Hospital Preparing To Distribute COVID Vaccine

Huntsville Hospital CEO David Spillers talked to WAAY 31 about coronavirus vaccinations and how the hospital system is preparing to potentially be the primary distributor for the vaccine in North Alabama.

Once it comes.

Syd, 'huntsville hospital ceo david spillers told me he thinks they could start receiving doses of a covid-19 vaccine to store in freezers at the hospitals in the next month or so..

And he said the hospital will be ready to distribute it when they can do so."

David spillers, huntsville hospital ceo "we have enough refrigeration, freezer capacity to store those vaccines.

I think it's roughly 30 thousand doses or so that we could store here."

Huntsville hospital c-e- o david spillers told me huntsville hospital might be the only storage site in north alabama for the covid-19 vaccine.

Pfizer's vaccine would have to be stored at negative 94 degrees farenheit..and he said being able to distribute the vaccine as soon as emergency authorization by the f-d-a comes down is important.

David spillers, huntsville hospital ceo " we hope to be a distribution site and store those, so that when they're ready to distribute they would be available locally."

The vaccine will first be made available to heatlh care workers and then the most vulnerable population..

As the vaccine plan released by the alabama department of public health outlines.

David spillers, huntsville hospital ceo "you have to take two shots so it requires a booster shot i believe 21 days after the first shot."

Spillers said he thinks it could take some time to vaccinate everyone..

David spillers, huntsville hospital ceo "30,00 in someone seems like a big number but you got 350 thousand people in madison county, so a long way to go to vaccinate madison county "david spillers, huntsville hospital ceo we will need to replenish that stock on a pretty regular basis if we're going to have enough to vaccinate people here in north alabama."

In huntsville sm waay 31 news.

Today- spillers told us the hospital currently has about 120 employees out because they have coronavirus or they've been exposed to the virus and are in quarantine.

Vaccinating workers when the vaccine is available could help keep that number down.

" you can get a free coronavirus test tomorrow!

"central north alabama health services" offers free weekly coronavirus tests every thursday this month.

It will be in new market tomorrow.

It will be on the calhoun community college campus in huntsville next thursday.

The thursday after that is thanksgiving - so no clinic on that day.

The clinic operates from 9 am to noon.

The test is free - but you should bring your i-d and insurance card if