible amount of work done by an incredible group of people,” said Harris.
On March 22, people with the following conditions will be eligible for the vaccine:
- Cancer
- Chronic kidney disease
- COPD
- Cardiac conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies; immunocompromised state
- Solid organ transplant
- Obesity, BMI greater than 30
- Pregnancy
- Sickle cell anemia
- Smoke
- Type 1 and 2 diabetes
- Other medical conditions, as determined by your medical provider
In addition, workers in the following areas will be eligible for the vaccine:
- Transportation and logistics
- Waste and waste water
- Food service (includes restaurant staff)
- Shelter and housing (construction)
- Finance (bank tellers)
- Information and communication technology
- Energy
- Legal
- media
- Public security (engineers)
Alabama veterans of any age can receive the vaccine at several VA hospitals across the state.
The change was announced a day after President Joe Biden pledged to make all adults eligible to receive the vaccine by May 1.
Harris said expanding eligibility is likely to double the number of people eligible for the vaccine, but asked for patience while the new wave of people is offered the vaccine.
“People have been patient for a long time and we are really, really close to having enough vaccine for everyone,” said Harris. “I think that in a month, probably six weeks at least, there will be a much more than adequate experience
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses to achieve full effectiveness and have been authorized for emergency use in the United States since December 2020. A third vaccine, made by Johnson & Johnson, requires only a single dose and obtained emergency clearance at the end February.
Harris said vaccine supply in Alabama has been steadily increasing, with the state expecting to receive between 110,000 and 120,000 doses of the vaccine a week, in addition to a separate allocation that is sent to retail pharmacies like Walmart and CVS through a federal program. .