How quickly Albanians can obtain the COVID-19 vaccine will depend, in the coming weeks, on how much supply the state receives.
This is what state health officer Scott Harris said at a news conference today.
To date, Harris said, 223,887 Alabamians have received the first dose of the vaccine, and the state has had 502,950 doses administered. The state has also made progress in finding some 800 vaccine suppliers, including doctors’ offices, county health departments, hospitals and clinics. But many of these providers are waiting for the vaccine.
Alabama is currently vaccinating people in the Phase 1A and B categories, which includes healthcare professionals and people over 75. How long will it take for the state to expand to other categories?
Karen Landers, a spokeswoman for the Alabama Department of Public Health, said ADPH had not set a limit for moving from one vaccination phase with COVID-19 to the next.
“Instead, the ability to move on to the next phase depends on the vaccine delivery and CDC guidance on priorities for when the vaccine is limited,” said Landers.
Harris said that since not everyone in all groups will be vaccinated, the state will not wait to cover an entire group before proceeding.
“You know, go, there are going to be places where we just don’t have acceptance,” he said. “You know, we already know a little bit about it. So, we’ll never get 100% of the people, you know, we’d love to have 70% of the people. But we are not going to get there quickly without new products. And we hope to see some more soon. “
The problem is the amount of supplies that the state – in fact, all states – are receiving, Harris said. Alabama currently receives about 50,000 to 60,000 doses a week and only receives a day’s notice of how much it is receiving. This causes many people across the state to run at night to solve the logistics of taking doses to those in need.
Alabama plans to vaccinate an adult population of about 3.9 million. That would be just under 8 million doses for current vaccines, which take two doses to be fully effective.
“It is clear that we need more vaccine,” said Harris. “Realistically, we need to have new vaccine products out there. Without an increase in the order of magnitude in the vaccine being sent to our state, it will take a long time. “
Harris said Johnson & Johnson’s approval of a third vaccine requiring only one dose – which may come in February – could also speed up vaccination. Another vaccine, from AstraZeneca, requires two vaccines and is already authorized for use in the United Kingdom and Brazil. He could get approval soon.