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Local officials in Birmingham and Jefferson County are stepping up efforts to get photos of residents without access to transport or the internet by offering discounted rides and unplanned shots at AH Parker High School.
The Parker vaccination site offered vaccines to about 115 local educators today, said Dr Sarah Nafziger, vice president of clinical support services at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. By next week, it should reach full capacity to deliver several hundred shots per day through scheduled drive-through meetings. A limited number of unscheduled shots will also be offered to residents of the community around Parker High School who fall into the eligibility category, which includes those aged 65 and over and some essential workers.
The Parker High School site is the third large-scale vaccination site to open in the Birmingham area, joining the Hoover Met and UAB Highlands, which already distribute vaccines. All three are operated by UAB.
“Equity is at the heart of UAB’s strategy to put this pandemic behind us,” Nafziger said. “The UAB takes very seriously our responsibility to remove the barriers that cause health disparities so that we all work to give underserved people the opportunity to get vaccinated.
Nafziger said UAB will work with local community leaders to help identify people who may be running out of transportation. She said they hope to deliver more hits to underserved communities in the coming weeks.
Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Tyson announced a program to provide discounted rides to people who need the vaccine. The county will offer special gift cards for Uber and Lyft trips to vaccination sites, and public buses and transit services for people with disabilities will also offer additional routes.
“We have to make sure that the hits in the arm go to anyone who wants to get one,” Tyson said.
The county is planning additional vaccination sites in other towns, including Bessemer, she said. Additionally, community leaders will conduct outreach activities to disseminate door-to-door information on how and where to access immunizations.
“To make sure everyone has equitable access to these vaccines,” Tyson said.
The Parker High School site was born out of a partnership with the city of Birmingham and the schools of the city of Birmingham.
“Access to this vaccine is extremely important,” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said. “But also, take the vaccines. I want our Birmingham citizens to know that many people in the community, people we trust, community leaders have already taken the vaccine. And I want you all to get to a point where you are comfortable taking the vaccine. “
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