DCH To Administer First Coronavirus Vaccination Thursday

TUSCALOOSA, AL. — DCH Health System announced on Tuesday that a local physician will be the first Tuscaloosa resident to receive the coronavirus vaccine on Thursday after the system received nearly 2,925 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine this week.

The vaccines will likely be administered at the new metal remote testing building on the DCH Regional Medical Center campus, with Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox alluding to the system being able to conduct roughly 500 vaccinations a week to start. The vaccine will also come at a time of worry in Tuscaloosa County, which reported 1,140 new coronavirus cases over the last week, marking a new high.

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Maddox also said on Tuesday that as far as the allocation of vaccines during the first phase will go, 50% of the doses will go to hospital and health care workers; 15% for EMS workers; 15% for physician's offices and 15% classified as "other."

Additionally, Tuesday's announcement comes as DCH put out a call this week looking for individuals with a current Alabama RN, LPN or paramedic license to work as per diem or temporary vaccination providers.

As Patch reported Tuesday, Southeast Health in Dothan administered the state's first dose of the vaccine to a critical care doctor.

This is a developing story. Patch will have more details as they come available.