DCH Coronavirus Update 1-13-21

COVID-19 Vaccine Registration

The Alabama Department of Public Health has defined the timing and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines. Currently we are still in phase 1a of the ADPH plan. Phase 1a is primarily for frontline health workers (inpatient and outpatient) and some first responders. However, ADPH recently indicated that law enforcement, firefighters and those who are 75 years or older are eligible to receive the vaccine starting Monday, Jan. 18.

If your age is ≥75, or you are in one of the eligible groups identified by ADPH, then you can click below to register to receive the Pfizer vaccine through DCH as long as supplies last.

Vaccines will be administered at DCH’s screening, testing and vaccination building in the Laundry Lot (parking lot) just west of DCH Regional Medical Center. An appointment and identification are required.

Click here for details on how to register.

As the supply of vaccine increases, we will add additional appointment times.

Remote Site Testing and Vaccination Hours

DCH’s COVID-19 screening, testing and vaccination service at its remote site in the Laundry Lot just west of DCH Regional Medical Center is modifying its hours starting next week to accommodate additional vaccine distribution.

COVID-19 Screening and Testing

- Monday and Friday, 8 a.m. – noon

COVID-19 Vaccine Administration

- Monday and Friday, 1 – 6:20 p.m.

- Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 7:30 a.m. – 6:20 p.m.

Update: Outpatient Antibody Infusion

The supply of medication for outpatient antibody infusion has slowly increased, so DCH has moved the clinic to a larger space on the Northport Medical Center Campus to accommodate more patients. Additionally, the clinic has expanded its hours and days of operation to be able to handle more than four times the prior volume.

Requirements and other details remain the same and are provided below as a reminder.

The FDA has issued an Emergency Use Authorization for the Lilly product bamlanivimab and the Regeneron product casirivimab/imdevimab for treating individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 but have mild to moderate symptoms and are at risk of progressing to severe COVID-19 or hospitalization. This treatment is in limited supply and is only available in an outpatient setting to patients who do not require oxygen therapy due to COVID-19.

DCH is providing this treatment in a clinic setting on its Northport Medical Center campus. Patients must have a physician referral and must be at an elevated risk of developing a more severe case.

For COVID-19 positive adults, this treatment may be an option if you

• are age 65 or older
• have obesity, with a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or higher
• have diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or a condition that weakens the immune system
• take medication that weakens the immune system
• are age 55 or older and have heart disease, high blood pressure, or a long-term lung disease

If you think you may be a candidate for the treatment, please contact your physician.

Testing and Confirmed Cases

To protect patient privacy, DCH has established a minimum threshold of five for reporting numbers of inpatients with laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19.

DCH Health System internal counts as of 3:34 p.m. on 1/12/21:

• 168 inpatients within the DCH system who are positive for COVID-19.
• 38 inpatients who are positive for COVID-19 are being treated in the ICU.
• 18 who are positive for COVID-19 are on ventilators.
• 22 who are positive for COVID-19 are on a BiPAP.
• 7,511 (cumulative) unique positives for COVID-19 tests including results from the ED, triage tent and inpatient. These individuals are not necessarily in the hospital.
• 33,926 (cumulative) unique negatives for COVID-19 at DCH sites.
• 9,032 (cumulative) positive COVID-19 at DCH sites. These individuals are not necessarily in the hospital.
• 59,678 (cumulative) negative tests at DCH sites.
• 2,306 inpatients (cumulative) who were positive for COVID-19 have been discharged.
• 417 inpatients (cumulative) who were positive for COVID-19 have died at DCH. This is not an indication of the cause of death, only that the individuals were positive for COVID-19 at the time of death.
• 183 Tuscaloosa County residents (cumulative) who were positive for COVID-19 have died (per the Alabama Department of Public Health).