Alabama has now at least partially vaccinated nearly 22 percent of its adult population against COVID-19. And some counties - including several in the Black Belt - have reached even higher numbers.
The Alabama Department of Public Health released a slew of new COVID vaccination numbers on Wednesday, including vaccination numbers by county - something that up til now had not been public.
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The data shows how many residents of each county have received at least one dose of any coronavirus vaccine. Three vaccines have been approved for use in Alabama and two of them - the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines - require two doses a few weeks apart for full protection.
Alabama has administered more than 1.3 million vaccine doses to nearly 840,000 people, meaning the state has partially or fully vaccinated at 21.9 percent of its adult population. Current restrictions limit who can get the vaccine in Alabama. None of the vaccines have been approved for use in children, though the Pfizer vaccine has been approved for those 16 and older.
A handful of counties in the Black Belt - one of the poorest and least populated regions in Alabama - are leading the way in vaccination rate here. In Wilcox County, home to just 8,100 people 18 or older, 29.1 percent of adults have received at least one dose. That’s the highest percentage in the state. Perry County, just to the north of Wilcox, is second at 28.9 percent.
Russell County, on the border with Georgia, has partially or fully vaccinated the smallest percentage of its adult population at just 9.8 percent. It’s the only county below 10 percent.
There are nearly 30,000 doses missing from the county vaccination data, meaning some counties are showing smaller vaccination rates than they actually have.
Among Alabama’s largest counties, Jefferson is leading the way in vaccination rate. It’s administered at least one dose to 23.2 percent of its adult population. Mobile is just behind at 23 percent, while Madison and Montgomery sit at 21.3 and 21.1 percent, respectively.
Clearer vaccine timeline
The state also released detailed vaccination data by day. ADPH had previously only reported weekly vaccination data.
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The data, which runs through March 16, shows a steady increase in vaccinations since the rollout began last December. It also shows a huge decrease in vaccinations on weekends.
There was also a noticeable dip in vaccinations given on Feb. 16, when much of Alabama was locked down under travel advisories due to winter weather. It’s possible there will be a dip in this week’s numbers, too, after the state experienced a number of tornados and strong storms Wednesday.
Do you have an idea for a data story about Alabama? Email Ramsey Archibald at rarchibald@al.com, and follow him on Twitter @RamseyArchibald. Read more Alabama data stories here.