Alabama House of Representatives recognizes Auburn pharmacist, student efforts in COVID-19 testing and vaccine distribution

The Alabama House of Representatives on Monday recognized by resolution the leadership efforts of Dr. Camille Quiles Abernathy, a clinical pharmacist with Auburn’s Harrison School of Pharmacy who has led COVID-19 testing and vaccine programs through the State Wellness Center throughout the 2021 legislative session. The State Wellness Center, or SWC, is located on South Union Street in Montgomery and provides medical and pharmacy services for state employees and their dependents. The SWC was started in 2010 under the direction of Dr. Kimberly Braxton Lloyd when an interstate agency contract was executed between the Harrison School of Pharmacy, or HSOP, and the State Employees Insurance Board, or SEIB. It is operated by HSOP’s Clinical Affairs and Outreach division. 

Since January, staff of the SEIB and SWC worked closely to organize, manage and operate the “tunnel testing” program and vaccine clinics. During the legislative session, approximately 2,500 COVID-19 tests were conducted for legislators and State House employees, and 10,000 COVID-19 vaccines were administered to state officials, legislators, state retirees, active state employees and state employees’ dependents. HSOP pharmacists, post-doctoral pharmacy residents, pharmacy students and nursing students from Auburn University and Auburn University at Montgomery provided the clinical services. Overall, Auburn University and Auburn University at Montgomery contributed more than 3,000 person-hours for leadership, implementation, management and staffing for this outreach. Nursing students from Reid State Technical College, Central Alabama Community College and Troy University also participated. The collaborative work was recognized through a resolution that was presented Monday.

A copy of the resolution can be found here.