COVID-19 vaccination clinics will be operating this coming week across Alabama. This effort goes on following reports that demand for coronavirus shots in the State is dropping. The Mobile County Health Department will be giving first doses of the Moderna vaccine Monday at the Little Rock A.M.E. Zion Church. Doctor Sarah Nafziger is with UAB’s Department of Emergency Medicine. She says UAB is operating three vaccine clinics in Jefferson County.
“There are lots of vaccine sites out there, and that’s great," said Nafziger. "I’m so glad to see lots of vaccine availability, but we’re starting to see the demand for vaccine slow down. The lines of people waiting to get vaccine, that list is getting shorter and shorter.”
The Alabama Hospital Association is also reporting fewer people lining up and some hospitals may scale back their vaccination efforts. The Mobile County Health Department will be giving follow up Moderna shots to patients who’ve already had their first dose. Those vaccinations will be administered on Monday at the Alabama Cruise Shop Terminal. Doctor Nafziger says one result of the shrinking demand is smaller lines for those who want a shot.
"That’s great in some sense because I don’t want anyone to have to wait. But, I’ll tell you that I’m getting very concerned that we’ve gotten to the point where everyone who is willing to get a vaccine has gotten one. And that’s not enough people. We don’t have enough people vaccinated yet.”
The Pathcheck Foundation COVID-19 vaccination dashboard says only about thirty percent of Alabama’s population has received at least one shot. States like Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts are at over fifty percent.
