ADPH, Alabama Football Programs Launch COVID-19 Vaccination Initiative

The Alabama Department of Public Health held a conference Thursday to announce its newest initiative to get people vaccinated against COVID-19.

Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris joined Bruno Event Team CEO Gene Hallman to outline Kick COVID-19, which aims to highlight all 13 Alabama FBS and FCS member schools. Each school will have one home game that will also serve as a vaccine clinic for anyone who has yet to get the shot.

“With the highly contagious Delta COVID-19 variant circulating, and cases, hospitalizations and deaths increasing, we continue urging all eligible people to be vaccinated as quickly as possible," Harris said in a news release from the ADPH. "These new and popular venues will provide additional opportunities for people to learn more about the virus, the vaccine, and receive testing and vaccine on-site.”

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The initiative does not come without incentives: those who receive the vaccine at one of these clinics will receive a $75 gift card to the home team's school bookstore.

“This is the best college football in the country right here in Alabama, so why not use this platform to convince people that they need to take that first dose?” Hallman said in the conference, which was held on Zoom at 11 a.m. Thursday. "...You can go buy some fan apparel, hat, t-shirt golf shirt, whatever it may be, as a way to say thank you for helping us make our communities safer."

The clinic schedule is as follows:

SEPTEMBER 16

• North American University @ The University of West Alabama

SEPTEMBER 18

• The University of North Alabama @ Jacksonville State University
• Alcorn State @ The University of South Alabama

SEPTEMBER 25

• Southern Miss @ The University of Alabama
• Georgia State University @ Auburn University
• Bethune-Cookman University @ Alabama State University
• East Tennessee State University @ Samford University
• Central State University @ Miles College

OCTOBER 2

• Clark Atlanta University @ Tuskegee University
• Campbell University @ The University of North Alabama
• Liberty University @ UAB

OCTOBER 9

• Jackson State University @ Alabama A&M University
• Georgia Southern University @ Troy University

Each university will feature some of its star athletes in the campaign. Harris indicated that funding is coming from various avenues, including federal grants.

“We view the central aspect of this program as being one using college football and the players themselves, speaking in their own authentic, sincere voices, asking their fans and fellow students to please go and get that vaccine,” Hallman said in the conference.

To find out more about the initiative, visit kickcovid19.com.