Biden Administration Pushes To Vaccinate All Americans Against COVID-19
Ashley Burt, an employee in the Jefferson County School District, received her dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at UAB.
The three COVID-19 vaccines authorized for emergency use in the U.S. are safe and effective is the message from President Biden to encourage more people to take the vaccine.
“It’s just essential that everyone gets connected with vaccination,” said Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, senior advisor for the president’s COVID-19 response team. “That’s how we’re going to get to our new normal. That’s how we’re going to be able to reopen schools … reunite with our families, reopen our businesses, get our economy going again, and to be able to gather together.”
Clinics and hospitals in Alabama have administered the two-shot vaccines from drug companies Pfizer and Moderna since December. The distribution of a one-shot vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson began this month.
Alabama has been consistently near the bottom among states for vaccines administered per capita.
The Alabama Department of Public Health reported more than 1.3 million doses have been given indicating nearly 17% of residents have received at least one shot. The number of people completing a vaccination course was not available as of Thursday, March 18.
“The reality is people you know have been vaccinated,” Nunez-Smith said.
She said there will be enough supply for every American who wants a shot by the end of May. Officials are working to reduce barriers to vaccinations in both federal programs and state efforts. That includes placing clinics closer to where people live. Work is also underway on a White House-backed website and an 800 number to locate vaccination sites.
“We’ve made sure the vaccination is free of charge, no out of pocket cost for anyone. We’re making sure that vaccination venues are convenient,” Nunez-Smith said.
A recent NPR/PBS Newshour/Marist poll found a majority of adults want to be vaccinated. Some have suggested vaccine hesitancy has kept some Blacks from taking the shot because of historic mistreatment and discrimination by the medical system. But this poll showed Blacks most eager for a vaccine with only 25% saying they didn’t want one.
In fact, the poll found 49% of Republican men and 47% of Trump supporters, of which there are many in Alabama, would not take a vaccine. Nunez-Smith said the administration is trying to find trusted voices that can reach all groups.
“We know that we need every single American to get vaccinated and there is so much promise and hope on the other side of that.”
‘Twinless’ is a dark comedy that doubles up on the twists
Dylan O'Brien and James Sweeney craft a kind of chemistry that is equal parts funny and heart-wrenching.
Russ & Daughters in NYC celebrates ‘100 years of appetizing’ and family
At Russ & Daughters, it takes three months to learn how to slice salmon. NPR's Scott Simon visits the 100 year-old appetizing store to try his hand at the fine art and talk about their new cookbook.
As opposition to an Alabama medical waste treatment facility boils over, a mysterious Facebook page weighs in
Dozens of residents opposed to Harvest Med Waste Disposal’s site in Remlap packed the Blount County courthouse to voice their concerns. Online, a paid campaign supporting the facility has been active, though its backers have remained anonymous.
20 years later, is it time to quit ‘Brokeback Mountain’?
Back in 2005, Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal captured lust shading into love, and love decaying into heartbreak. The movie got a lot of things right — but not everything.
In April NPR profiled people who couldn’t get their HIV drugs. How are they faring now?
In Zambia, we met people who are HIV positive, couldn't get drugs to suppress the virus after U.S. aid cuts and were seeing symptoms. We checked in on them — and the man who's been their champion.
Amid debate about U.S. history, Harlem Hellfighters receive Congressional Gold Medal
The Harlem Hellfighters, who became legends for their service during World War I, were honored this week with a Congressional Gold Medal.
