ADPH to launch an online COVID vaccine registration portal to help streamline process.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - With more people wanting to get vaccinated for COVID-19, state health leaders hoped the addition of an online vaccine portal would help streamline the process.

Deputy State Health Officer, Dr. Karen Landers with The Alabama Department of Public Health said the plan was to have a vaccine sign-up online portal in use by the end of January.

The process is taking longer than anticipated.

“We have to make sure we have all of the parameters in place in terms of security of this nature,” Landers explained about the delay.

Landers said the state also wanted to ensure the portal ran smoothly.

“And, is able to provide persons an appointment for vaccination through the Alabama Department of Public Health’s clinics,” she added.

The state vaccine rollout in some areas has been slower than expected and there was not enough vaccine to match the demand at the time this article was written.

Landers said the portal would have two functions including setting appointments.

" It will allow people who are eligible to actually receive an appointment for an Alabama Department of Public Health vaccine clinic,” said Landers.

For everyone else who wanted to get vaccinated but was not yet eligible due to the roll-out plan, they could use the online portal to pre-registration.

“We want to know what the interest is. I’ve heard people say, “vaccine hesitancy”, well, there may be but I’m really not seeing that because a lot of people want the vaccine,” Landers said.

Landers hoped more vaccines would soon be approved by the FDA to help ease the strain on the early supplies.

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