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The Alabama Department of Public Health will be expanding the eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines starting March 22 to: People Age 55 and older People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Persons age 16-64 years with high risk medical conditions And other groups listed under ADPH's Allocation Phase 1c (Please see full Press Release BELOW) The Calhoun County Unified Command continues to work to distribute vaccines to the community. The current supply of vaccines is much less than the demand and we thank you for your continued patience. As more vaccines are allotted to Calhoun County, the Unified Command will work to get it in the arms of the community. At this time, there is not scheduled mass vaccination site due to lack of vaccines. Please sign up for our COVID-19 notifications by texting CALCOVID to 888-777 for future updates or visit our information webpage to see what providers in the county may currently have the vaccine: www.calhounema.org/vaccine PER THE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH: MONTGOMERY – Governor Kay Ivey and the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) announced Friday that starting March 22, ADPH will extend eligibility for COVID-19 vaccinations to include people age 55 and older, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and the population defined as Allocation Phase 1c in the Alabama Vaccine Allocation Plan, www.alabamapublichealth.gov/covid19vaccine/assets/adph-covid19-vaccination-allocation-plan.pdf “We have been concerned that many people at high risk and others engaged in close contact work have not been eligible to receive the vaccine yet, but with the additional vaccine supply we are better able to meet the needs of Alabama residents,” Governor Ivey said. “Starting March 22, individuals can be assured of receiving the shots they have been patiently waiting to get.” In addition to those age 55 and older and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, groups to be included for extended eligibility are people age 16 to 64 with high-risk medical conditions which include but are not limited to the following conditions: • Cancer • Chronic kidney disease • COPD • Heart conditions such as heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies; immunocompromised state • Solid organ transplant • Obesity, BMI greater than 30 • Pregnancy • Sickle cell disease • Smoking • Type 1 and 2 diabetes • Other medical conditions as determined by your medical provider Also, critical workers in the following areas who were not recommended for vaccination in Phase 1b will be eligible: • Transportation and logistics • Waste and wastewater • Food service (includes restaurant staff) • Shelter and housing (construction) • Finance (bank tellers) • Information technology and communication • Energy • Legal • Media • Public safety (engineers) The additional priority groups will add over 2 million people who are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination in Alabama. While around two-thirds of Alabama residents will qualify to receive the vaccine, the state receives between 110,000 and 120,000 first doses each week. During the week of March 29 through April 2, additional vaccination clinics will be planned around the state. As of March 11, 556,603 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, 611,566 doses of the Moderna vaccine and 8,745 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine had been administered in the state. A total of 1,731,965 vaccines have been delivered to Alabama. “Alabama is expanding its guidance to accelerate access to the safe and effective vaccines now available in our state,” State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said. “While authorized vaccines roll out and more people are vaccinated, everyone needs to continue to wear masks and maintain social distancing to protect their loved ones and the many vulnerable people in the state.” For general information about COVID-19, the COVID-19 Information Hotline number is 1-800-270-7268. Alabama vaccine providers can be found within the Alabama COVID-19 Dashboard Hub at arcg.is/0brSGj.

Today, Governor Kay Ivey held a joint press conference with Dr. Scott Harris to provide an update on their COVID-19 efforts at 11:00am. The current order, including the statewide mask mandate, will be extended until April 9th, 2021 at 5:00 PM. Please remember to wear your mask, socially distance and sanitize frequently. Governor Kay Ivey did acknowledge that the mask mandate will no longer be in effect after April 9th, 2021. There has also been more restrictions lifted such as: - Kids camps can occur during summer - Hospitals and long-term car facilities can allow up to 2 visitors per patient - Seating limitations on restaurants are lifted For all documents about new health order and to see lifted restrictions: https://governor.alabama.gov/newsroom/2021/03/governor-ivey-extends-safer-at-home-order-3/ To see press conference video: facebook.com/KayIveyAL/

Overall, Calhoun County has seen a decrease in the number of new cases per week and day as well as in hospitalizations. This is a good indicator of decreased community spread. THANK YOU for your diligence in practicing the necessary precautions recommended by the CDC to reduce the spread of COVID-19. We encourage you to continue being active in wearing your mask, washing your hands, and distancing from others. Please see graphs below for latest numbers as well as information on a free TESTING site (this is not a vaccine site). For more details regarding the test site, please click here. Data is taken from the dashboard provided by the Alabama Department of Public Health. You can access their dashboard here. On average, the new cases per day and total cases per month have decreased and are the lowest they have been since October. See graphs above. Seeing a decrease in the number of NEW CASES PER WEEK as indicated by the decreasing trend lines on the graph above. The data above is given to us by Regional Medical Center. There has been a steady decrease in the number of active COVID-19 positive patients housed at RMC. They hit their peak at 85 at the end of December and now only have around 17 patients be treated for COVID-19. Please continue to wear your mask and socially distance to keep the spread of COVID-19 down. For ways to stay safe with Spring Break coming up, please refer to the CDC here about traveling during COVID-19.

