MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama State Veterans Homes have taken the required steps to establish the CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Program, continuing to create and maintain the safest environment for facilities’ residents and employees. The program allows each of the four facilities to receive, store, and administer vaccinations directly to residents and staff members without relying on outside sources.

Bill Nichols, William F. Green, Floyd E. “Tut” Fann, and Colonel Robert L. Howard State Veterans Homes are among the first long-term care facilities in Alabama to establish the CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Program.

The CDC recently licensed HMRx, the company that operates the homes’ pharmacies, as a COVID-19 vaccination provider after meeting all program requirements. Each home has an upgraded pharmacy vaccination freezer to store COVID-19 vaccines, a state-of-the-art Digital Data Logger (DDL) to monitor the freezer’s temperature 24 hours a day, and is enrolled in the federal vaccine allocation program.

Vaccinations are ordered through enrollment with Managed Health Care Associations, Inc. (MHA) and the state allocation program with the Alabama Department of Public Health. Each state veterans home has trained clinical staff that will administer the vaccine to residents and employees.

The CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Program lessens the possibility of residents becoming exposed to the virus by receiving the vaccine, and allows flexibility in scheduling appointments.

“Establishing the CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Program in our state veterans homes is a great benefit to our residents and staff members,” Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Kent Davis said. “We, along with the rest of the state and country, have seen the dangers of COVID-19 and have been proactive with practicing the proper protocol to provide a safe environment for our veterans, staff and families.”