Bessemer To Get FEMA Vaccination Site

BESSEMER, AL — The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Alabama Department of Public Health will partner to open a major Community Vaccination Center in Bessemer.

A statement from The White House Friday said the center, opening April 21 at the Watermark Place at 4500 Katies Way in Bessemer, will administer approximately 1,000 shots a day and will operate seven days per week for an eight-week period.

A statement from Gov. Kay Iver said getting the vaccine is the best way for Alabama to get back to normal operation.

"The vaccine is our ticket out of COVID-19, and I continue encouraging Alabamians to get their shots," Ivey said. "I am pleased that FEMA selected Alabama to house one of their clinics. As this clinic gets rolling on April 21, I urge Alabamians still needing their vaccine shots to take advantage of this resource."

"During this pilot period, the federal government will provide limited direct vaccine allocation to the site through FEMA—as we do through federal entities for other federal programs," the statement from The White House said. "The Watermark Place center will follow Alabama’s vaccine eligibility requirements. The site will offer drive-thru vaccinations. After receiving their vaccination, individuals will proceed to a post-vaccine waiting area for at least 15 minutes, per CDC guidelines, to be monitored for any adverse reactions."

The site was identified using a range of criteria, The White House said, but the main indicator was the Centers for Disease Control’s Social Vulnerability Index, created to help emergency response planners and public health officials identify and map communities that will most likely need support before, during, and after a hazardous event. The index takes into consideration critical data points, including socioeconomic status, household composition, minority status, languages, housing type and transportation.

"The goal of establishing these joint federal pilot centers is to continue to expand the rate of vaccinations in an efficient, effective and equitable manner, with an explicit focus on making sure that communities with a high risk of COVID-19 exposure and infection are not left behind," The White House statement said. "FEMA and the state will continue reach out to underserved communities in the Birmingham area to inform and build trust about the benefits of getting vaccinated. FEMA has currently obligated over $51.6M to the State of Alabama to support vaccination operations statewide."