The Alabama Statewide Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program and the Calhoun County EMA, through the Calhoun County Unified Command, have partnered with the City of Oxford and Civil Air Patrol to provide a community COVID-19 drive thru testing site Wednesday, March 3rd, 2021. (This is not the vaccine, just a test to determine if you have COVID-19) This will be a drive-thru test site that is free to the public. The tests are provided by University of Alabama Birmingham and will be a self-administered test. The details are below: Location: Oxford Choccolocco Park Address: 954 Leon Smith Pkwy, Oxford, AL 36203 Date: Wednesday, March 3rd, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM See the graphic and map below for more information and for the route that will be used.

COVID-19 in Calhoun County Over the past month, there has been a decreasing trend in number of new cases per week, hospitalizations, and positivity rate. This is a great sign, but does not allow us to let down our guard as a community. We need to continue practicing the recommendations of the CDC to help keep the spread of COVID-19 to a minimum. Wear Your mask. Keep your distance. Together we can make a difference. GRAPHS and NUMBERS: Number of new cases: 12,860 Number of new cases in 14 days: 561 Average new cases per day for February (to date): 49 Total number of deaths: 277 Average number of hospitalizations per day for the last 7 days: 23 Percent Positivity: 15.8% Vaccination Information: Last week, February 8th through the 12th, over 5,000 vaccines were distributed to the community through our Calhoun County Unified Command. This is made of up 20+ agencies and organizations within our county. To view a few photos: https://eoc341.wixsite.com/vaccination-sites At this time, the unified command has not received notice from the State Health Department of when Calhoun county will receive more vaccines. AS SOON AS WE KNOW, we will put out the information on our website, social media, and local media partners. For timely alerts about COVID-19 please sign up for our text alerts by texting CALCOVID to 888-777. Our vaccine information webpage is: www.calhounema.org/vaccine

Through the Calhoun County Unified Command, vaccine sites will be operating each day next week, Feb 8-12th. They will be by appointment only through www.rmccares.org/vaccine-info THIS DOES NOT GO LIVE UNTIL FEBRUARY 4th at 7 AM. If you have questions regarding scheduling, please contact (256) 235-5600 You can view our live update here: www.facebook.com/CalhounCountyEMA WHEN & WHERE: Oxford Civic Center - February 8th-9th from 7 AM to 5 PM 401 McCullars Ln Oxford, AL 36203 Anniston City Meeting Center - February 10th from 7 AM to 5 PM 1615 Noble Street Anniston, AL 36201 Jacksonville Community Center - February 11-12th from 7 AM to 5 PM 501 Alexandria Road SW Jacksonville, AL 36265 HOW To get your first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, please go to rmccares.org/vaccine-info and click the link to register. They will be by APPOINTMENT ONLY. You will need to show your appointment confirmation on your phone or printed out. THESE APPOINTMENTS DO NOT GO LIVE UNTIL 7 AM FEBRUARY 4th, 2021. WHO Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) will expand eligibility to additional groups starting February 8th. The groups are listed below. If you have specific question regarding eligibility, you will need to contact ADPH. People age 65 and older  First responders (EMS, Police, Fire)  Food and agriculture workers  U.S. Postal Service workers  Manufacturing workers  Grocery store workers  Public transit workers  People working in education (teachers, support staff, community college and higher education)  Childcare workers  Judiciary, including but not limited to circuit judges, district judges and district attorneys

