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All Tennessians aged 75 and over are now eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines in most counties in southeast Tennessee, including Hamilton, based on changes to the state’s released vaccination plan Wednesday.
Kindergarten to Grade 12 school staff and child care workers have also moved up the vaccine priority line – ahead of adults with multiple high-risk conditions and other critical infrastructure workers – all like adults 65 and over. However, these groups will not be eligible until the next round of immunization, which is expected to begin around February or March, according to a graphic illustration of the Tennessee Department of Health’s new plan.
Tennessee Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey told a news conference the changes aim to reduce risks to the healthcare system, society and the economy while protecting the most vulnerable people serious and fatal COVID-19 infection.
With each new phase, people who fall under the age of 10 years will become eligible for vaccination regardless of their job or if they have underlying health conditions.
“Our plan is based on data from Tennessee. We know that more than half of Tennessiens hospitalized [with COVID-19] are aged 65 and over, and 80% of our deaths are aged 65 and over, ”said Piercey, adding that the rationale for the new priority for teachers and educators is based on societal risk.
“We know how critically important schools are to the functioning of our society and our economy – not only by keeping children in schools so that they can learn and be educated, but also by keeping parents at work, ”she said.
Several other groups, including people over 18 who cannot live independently due to health issues or disability, are now eligible for vaccination. The following list contains all of the currently eligible groups in Hamilton County, according to a press release from the Hamilton County Department of Health:
* All healthcare workers exposed directly to patients or potentially infectious material (including hospital staff, outpatient providers, pharmacy staff, patient transporters, therapists, janitors, dental providers, providers behavioral health care, laboratory staff working with COVID-19 samples, funerals / mortuary workers)
* Home care staff
* COVID-19 mass test site staff
* Student health care providers
* Staff and residents of long-term care facilities
* First responders
* People over 18 who cannot live independently due to health problems or disabilities
* Anyone 75 years or older (must be a resident of Hamilton County)
Counties can move through the allocation phases at different times depending on their vaccine supply and demand. Coffee County was the only county in southeast Tennessee yet to vaccinate people aged 75 and older, according to the Department of Health’s website on Wednesday.
Tennesseans who qualify for vaccination can be vaccinated by their employer or at a local health department. Staff members and residents of long-term care facilities will be vaccinated through a partnership between pharmacies and the state.
(READ MORE: Chattanooga health workers among the first Tennesseans vaccinated against COVID-19)
Eligible people who want to get vaccinated in southeast Tennessee counties outside of Hamilton County should call their local health department to make an appointment.
The Hamilton County Health Department’s COVID-19 vaccination site at 4301 Amnicola Highway will be open and will give the Pfizer vaccine to eligible people – including anyone 75 years of age and older who lives or works in the county – on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. being vaccinated must provide proof of eligibility, such as work identification and / or residence documentation.
“We realize that information is changing rapidly about vaccine distribution,” Becky Barnes, administrator of the health department, said in the press release. “We ask for the continued patience of our residents as our staff work on the challenges that this massive endeavor brings.
To date, the Hamilton County Department of Health has received 3,400 doses of Moderna vaccine and 975 doses of Pfizer vaccine. As of Wednesday, the department had administered a total of 3,086 doses.
The efforts of the health department are in addition to the vaccination campaigns underway in local hospitals. Chattanooga’s three major health systems – CHI Memorial, Parkridge and Erlanger – said they vaccinated nearly 8,350 staff combined on Wednesday and have at least 2,900 additional doses on hand, with plans to administer them in the near future. .
The changes to the state’s general plan are coming despite Tennessee falling behind on its vaccination target after a snowstorm last week that delayed shipments of the Moderna vaccine.
Tennessee’s vaccination plan has undergone several revisions since it was first introduced in the fall, and officials said more changes are likely to occur depending on demand and increasing vaccine stocks.
Many more people will need to be vaccinated before the pandemic is brought under control, so wearing face masks, social distancing and screening for exposure or illness remain critical, officials said.
Tennessee’s COVID-19 vaccination plan is available online.
Contact Elizabeth Fite at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @ecfite.
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