As news of a new COVID-19 variant has been announced, the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) urges all eligible people to become fully vaccinated, get booster shots, and follow preventive measures including wearing masks, social distancing, and washing hands frequently.
Dr. Wes Stubblefield, ADPH medical officer, Northern and Northeastern districts, reminds the public about the widespread availability of COVID-19 vaccines and said, “The best way to protect yourself, your children, and your loved ones is to get vaccinated. The vaccines are safe and effective and provide a robust protection against the original virus and the variants currently in circulation in Alabama.”
On November 26 the World Health Organization (WHO) classified a new variant, B.1.1.529, as a variant of concern and has named it Omicron. No cases of this variant have been identified in the U.S. or Alabama to date.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is following the details of this new variant, first reported to the WHO by South Africa, and is working with other U.S. and global public health and industry partners to learn more about this variant and is continuing to monitor its path. CDC continuously monitors variants and the U.S. variant surveillance system has reliably detected new variants in this country. Travelers to the U.S. should continue to follow CDC recommendations.
The best way to protect everyone is to be vaccinated, including those people who have been infected previously with COVID-19. Most hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19 in Alabama are among unvaccinated people.
All county health departments offer COVID-19 vaccine, but some locations do not have all three brands of vaccine available. County health departments offer age-eligible vaccine products at no charge to children and adults ages 5 and older.
For children and adolescents 5 through 17 years of age, please check vaccines.gov or contact the vaccine provider to see if the Pfizer vaccine is offered before scheduling an appointment.
Adults who received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine are eligible for a booster shot two months after being vaccinated. For adults who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, boosters are available six months after completion of the primary series.
Please contact your county health department for availability. [The Escambia County Health Department on this end of the county is located at 8600 Highway 31 North, Suite 17, Atmore. The phone number is 368-9188.]
County health departments throughout Alabama provide a wide range of confidential and professional services. Contact your local county health department for additional information.
Mission: To promote, protect, and improve Alabama’s health.
Vision: Healthy People. Healthy Communities. Healthy Alabama.
Archives
- September 2024
- August 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016