UAB — Screenshot from Facebook of a post by Anne-Laura Cook. With permission from Anne-Laura Cook

Here is some good news for people age 65 and over and certain frontline workers.

Governor Kay Ivey and the Alabama Department of Public Health released a statement Friday morning announcing the state will expand criteria for those eligible to receive a vaccination starting February 8.

The added categories include people 65 and older and additional frontline workers.

Frontline critical workers listed in the new statewide vaccination plan are as follows:

First responders
Corrections officers
Food and agriculture workers
U.S. Postal Service workers
Manufacturing workers
Grocery store workers
Public transit workers
People who work in the education sector (teachers, support staff, community college and higher education)
Childcare workers
Judiciary (including but not limited to) circuit judges, district judges and district attorneys

The additional priority groups will add over 1 million people that are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination in Alabama. While just under 2 million people will qualify to receive the vaccine, the state continues to only receive around 100,000 doses each week.

View the entire Vaccine Allocation Plan at: www.alabamapublichealth.gov/covid19vaccine/assets/adph-covid19-vaccination-allocation-plan.pdf

“Alabama is expanding its guidance despite the limited vaccine in order to accelerate the vaccine uptake in our state,” Dr. Scott Harris, Alabama’s State Health Officer said. “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.”

Healthy Encouraged to Delay

As a courtesy to others, healthier people age 65 and older and workers who fall in these groups are encouraged to consider delaying their vaccination so that more vulnerable people can access vaccine ahead of them.

Schedule

To schedule an appointment for the free COVID-19 vaccination at a county health department, individuals may call the ADPH COVID-19 Vaccine Scheduling Hotline at 1-855-566-5333. For general information about COVID-19, the COVID-19 Information Hotline number is 1-800-270-7268.

If you live in Jefferson County, schedule your vaccination by visiting – Jeffcoema.org. Hit the green button.

ADPH anticipates the release of a new online tool next week which will provide information about opportunities for vaccination, including drive-through clinics being scheduled throughout the state.