First Doses Of Coronavirus Vaccine Given In Alabama On Tuesday

ACROSS ALABAMA — The first dose of the vaccine against the coronavirus was given out Tuesday at Alabama's Southeast Health hospital in Dothan.

In a news release, the hospital said the dose was given to Dr. Walter Doty, medical director for the hospital's critical care unit. Donty's vaccine was administered by Chris Holland, registered nurse and director of surgical services.

The hospital's second dose was given to Dr. Ravi Nallamothu, medical director of Southeast Health Hospitalist. Nallamothu's dose was given by Ben Ryals, RN and nurse manager for the hospital's emergency department.

Cullman Regional Hospital in Cullman also gave out its first dose of the vaccine on Tuesday. The inoculation was given to Donna Snow, a critical nurse.

Snow has been a nurse for 42 years, the hospital said in a news release. She said she has seen more critically ill patients than usual this winter.

“The care required for these patients is challenging,” she said in a statement. “Not only do the clinical staff have to take more time to dress in the protective gear, but the care of the patients takes more time as well.”

The release stated Cullman Regional is one of 13 health systems in Alabama selected to doll out vaccines to frontline health care workers in phase one.

With the vaccine now available in the U.S., a new tool from the New York Times, the Surgo Foundation and Ariadne Labs can help you find out when you will be eligible to be vaccinated. Here's how to find your place in line.

Dr. William Smith, Cullman Regional's chief medical officer, said the hospital has been working for some time in preparation for arrival of the vaccine.

“Our team has been working diligently to get ready to administer these vaccinations to our team members upon receiving our allocation,” said Smith. “This preparation allowed us to begin administering them almost immediately after they were received.”

“I’m sick of hearing that it’s just like the flu; it’s not the flu,” Snow added, noting the hospital has a number of patients on ventilators.

The Alabama Department of Health on Monday announced the state will receive 40,950 Pfizer vaccines in phase one of its distribution plan. The vaccines will then be divided among EMS workers, doctors, hospital staff and additional health care workers and doctors in nearby health systems.

Cullman Regional said it will host a vaccination clinic for health care workers starting this week. The clinic will be held by appointment. Hospitals and physicians hoping to learn more about the distribution are asked to call (256) 737-2754.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham on Monday also received a shipment of 10,000 doses of the vaccine, which it said will be distributed to UAB employees, EMS workers and employees of other hospitals.

Phase one of distribution also calls for residents of long-term care facilities to be vaccinated through the Federal Pharmacy Program. It's unclear when long-term care facility residents will be given the vaccine.

A new tool from the New York Times, the Surgo Foundation and Ariadne Labs calculates the number of people who will need a vaccine in each state and county — and where Jefferson County residents, for example, might fit in that line.

An average 40-year-old Jefferson County resident with no professional or health-related special circumstances would be in line behind 268.7 million people across the United States, according to the study.

In Alabama, the projection would be behind 4.3 million others who are at higher risk, in a state with a population of nearly 5 million. In Jefferson County, 581,700 would be ahead of you in a county with approximately 658,573 residents.

But those caveats make a difference.

The same person with higher risk health conditions have a ticket around 347,300 in Alabama and 71,500 in Jefferson County. A healthy first responder would be at 288,800 on the line on the state level and 67,200 in Jefferson County.

You can input your specific information on the Times website.