Alabama health official Dr. Scott Harris said today that Alabama will receive 10,000 extra doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for each of the next three weeks.
This is in addition to what the state generally receives, which is around 50,000 to 60,000 for the first doses and generally about 60,000 for the second doses.
Harris said he plans to announce plans on Friday to use the extra doses.
“We are delighted to hear that Alabama is receiving, at least in the next three weeks, about 10,000 additional doses of Moderna,” said Harris. “Therefore, we will try to deploy them as quickly as possible on a large scale.”
Harris spoke to lawmakers in Montgomery today at a budget hearing in preparation for the legislative session, which begins Tuesday.
Harris said vaccine supply is still short of needed. Alabama is giving vaccinations to healthcare professionals, people over 75 and first responders. Harris did not say when eligibility would expand to the next group, which would include people aged 65 to 74.
Harris said he would give an update on this and more information about the vaccine’s launch at a news conference on Friday.
There are approximately 700,000 people eligible for vaccines in Alabama right now. Harris said the group of 65 to 74 would add at least several hundred thousand. The number of doses required is twice the eligible population because both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines require two injections.
“We are working now to try to determine if there is enough capacity to handle this,” said Harris. “We don’t have many extra vaccines, but there may be a little.
“I think the most important message to get across to people is just because you heard that you are eligible, it doesn’t mean that there is a vaccine for you. And if you really are not a high-risk person, if you are a younger, healthier person who has the ability to stay at home and not in public, please wait. Please let someone go in front of you in line, someone who needs more. “
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This story was corrected at 14:44 to say that the state receives vaccine for second doses in addition to 50,000 to 60,000 per week for first doses.