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By DONNAMY STEELE | Special to the Reporter

ALABASTER – Alabaster City Schools employees have been given the opportunity to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Superintendent Dr. Wayne Vickers said 170 employees were given the first dose on Monday, March 1 and then another round was given out a few days later on Friday.

The vaccine clinic was in partnership with Shelby Baptist Medical Center.

“The first dose went to 170 employees and they will receive the second dose starting April 1,” Vickers said. “We’re hoping that for the remainder of the people that are left, we will be able to give them a first and second dose as well so that all of our employees will be eventually covered.”

The vaccine is a game changer, according to Vickers who reflected on the past year at the most recent ACS board of education meeting almost a year after the virus first impacted schools.

“We want to make sure we have vaccines for our employees. We appreciate our team jumping in there, and we are very excited about the teamwork that has taken place,” Vickers said. “We are entering March, which is hard to believe. I am so proud of our community and the work that is being done amidst this virus, and we are looking forward to the day we can look at this virus in a different way.”

Vickers said he hopes to watch that number of those receiving the vaccine grow soon, stating it is great news for Alabaster City Schools and the community. The second dose will be given out on April 1 and April 9 to complete the process.

“We want to thank Shelby Baptist, the Shelby County Commission, my staff here and our lead nurse Jennifer Garrett, who have been very instrumental in making sure this opportunity has happened,” Vickers said. “We really appreciate the individuals there at the hospital who have worked diligently to make this happen.”