Health expert says everyone should get vaccinated

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Health-care workers across the state are receiving the coronavirus vaccine.

More than 6-thousand health care workers are now vaccinated in the huntsville hospital heatlh system.

Waay 31's bridget divers joins us live from huntsville hospital now.

She spoke with an infectious disease expert about how the vaccination process is going.

Bridget.... dan, najahe -- i spoke with dr. ali hassoun today -- he says a significant number of health care workers have been vaccinated -- including himself.

But many more still need to get their first dose of the covid-19 vaccine.

Dr. hassoun "at the moment probably 50% have been vaccinated, a little bit less.

There's going to be another 50% that need to be vaccinated."

Dr. hassoun says we need to get more health care workers vaccinated in the huntsville hospital health system.

Some wanted to wait though -- to see how their colleagues reacted to the vaccine.

"there is some debate you know between some of them who didn't receive it about when i'm gonna get it.

I want to see what the others who get it be okay."

Dr. hassoun also says the state needs to allow the elderly to receive the vaccine.

"we probably gonna need to get the state push for opening it up to the elderly as soon as possible."

Currently though only people in category one a -- which is health care workers - and nursing home residents and staff -- are allowed to be administered the covid-19 vaccine.

But as soon as the vaccine is offered all older americans - even outside nursing homes -- they need to get it.

"60, 65 and above need to get it as soon as it gets offered to them whether they're in the rehab or long-term care facilities or even in the community because they are the most vulnerable."

Health care workers and the elderly are some of the most at risk groups.

But once the vaccine is offered to younger populations, they should also get it because it will help cut down on the transmission rate to those high-risk groups.

Live outside huntsville hospital, bridget divers, waay-31