The Alabama Department of Public sent out a press release at 10:30 AM discussing the expansion of vaccine allocations to more groups. THIS DOES NOT EFFECT THE VACCINE SITE AT THE ANNISTON CITY MEETING CENTER FEBRUARY 2-4. IT IS STILL ONLY SECOND DOSES TO THOSE WHO PREVIOUSLY RECIEVED THEIR FIRST DOSE JANUARY 5-7. STARTING ON FEBRUARY 8th as vaccine supply is available it will be opened up to the following groups: 65+ years old First responders Corrections officers Food and agriculture workers U.S. Postal Service workers Manufacturing workers Grocery store workers Public transit workers People who work in the education sector (teachers, support staff, community college and higher education) Childcare workers Judiciary (including but not limited to) circuit judges, district judges and district attorneys More details on specific sites and processes will be updated at a later date. Please continue to check back for these updates. You can sign up for our COVID-19 texts: text CALCOVID to 888-777. Thank you for your patience and we look forward to serving Calhoun County to our best ability! SEE FULL PRESS RELEASE HERE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Karen Landers, M.D., (256) 383-1231 Governor Kay Ivey and the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) announced Friday starting February 8, ADPH will extend eligibility for COVID-19 vaccinations to include people 65 or older, and additional groups of frontline workers. The Vaccine Allocation Plan is available at www.alabamapublichealth.gov/covid19vaccine/assets/adph-covid19-vaccination-allocation-plan.pdf Frontline critical workers listed in the plan are as follows: First responders Corrections officers Food and agriculture workers U.S. Postal Service workers Manufacturing workers Grocery store workers Public transit workers People who work in the education sector (teachers, support staff, community college and higher education) Childcare workers Judiciary (including but not limited to) circuit judges, district judges and district attorneys The additional priority groups will add over 1 million people that are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination in Alabama. While just under 2 million people will qualify to receive the vaccine, the state continues to only receive around 100,000 doses each week. As of today, 148,549 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 175,326 doses of the Moderna vaccine have been given out to first responders, residents and staff of Alabama’s nursing homes and individuals 75 and older. A total of 772,275 vaccines have been delivered to Alabama, meaning that 42 percent of what has already been delivered to the state have been administered. “We have all been frustrated that the supply of vaccine coming from the federal government hasn’t kept up with the demand,” Governor Ivey said. “To be blunt, we simply haven’t gotten the vaccine that we’ve been promised, and this has created a major backlog of aggravation. Today’s announcement will ensure that as more vaccine is released, we will have a plan in place to get the vaccine in people’s arms more quickly.” Covered in this expanded group are people at high risk for work-related exposure and persons in identified age groups at risk for COVID-19 associated morbidity and mortality. These include people working or living in congregate settings including but not limited to homeless shelters and group homes. “Alabama is expanding its guidance despite the limited vaccine in order to accelerate the vaccine uptake in our state,” Dr. Scott Harris said. “I want to reiterate that any remaining vaccines that have not been administered are either someone’s first dose and they are waiting on their appointment or they are waiting on their second dose. Any vaccine currently in the state has someone’s name on it.” As a courtesy to others, healthier people age 65 and older and workers who fall in these groups are encouraged to consider delaying their vaccination so that more vulnerable people can access vaccine ahead of them. To schedule an appointment for the free COVID-19 vaccination at a county health department, individuals may call the ADPH COVID-19 Vaccine Scheduling Hotline at 1-855-566-5333. For general information about COVID-19, the COVID-19 Information Hotline number is 1-800-270-7268. The vaccine providers can be found within the Alabama COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Dashboard at arcg.is/OrCey. ADPH anticipates the release of a new online tool next week which will provide information about opportunities for vaccination, including drive-through clinics being scheduled throughout the state.

COVID-19 UPDATE While many healthcare workers, first responders, and those 75+ are receiving vaccines, it is still important to remain vigilant and active in preventing further spread! We can all do our part to protect ourselves and those around us by wearing facial covering, distancing from others outside your home, and sanitizing frequently. See graphs below for weekly totals and hospitalizations: VACCINES The Alabama Department of Public Health has a vaccine allotment plan which determines the phases of vaccine distribution. This can be found here. If you have further questions about whether you should get the vaccine, please discuss it with your primary care physician. If you have questions about availability of vaccines please call your local health department. If you received your first dose at the Anniston City Meeting Center please see schedule below to receive your SECOND dose. This is for second doses only, there will not be any first doses distributed on these dates. It is unknown at this time when another mass vaccine site will be held. This is determined by the health department and is based on when they have vaccines available to distribute. As we receive information from the health department, we will continue to post it on our website and social media platforms.

Today, Governor Kay Ivey held a joint press conference with Dr. Scott Harris to provide an update on their COVID-19 efforts at 11:00am. The current order, including the statewide mask mandate, will be extended until March 5th, 2021 at 5:00 PM. Please remember to wear your mask, socially distance and sanitize frequently. To see press conference video: facebook.com/KayIveyAL/ For all documents about new health order: https://governor.alabama.gov/newsroom/2021/01/governor-ivey-extends-safer-at-home-order-2/

