COVID-19 Update Alabama Department of Public Health March 22, 2021

MONTGOMERY-Getting COVID-19 vaccine into the arms of Alabamians as quickly as possible is our goal. ADPH is conducting clinics daily, including drive-through clinics in some counties. Limited vaccine remains the greatest challenge in Alabama and other states.

COVID-19 Cases—511,779
COVID-19 Deaths—10,436
COVID-19 Hospitalizations (as of March 21)—47,158
Beginning March 22, vaccine eligibility expands to include phase 1c and people 55 years and older.  The expansion to 1c includes people with high-risk medical conditions, additional critical workers, and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. People in phase 1a and 1b are also eligible to be vaccinated.
The Alabama COVID-19 Vaccination Allocation Plan outlines the various phases, and is available here:
www.alabamapublichealth.gov/covid19vaccine/assets/adph-covid19-vaccination-allocation-plan.pdf
Average 1^stDoses of Vaccine Shipped to Alabama Per Week—110,000-115,000
Vaccine Doses Administered—1,434,782
Vaccine Doses Delivered to Alabama—2,044,025
Alabama Healthcare Providers Enrolled—1,265

Safer at Home Order Amended to Reflect Latest CDC School Social Distancing Guidance
The Safer at Home order issued on March 4, 2021, has been amended. Today’s order amends paragraph 14 to reflect updated recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concerning social distancing in schools. Under the previous order, all schools were required to take reasonable steps, where practicable, to maintain six feet of separation between persons of different households. The new language provides an exception to that rule for elementary, middle, and high schools, which will be required to take reasonable steps to keep students from different households three feet apart from one another.

ADPH Encourages the Use of Facial Coverings After Mandate Ends on April 9
Masks or other facial coverings will no longer be a mandate after April 9, but ADPH reminds everyone that masks remain one of the most successful tools to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. Many businesses and healthcare facilities will continue to require facial coverings in their facilities. Hospitals and nursing homes are under federal guidance that supports the use of facial coverings, and we anticipate the requirement for facial coverings to remain in place at those facilities.

National Guard COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics
The Alabama National Guard (ALNG) will begin providing primary COVID-19 vaccinations in Covington and Sumter counties on March 23. The mobile vaccination clinics will continue to rotate through 24 rural counties for the next three weeks. Second-dose clinics will be provided at the same locations April 13-30. Locations for some COVID-19 vaccination clinics have been changed from those originally announced. These include changes for the clinics in Sumter, Greene, Hale and Marengo counties. Washington and Conecuh counties have rotated dates due to a site conflict at one location. Clinic information ordered by date of first dose can be found at www.alabamapublichealth.gov/covid19vaccine/ng-clinics.html. The website also includes flyers to promote each clinic and vaccination forms that can be reviewed and completed prior to receiving a vaccination. Persons are asked to check the link frequently as locations are subject to change due to inclement weather or unforeseen logistical issues.

Media Release/Alabama Department of Public Health