COVID vaccination updates from UAB doctor

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - The demand for COVID-19 vaccinations continues to exceed supplies. State health leaders are hoping larger supplies and new community outreach programs will help get more shots into arms in the state.

The latest numbers from the Alabama Department of Public Health shows 942,000 people have been vaccinated out of 1.4 million doses. That’s about 70%, but the other unused doses have been promised to other patients.

At UAB on Wednesday, Dr. Sarah Nafziger said they have vaccinated about 80,000 patients at four sites. Dr. Nafziger said the Parker High School site will stay open as students return to classes next week and expand hours starting Monday. This is a drive-thru site for scheduled appointments and walk up service for people who are not scheduled.

The Alabama Department of Health told UAB their supply of Pfizer vaccine will be increasing. This will aide in their efforts to expand to more community outreach programs for people who may not have transportation or access to the internet to make appointments.

“It has been absolutely heartbreaking to me. I have received a tremendous amount of email and phone calls from people saying Dr. Nafziger how can I get my loved one in? They are waiting. They have been signed up for weeks and they are waiting and I understand that is tremendously anxiety provoking,” Nafziger said.

Dr. Nafziger said UAB has implemented a call back and email program to stay in touch with people to tell them where they stand with their shots and to show they have not been forgotten. The increased supply of vaccine starts this week.

Will all adults have access to COVID vaccine by May?

Alabama health leaders are hoping President Biden is correct with his vaccine prediction. The president announced that every adult in the country should have access to a COVID vaccine shot by May.

President Biden said vaccine supplies should increase enough to have vaccine shots for every adult in the United States by the end of May. This moves up the old White House prediction by two months.

Alabama is seeing more supplies coming into the state. Total doses this week are up to 140,000 with the addition of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Dr. Nafziger said the state informed them their supplies of the Pfizer vaccine will be increasing this week. She is not sure the vaccine manufacturers can meet the president’s timeline, but she says there is a big demand for those shots.

“I mean, if we are getting more doses, we are going to get more shots into arms. It’s going to speed up things tremendously. I can not imagine where we won’t see any scenario where we have increased vaccinations statewide. Everybody is clamoring for this vaccine,” Nafziger said.

Nafziger said any increase UAB may get will be diverted to those unscheduled appointments at Parker High School trying to reach those in underserved areas. She agrees a lot of people have limited access to shots because of transportation or internet issues to make those scheduled appointments.

UAB’s community vaccination clinic at Parker High School will have new hours beginning March 8. Appointments and non-scheduled appointments will be from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Will the mask mandate be extended in Alabama?

Alabama’s COVID numbers and hospitalizations continue to drop dramatically. Texas and Mississippi have lifted restrictions on businesses and dropped their face mask orders. Dr. Sarah Nafziger said Wednesday now is still not the time for Alabama to do the same.

UAB has seen its number of COVID patients at the hospital drop to 38. Statewide, it’s down to 631 - the lowest number since last summer.

Dr. Nafziger said while all of this is good news, Governor Kay Ivey should continue the face mask order. She and other health leaders all say in Alabama, there are concerns that those number could increase again. There are continued fears about the variant UK virus now in Alabama spreading to more people and causing more deaths.

“I believe even one life lost, if we do that, is too high of a price to pay. I’m not willing to gamble with anyone’s life right now. I know the masks are inconvenient. I hate wearing the stupid things. I hate wearing one. I don’t like them either, but I’m willing to do that. I’m willing to make that sacrifice because I don’t want to accidently infect someone who is vulnerable and I don’t want them to die,” Nafziger said.

Nafziger believed by this summer, if numbers continue to drop and vaccinations continue to go up, it might be time then to get rid of the masks.

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