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Officials: Hospitals are being overwhelmed with phone calls, creating obstacle to patient care

Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) officials encouraged those who are wanting to schedule an appointment for the COVID-19 vaccine to not call their local hospital directly to set up appointments.

“We have learned that hospital switchboards are being overwhelmed with phone calls, which is creating an obstacle to patient care,” ADPH officials said in a release. “Hospitals throughout Alabama are overwhelmed in providing care to both COVID-19 patients as well as responding to all other medical needs of our citizens.

“While hospitals in a few areas of the state have begun vaccinating those 75 years of age and older, most are still working to make sure their frontline workers are vaccinated,” officials said. “Additional information will be provided when hospitals and locations other than county health departments have vaccine available for additional groups.”