OPELIKA, Ala. (WRBL) – Beginning January 18, East Alabama Medical Center will be administering COVID-19 vaccines to those who are 75 years and older AND are residents of Chambers, Lee, and Macon Counties.

Please use the following link to register for a COVID-19 vaccine appointment: https://apps.eamc.org/Secure/VaccineRegistration

A relative or friend may register the 75 years and older patients who need assistance filling out the online form. After you fill out the form, you will be contacted with your vaccination appointment date, time, and location.

The news comes as eight people in Lee County reportedly died from either a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 from Monday overnight into Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Alabama Department of Public Health is working to improve COVID-19 vaccine scheduling capabilities by creating an online registration portal in addition to its toll-free hotline. However, there is no timeline on when the portal will be up and running.

ADPH asks the public not to call the appointment line to schedule a vaccine UNLESS they are in an eligible group – healthcare workers, people age 75 and older, law enforcement officers, or firefighters. The public cannot schedule vaccine appointments by calling hospitals directly and are urged not to tie up hospital telephone lines.

The demand for COVID-19 vaccine continues to exceed supply as Alabama has more than 326,000 healthcare workers and nearly 350,000 people who qualify for a vaccine because they are 75 years old and older. Priority access to vaccines cannot be granted to other groups of people as ADPH follows the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for the allocation of this limited supply.

On January 8, ADPH announced that appointments are being taken for specified groups to receive COVID-19 vaccine at county health departments beginning January 18 through a statewide COVID-19 Vaccine Scheduling Hotline.

The hotline continues to receive a massive volume of calls, with more than 1.1 million calls received in its first day of operation. ADPH asks the public not to call this appointment line to schedule a vaccine UNLESS they are in an eligible group – healthcare workers, people age 75 and older, law enforcement officers, or firefighters. The public cannot schedule vaccine appointments by calling hospitals directly and are urged not to tie up hospital telephone lines.

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Mary G. McIntyre said ADPH is documenting requests for the COVID-19 vaccine and will prioritize vaccine distribution based on established CDC guidance and vaccine availability. Additional information will be provided through the ADPH vaccine website, social media, and news releases.

The toll-free COVID-19 Vaccine Scheduling Hotline number is 1-855-566-5333. For general information about COVID-19, the COVID-19 Information Hotline number is 1-800-270-7268.