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The pandemic in Alabama is at its worst yet, and with vaccines on their way, it is too early to abandon precautions, the state’s senior health official Dr Scott Harris said on Friday. during a Facebook Live event with U.S. Senator Doug Jones. , D-Ala.
“It’s nothing sustainable. We cannot continue on this path seeing the numbers go in the direction they are currently going, ”Harris said.
Hospitalizations are at an all time high with 260,000 confirmed cases, and Alabama set a record for the number of COVID-19 cases added in one day with 3,840 new cases on Friday.
There were 1,800 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 this week, three times the number last spring, which is a cause of serious concern to public health experts at the time.
“The numbers are just mind boggling,” said Harris, who said he expects the Ivey government to renew the state’s mask mandate for the foreseeable future given the rate of spread.
“The mask order was extremely successful in my opinion.”
Harris acknowledged that the spread of the community may be due to the difficulty of changing small everyday behaviors. He urged the Alabamians to stay at home. If that is not possible, he asked residents to stay away from others and wear a mask.
“If you don’t feel in danger yourself, think about other people who might be in danger.”
Jones said he was concerned the Alabamians were focusing too much on the stories of high profile residents, like University of Alabama coach Nick Saban, who had relatively minor COVID experiences, rather than to focus on hospitals that are overwhelmed statewide.
“You are tired. Everyone is. I hate wearing masks, ”Jones said. “Think of those who had an empty chair at Thanksgiving because of someone getting lost.”
Jones said he is hopeful Congress passes another stimulus bill before he steps down for the holidays and that more help will follow once a new administration takes office.
“It’s not as big a package as what I’d like to (like) to do,” Jones said.
“If we can keep businesses afloat, if we can expand unemployment insurance,” he said, “better than nothing”.
Harris detailed the state’s plans to roll out 40,950 initial doses of the Pfizer vaccine starting with frontline healthcare workers as early as mid-December, pending FDA approval. The following week, the state could receive a similar shipment of Moderna vaccine, pending approval.
Unlike the Pfizer vaccine, which requires storage in an ultra-cold freezer at -70 Celsius, the Moderna vaccine can be kept in a regular refrigerator, raising hopes that it will become widely available in rural parts of the state.
“The real solution, at the end of the day, for our more rural areas, will be the use of the Moderna vaccine,” Harris said.
He acknowledged that there is not yet enough vaccine to meet demand in Alabama. Nearly 300,000 healthcare workers statewide will be prioritized for immunization. Residents of nursing homes, people with pre-existing illnesses and other vulnerabilities to COVID-19 are the second phase of the vaccine rollout. By this summer, ADPH hopes that all Alabamians will have access to a vaccine.
By spring 2021, Harris expects there will be six different vaccines in distribution, all with distinct administration and tracking requirements.
Some vaccines may be tested for use in certain populations, such as the elderly or pregnant women, and may be better suited for these people. Harris said that determination of those details will be made by a CDC committee after FDA approval.
Jones and Harris both said they plan to take the vaccine as soon as it is approved.
“I can say for sure that if there was a problem with the vaccine, they absolutely won’t sign it,” Harris said.
“I am totally confident in the process.”
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