An APR news feature
Certain Alabamians along the Gulf coast are rolling up their sleeves for vaccinations against COVID-19.
Today’s clinic is at the OWA entertainment complex near Foley. The only people currently eligible for coronavirus shots are first responders and the elderly. This effort follows up a similar clinic in the city of Daphne last month.
There are questions on who's getting the shots, who’s turning down the vaccine, and people from out of state who may be cutting in line ahead of state residents.
Cars lined up outside the Daphne Civic Center well before sunrise. Behind the wheel were eligible residents waiting for their chance to be vaccinated for he coronavirus. The illness has killed more than 400,000 Americans in the last year and over seven thousand in Alabama.
“We opened up the site at 6:30 for individuals to begin to drive through and begin to pick up their reservation cards,” said Jenni Guerry, deputy director of the Baldwin County Emergency Management Agency.
She said the EMA and state health department set up the vaccine clinic over the last two weeks.
“The very first day, on Tuesday, when we conducted the vaccination clinic, we were able to administer four hundred and ten doses of vaccine to individuals,” she said. “Now, moving forward into today, we are prepared to do 800 vaccines, so we do have a way to get that vaccine through drive-through as well as in the walk-in clinic, so we do expect to give 800-plus vaccines today.”
"They exceeded expectations,” Guerry said. “By the end of that second day, they vaccinated almost 1,000 first-responders and older residents. As you can see now, individuals that are pulling through the parking lot for the drive-through, they do get to fill out their paperwork and speak with the nurse. Once they get their vaccine, they are observed in their vehicles for 15 minutes and then, they’re able to exit the site.”
“I’m so glad. I’ll be able to see my grandchildren now. I’ve been on lockdown,” said Henry Rosaly, a 79-year-old Fairhope resident originally from New York.
He said he had no reservations about getting the vaccine.
“This is America,” Rosaly exclaimed. “We have the best scientists in the world here, OK? Why would I doubt them? They’re doing a good job. The doctors. And look at how fast we got it. I believe in America. That’s all I can tell you. I’m so glad. I think our country’s finally going to turn around. And I think these vaccines are going to help.”
Vaccination clinics are being set up around the state to help Alabama catch up with efforts to protect people from the virus. Vaccine supplies appear challenging, but health officials are working to get as many people innoculated as they can.
“We certainly hope so. We really do,” said Jenny Kilpatrick, healthcare coalition coordinator for the 10 counties in the health department’s southwest district. “Because again, that it our biggest challenge right now in getting it out is having the vaccine to do it, so we certainly do hope that will be the case.”
Kilpatrick said that while some residents are reluctant to get the vaccine, the overall demand is high.
“We have certainly heard those concerns, but it does seem like some of those attitudes may be shifting,” she said. “I think as this virus hits home for more people I think that this really helps people to understand how important it is to protect yourselves. There is still certainly some reluctance, some questions and concerns that people have and we try to address those.”
She said another issue is getting people to the clinics, particularly in more rural areas.
“The allocation of the vaccine is based on population so that’s how the numbers are arrived at for the vaccine that we get for those counties, but in terms of challenges for those counties, transportation is always an issue but from what we have seen so far, the turnout has been really good in those counties even in spite of those transportation issues,” Kilpatrick said.
That allocation based on permanent population is an issue in areas with a lot of visitors, like Baldwin County. Jenny Guerry with Baldwin County EMA said they can’t deny non-residents the vaccine if they meet other requirements.
“So, the Alabama Department of Public Health has indicated that the vaccine, because it is purchased with a federal program that residency is not a limitation or restriction,” Guerry said. “Their goal is to be able to vaccinate as many people that desire to have the vaccine. Of course, we know that the vaccine is limited, but there is no restriction on residency, however, they are adhering to the criteria of being 75 and older, health care, responder or those that are being vaccinated currently.”
“It’s an absurdity that anybody visiting would be getting a vaccine that’s intended for full-time residents,” said Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon.
He’s among the critics of the idea of people from out of state coming to Alabama for a shot.
“If the dosages are allotted based on permanent population, then it should be for permanent residents,” Kennon said. “Those visitors’ allotments are in the home state or city where they live and that’s where they should go get their vaccination.”
Kilpatrick said the main point is to get as many people vaccinated as soon as possible.
“We certainly would encourage anyone who’s eligible to get the vaccine at this time to go ahead and try to get it and as those additional age groups are opened and the additional criteria are expanded, we really want people to think long and hard about getting it. This is a serious, can be potentially deadly virus so we really want people to take every opportunity they can to protect themselves,” she said.