Eligible Alabamians hoping to make an online appointment for a COVID-19 vaccination will have to wait until February.
Dr. Karen Landers with the Alabama Department of Public Health confirmed to AL.com online scheduling will launch in February “if not before.”
The exact date or its web address has not been announced.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey announced Jan. 11 the state would be launching the website to ease strain on the toll-free scheduling telephone number. The scheduling hotline - 1-855-566-5333 - has been overwhelmed with calls since its launch, receiving 1.1 million calls on its first day.
Last week, State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said the online portal would be available “in a few days.”
Alabama is currently vaccinating healthcare workers, long-term care workers and residents, first responders and people over age 75. The state has been criticized for its slow vaccination process. You can see more on that here.
According to the CDC, 3.6 percent of Alabama’s population had received at least one dose in the two-dose cycle.