USA Health begins second round of COVID vaccines

Early Tuesday morning, nurse manager Kimberly Tucker, MSN, RN, drove to Children’s & Women’s Hospital, pulled into the pediatric emergency department parking lot and rolled down her car window. A few moments later, she received a second dose of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at 7:15 a.m.

She’s hopeful the second shot means she is on her way to nearly full immunity to the virus. Wearing her signature royal blue scrubs and matching cap, she waited 15 minutes to make sure there were no immediate side effects from the injection, then drove to work at University Hospital.

USA Health began administering the second dose of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine this week to staff members who received their first dose three weeks ago. Tucker is among more than 2,500 people who received the first round of the vaccine from USA Health.

“I feel great,” she said Tuesday, a few hours after receiving the injection. “From what I’ve read, after the second vaccine you will reach about 95 percent immunity. I want to be in that group. It’s been a devastating virus for so many.”

Tucker reported no side effects from the first round of the vaccine she received in December. She consulted her primary care physician before making the decision to get the vaccine the first day it was offered in the Mobile region by USA Health. She did it for herself, her young son and her patients.

Here’s more information for USA Health staff members who will be receiving their second dose of the vaccine:

• At the time of your initial dose, you were automatically scheduled for a second appointment 21 days later at the same location. For operational needs, your appointment time may have changed.
• That means you may already have received or will receive an email and or text confirmation with the appointment date, time and location.
• You also will receive an electronic consent form to complete.
• Please confirm your appointment and complete the electronic consent prior to your arrival.
• We encourage all staff to adhere to the manufacturer's recommendation of 21 days +/- 2 days for the administration of the booster dose.
• If you need to change your appointment date or time, please email c19vaccine@health.southalabama.edu

For employees that have not received an initial vaccination dose, the first step is to complete the USA Health Vaccination Information Registration Form. Once the intake form has been completed, you will be placed in a standby queue and will be contacted for an appointment based on vaccine availability.

Please note, you may be given short notice for a work-in appointment because of vaccine allocation and cold-chain logistics. If you do not receive an appointment in the next two weeks for your initial dose, we will have additional opportunities after Jan. 18.