By Tyler Greer
UAB News
The University of Alabama at Birmingham and UAB Medicine will open its third community vaccination location on Thursday, Feb. 11, at Parker High School in downtown Birmingham. The site will join UAB Hospital-Highlands and the Hoover Met as vaccination locations serving all residents identified by the Alabama Department of Public Health as eligible to register to receive vaccines. Today, UAB is able to expand its vaccine offerings beyond its patients, Cooper Green Mercy Health Services patients and those who live in Jefferson County.
Vaccination appointments may be requested online at uabmedicinevaccine.org. Once a registration form is submitted, no further communication will come from UAB until there is an appointment time available; that communication will come from Phreesia to confirm appointment locations and times.
If you are eligible to receive the vaccine but do not have internet access, it is recommended that you ask a family member, friend or neighbor to help you register online. Most appointments for the week of Feb. 8 are filled, but more appointments will be available as vaccine supplies allow.
“We have been working as quickly as we can with our community partners in Birmingham and Hoover to stand these three sites up,” said Sarah Nafziger, M.D., assistant vice president of Clinical Support Services at UAB. “We are all extremely excited to have the ability to get more shots in arms. These vaccines are our way out of the epidemic, and we want to do all we can to help get Alabama out of this as quickly as possible.”
While logistics continue to be finalized for the Parker High School location, the tentative plan is for drive-through and walk-up lanes on-site for those who access public transportation or live nearby.
“We have worked closely with our partners at UAB and Birmingham City Schools to identify and support this vaccination site, which is vitally important to our residents,” said Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin. “We are happy the A.H. Parker site will join UAB Hospital-Highlands for two vaccination locations in the City of Birmingham. I urge all Birmingham residents who meet the current Alabama Department of Health guidelines for vaccination to register. If you have a loved one or friend who may need assistance registering, please offer to help.”
According to State Health Officer Scott Harris, all Alabamians age 65 and older can request their vaccination appointments now.
Following the state health guidelines for vaccination, UAB has provided more than 40,000 first- and second-dose vaccines to health care workers, EMS, first responders, UAB patients and community members thus far. UAB opened its Highlands location Jan. 18. The Hoover Met site opened Tuesday, Feb. 2; the number of vaccines given this week at the Hoover Met is expected to surpass a total of 3,200 for its opening week, say Nafziger and Hoover Mayor Frank V. Brocato.
“We felt all along the opportunity was going to open for our entire community to get access to the vaccines,” Brocato said. “I applaud all of the extremely hard work Dr. Harris has done coordinating all the sites throughout Alabama. It’s an unbelievably difficult task, and he’s to be commended. We have had the opportunity to work with UAB, and they are executing a nearly flawless vaccine site at the Hoover Met. I’m so happy this will be available to everyone.”
Gov. Kay Ivey and the Alabama Department of Public Health announced Jan. 29 that the ADPH will extend eligibility for COVID-19 vaccinations to include people 65 or older, and additional groups of frontline workers beginning Feb. 8. The Vaccine Allocation Plan is available at www.alabamapublichealth.gov/covid19vaccine/assets/adph-covid19-vaccination-allocation-plan.pdf. UAB’s vaccination sites will expand to include those 65 and older beginning Feb. 8.
