State leaders are encouraging Alabamians to get the coronavirus vaccine once they become eligible.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention have updated their guidelines to say those who are 65 and older should get the vaccine, as well as those who are immunocompromised, in addition to healthcare workers and frontline workers. Governor Kay Ivey is encouraging Alabamians to keep following health guidelines while they wait for their turn for the vaccine.
“If more people will continue to wear their mask and social distance while you’re waiting, personal hygiene, show personal responsibility, we’ll get this thing behind us. I just want to encourage our people to be patient, stay calm, you’ll get your shot.”
Scott Harris is Alabama’s state health officer. He said he understands demand for the vaccine is high.
“We believe we can get it to everyone eventually. We would just ask everyone to please continue to be patient. We’re doing our best to improve our phone line ability, it was really overwhelmed with calls last week. Probably half of those calls were from people who were not even eligible at this point. We would ask people to be patient and we’ll get the vaccine to everyone as soon as possible.”
Governor Ivey, Dr. Harris and state chief medical officer Dr. Mary McIntyre all received their second dose of the vaccine Tuesday. Officials say Alabama is receiving between forty and fifty thousand doses of the vaccine each week.