[ad_1]
It’s been less than a week since Hamilton County gave the first dose of the COVID vaccine, and it’s been less than a week since Hamilton County received the biggest reality shake any of us in the States – United can imagine. No one was ready for the magnitude of what was to come and the first thing you need to know is that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention just ranked Tennessee as the country # 3 on the list of states with the most vaccinations. quickly.
It’s not hard to find that of Tennessee’s 95 counties, none are faster to get the vaccine into the hands of citizens than the Hamilton County Department of Health. And then there’s this: If you could find out what the people of Hamilton County have been up to since that unsightly first start – this in less than a week, mind you – we would all start to cry in gratitude.
In the past two days, the health ministry has given each dose of a batch of 2,000 that didn’t even arrive until Monday. I gladly believe that no city or state in America can make this claim. Yet these are “little potatoes” my brother. According to various sources, by next week Hamilton County will have a huge vaccination center in place with parking for more than 2,000 cars.
The center will have large break rooms, easy access and all the amenities you can imagine, which will deliver over 2000 doses of vaccine each day. As this is written, the software is sped up to enable a reservation process that could start as early as the middle of next week, or… to use a capture line… in just six days.
In a few weeks, it is possible that there will be no more queues, no need to arrive at 4 am in the hope of receiving the vaccine. It will be possible to wait comfortably for these 30 minutes after the administration of the vaccine to guard against allergic reactions.
What I am telling you is that nowhere in the United States will there be equality for Hamilton County by next week. And again, I must stress… This. A. Fair. Summer. Six. Days. … Ever since health officials across America realized that the 50 states were like that over our heads.
Do you realize the enormity of this miracle? But wait… it is getting so good it will amaze you.
Obviously you want to know where our super center will be. The location will be announced Thursday or Friday. The best location is the Alstom test site on Riverfront Parkway, but there is not enough parking. Obviously, this will remain a test location seven days a week. Logic will then demand that the only place in the county with this much readily available parking is Volkswagen in Enterprise South.
You say there is no building, but if you call the Pentagon you will uncover military logistical secrets. With modern technology and today’s emergency resources, the United States has the means to lower a durable tent-like structure, with adequate heat and air, large enough to host a horse race. . Modular support buildings, rest rooms, telephone systems with the parking lot already there? Oh… figure somewhere near… about six days.
It won’t work, the skeptics will cry. “It is too far!” … What, then wait six hours in a car? You go to Bonny Oaks to get your driver’s license. It’s less than 10 minutes from Hamilton Place. It’s not a big deal. “There is no bus service up there!” Quick response: “Yet”.
Then there are the “strike teams”, Whoa! Before Volkswagen falls prey to epilepsy, these “strikers” will be well-organized groups of health department staff who venture into specific areas across the county to administer the vaccine. On Monday, one of these strike teams hit Orange Grove, our renowned centers for the physically and mentally disabled. They even went to the centre’s group homes and administered 300 doses of the vaccine within hours.
You are going to hear a lot about strike teams. The Department of Health is working with the federal government to provide vaccines to those who are physically unable to fend for themselves. The vaccine comes from the state but, understand, it is carefully allocated outside of shipping to the general public, as any aid worker can easily claim.
These strike teams will target certain areas where extenuating circumstances become necessary. Yes, as the vaccine becomes more abundant – several manufacturers will join Pfizer and Moderna in a few months – it will improve. Unbeknownst to you, more than 300 organizations such as pharmacies, emergency care clinics, physician groups, etc., have already asked the State of Tennessee to become “partners” with the United States’ health services. county and administer and make vaccinations.
The primary problem is the availability of the vaccine. According to the CDC, the state of Tennessee has already distributed more than 300,000 doses in the state and more than 150,000 doses have been administered (50.8 percent). Why? Short answer: Other counties in Tennessee do not have the jurisdiction of Becky Barnes and the Hamilton County Department of Health.
Some may have noticed that at 6:03 a.m. on Wednesday, the now well-oiled team of Hamilton County Logistics Services announced that there were enough donors to meet the 1,000 doses that would be administered during the ‘Chattanooga State Infusion Center opens at 9 a.m. It was an immense courtesy to the citizens of our riding, especially since vaccines are still limited to those aged 75 and over.
County Mayor Jim Coppinger explained, “I’m afraid we may have disappointed some people, but it was better for them to know than to stand in line. Everyone involved wants to serve our citizens in the best possible way. You talk about 24 hour efforts to do the right thing; it’s amazing what has been accomplished. When we got the moving pieces of the puzzle together, we called in our emergency management staff (kudos to Chris Adams), the National Guard, the Sheriff’s Office, and whatever other resources we could imagine.
Point of clarity: During the 2013 tax split, the city of Chattanooga was released from any obligation to the Department of Health. It is fully supported by the county. Surely you recognize that the city has done very little to help with the coronavirus pandemic in Chattanooga. The city took $ 1.6 million in coronavirus relief and gave its employees a one-time pay bonus. They just took $ 800,000 to help “nonprofits” and, while certainly noble, they offered no penny to help ease the burden on the county by helping take care of 180,000 residents of the county. the city. Not a nickel.
Right between us pigeon: Employee bonuses of $ 1.6 million using COVID relief funds raised eyebrows in Washington. Yesterday city council donated $ 225,000 to the Tivoli and Memorial Auditorium, $ 75,000 to the Forgotten Child Fund, $ 300,000 to small business assistance and $ 40,000 to the Bessie Smith Cultural Center. At the same time, there were three new COVID deaths in Chattanooga, 525 new cases on Wednesday, 205 inpatients and 62 in intensive care units. Ask me how are we doing?
If you don’t think we wouldn’t be saving millions every year with some sort of “subway rule” like Nashville, Knoxville, and Memphis passed long ago, then get in line with the Chattanooga City Council. It is the heartless dandies who blatantly ignore the fact that a 2020 rash of shootings within city limits ended at Erlanger Hospital and with each there is a destitute cost of $ 25,000 in the first 30 minutes. There is no known way for Erlanger to get a dime back, but the town of Chattanooga doesn’t spend a dime on Erlanger year after year. Ask me how are we doing?
When the city used $ 1.6 million worth of COVID to give raises to its employees, the county commission was appalled. There is absolutely no way the county can do the same. In the Department of Health, Barnes and his principal lieutenants are “salaried”. They are not eligible for county-wide increases or bonuses. Instead, Becky must juggle a tight budget and the need to hire “at least” 100 nurses and field doctors to immediately move forward and meet the needs of a new “super center” that will go live this week. next.
Don’t kid yourself; there are “urgent” requests to the Electric Power Board, Tennessee-American Water Company, plumbers for toilets, carpenters and engineers for HVAC, traffic specialists, and so on. Verizon says it is building a state-of-the-art telephone tower capable of handling volume demands. Go ahead, run up there and take a look for yourself.
I’m just telling you that it took the Lord God six days to create the world as we know it, and in the same time, the Hamilton County collective shine created a shining gem of a plan that will overwhelm everyone else. efforts throughout the kingdom of God.
On New Years Eve, our Hamilton Country health department couldn’t round up a dozen goats. Since then, in just six days, they’ve emerged as a good GOAT: “The Greatest Ever”.
* * *
As of Wednesday night, it’s unclear when the next doses of the vaccine will arrive in Hamilton County. None have been scheduled for arrival on Thursday or Friday. If the shipments arrive on Monday or Tuesday next week, those doses could be administered at the new inoculation center. Please check the Hamilton County Department of Health website regularly for updates. www.health.hamiltontn.org
[ad_2]
Source link