This update is to provide an overview on COVID-19 in Calhoun County as well as the vaccination efforts. COVID-19 in the COUNTY There had been a slight decrease in the number of new cases per week during the holidays with a slight increase again in the last week. The slight decease in between Christmas and New Year's could be an actual decrease in cases, or a lag in data entry due to the holidays. It is important to continue wearing a facial covering and distancing from other to help reduce community spread. According to ADPH, Calhoun County is still at a 17.5% positivity rate. The hospitalizations at RMC peaked right at New Years in the 80s and has averaged around the mid-60s for the last week. This is a fluid number and is constantly fluctuating due to admissions, discharges, and deaths. These patients are COVID-19 positive and are in the COVID Wards in need of hospital-grade medical care. These patients in the COVID-19 wards are in addition to non-COVID positive patients also admitted to the hospital. For numbers throughout the week of COVID-19 positive cases and deaths in the county, you can visit www.calhounema.org/coronavirus COVID-19 Vaccines COVID-19 vaccines are distributed to health care facilities in the county by the state. The Calhoun County EMA does not receive vaccines nor distribute them. We serve the community by partnering with the Health Department to facilitate and coordinate the vaccine sites as requested. We will continue to put out general information regarding vaccine distribution. If you have specific questions concerning the vaccines, you will need to contact the Department of Public Health. Last week (Jan 5-7), the vaccine site was held at the Anniston City Meeting Center and the Health Department and RMC both distributed their allotment of vaccines. Those who received their first dose of vaccines will need to return to the Anniston City Meeting center the first week of February (2-4) for their second dose. You need to return on the same day of the week. SEE BELOW: Tues, Jan 5th ---> Tues, Feb 2nd Wed, Jan 6th ---> Wed, Feb 3rd Thurs, Jan 7th ---> Thurs, Feb 4th FROM 7 AM - 2 PM. No appointment needed. The Calhoun County Health department will be taking appointments for those who have not already recieved ONCE THEY HAVE VACCINE AVAILABLE. Their appointments for January 18th have already been filled. Please be patient and courteous and check back in for future updates. The supply of vaccines does not meet the demand and it will take time for it to be readily available to everyone. As the EMA, one of our goals to disseminate timely and credible information to the public. You can find up-to-date information on the Health Department's plan and updates for vaccines in Calhoun County by visiting www.calhounema.org/vaccine You can also subscribe to our updates by clicking the Login/Sign Up button above. It will notify you when updates like these are added.

At this time, for those who got the vaccine at the Anniston City Meeting Center Jan 5-7, can return for their second doses Feb 2-4. This will only be for those getting their SECOND DOSE not for any new vaccinations. Please see statement from Alabama Department of Public Health for information on getting your first dose of the vaccine: Per the Alabama Department of Public Health: Gov. Kay Ivey and the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) announced Friday that ADPH will provide COVID-19 vaccinations for people 75 years or older, first responders, including law enforcement and firefighters, statewide by appointment only effective January 18. Appointments at locations throughout the state are made first come, first serve. The addition of these groups is not a full expansion into the next phase of the vaccine rollout. “I appreciate the swift work of ADPH to establish a system to efficiently provide our limited resources of vaccine to as many Alabamians as possible,” Gov. Ivey said. “We have previously worked to provide vaccines to our health care workers who are on the front lines of the pandemic, and now, are diligently working to expand access to our seniors, law enforcement officers and various members of our first responders. It is critical for everyone to remain patient; demand is high, and supply is low. ADPH and their partners are working around-the-clock to assist as many people as they can.” Alabama continues to vaccinate more than 326,000 health care workers and nursing home residents who are most at-risk of contracting COVID-19. As the vaccine uptake for this category is satisfied, ADPH is now encouraging sites to vaccinate persons in the 75-plus age group and those in the law enforcement and firefighter vocations in order to prevent any loss of vaccine due to cold chain storage requirements. “We recognize that demand for vaccine exceeds supply,” said State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris. “While there is still an insufficient amount of the vaccine supply, we want to maximize our resources to help protect Alabamians at high risk. County health departments are working with their local points of distribution to assess what their vaccination reach has been. Decisions about the next groups to vaccinate are made at the community level with community engagement. If the very high-risk population has been covered adequately, providers can then begin vaccinating people in the other priority groups.” Nearly 350,000 people in the state of Alabama would qualify for a vaccine at 75 years old and older. To schedule an appointment for the free COVID-19 vaccination at a county health department, individuals may call the ADPH toll-free phone number at 1-855-566-5333. Telephone calls are answered from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. seven days a week. Vaccination locations can be viewed at this link, https://go.usa.gov/xARKpand additional specific information, such as what to bring and what to wear, will be provided when appointments are made. If wanting to be vaccinated at sites other than a county health department, such as a private provider, individuals should contact those sites directly. For information about COVID-19 vaccine, visit https://go.usa.gov/xARKE.

Today, Regional Medical Center is distributing the vaccine at Anniston City Meeting Center and will expend today’s allotment of vaccines for those 75 years or older based on the number of those already in line. Today’s allotment for first responders and healthcare workers is still readily available. If you are 75 years or older and still wanting to receive the vaccine, please check back in this afternoon/evening at www.calhounema.org or The Calhoun EMA’s or Regional Medical Center’s social media platforms for an update for future vaccinations. We will also send out another update to our local media partners.