Why Alabama’s Declining Vaccination Rate Could Spell An ‘Uncomfortable Summer’
Dr. Michael Saag, an infectious disease specialist at UAB, said he was concerned about declining rates of COVID-19 vaccination during a press conference on June 7.
After months of declining case numbers and hospitalizations, health experts are warning Alabama could soon see an uptick in COVID-19 infections.
The state’s vaccination rate ranks second to last nationwide, with just under 30% of residents fully vaccinated. And demand for the shot continues to plummet.
“I think we might be headed towards, I won’t call it a turbulent summer, but I will call it an uncomfortable summer,” said Dr. Michael Saag, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Even though most Alabamians are not fully protected against COVID-19, Saag said many residents have stopped wearing masks and have returned to activities like summer barbecues, sports games and other social gatherings.
“Somehow the messaging from CDC about ‘only fully vaccinated people being safe without a mask’ got lost in translation,” Saag said.
Alabama’s low vaccination rate presents a “very worrisome situation” that could possibly lead to a summer surge, according to Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, who spoke to NPR’s Here & Now.
“People see that things are getting better,” Marrazzo said. “So I think the urgency has really come down. That’s informed a sense of complacency.”
Both doctors said that more residents, especially adults under the age of 40, need to get vaccinated to prevent the spread of more infectious variants.
In recent weeks, Birmingham city leaders and health officials have started offering financial incentives for residents to get a shot.
Saag said that could help reach some people, but more targeted messaging is necessary to combat vaccine hesitancy.
He predicted that Alabama “won’t be anywhere close” to reaching President Biden’s goal of getting 70% of the state’s population at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by July 4.
Australian woman is sentenced to life for poisoning relatives with mushrooms
An Australian judge sentenced triple-murderer Erin Patterson to life in prison with a non-parole period of 33 years for poisoning four of her estranged husband's relatives with death cap mushrooms.
Carlos Alcaraz wins his 2nd U.S. Open at match delayed by Trump’s attendance
The president's arrival delayed the match and left many ticketholders waiting in line. He watched from Rolex's luxury box.
More than 90,000 Jeep Grand Cherokees recalled over potential loss of drive power
Vehicles impacted by the recall include 2022 to 2026 plug-in hybrid electric models of the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Trump walks back Chicago ‘war’ threat, but vows to ‘clean up’ cities
Trump posted online that Chicago was "about to find out why it's called the Department of WAR," but later said his administration wouldn't go to war with American cities but rather "clean them up."
Postal traffic to US drops more than 80% after trade exemption rule ends, UN agency says
The de minimis rule that allowed small packages worth less than $800 to be exempt from tariffs ended on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025.
Colombia’s lone Amazon port faces drying river and rising tensions with Peru
Colombia's only Amazon port town could soon be cut off from the river that keeps it alive. As drought and a shifting river spark a tense border dispute with Peru, locals are scrambling to adapt—and politicians are raising flags, literally.
