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Hamilton County Health Department officials have started administering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to those who qualified on their drive-thru vaccination POD Thursday morning at Tennessee Riverpark and encountered unexpected problems. It was the first day that 75+ and more categories were added to the Tennessee Department of Health Immunization Plan.
Officials said that after hundreds of people who had stood in line for up to six hours were turned away, it was learned that more vaccines were available than initially thought, so that close contacts were called to obtain the vaccines sought.
Officials said: “Due to the unprecedented interest in the vaccine, roads and highways leading to the vaccination site have receded for miles and road safety was a concern.
“At 1 pm, the authorities decided to close the door at the entrance. People outside the gate had been sitting in their vehicles for hours, and authorities did not want them to continue to sit in their cars and not get vaccinated because the supply was limited.
“At that point, officials projected that there were enough doses for the hundreds of people lining up inside the park. These people continued across the park road to the tent. vaccination and the last one in line left around 4:30 a.m. “
Department of Health Administrator Becky Barnes said: “By late afternoon we realized we had more shots than we expected. Nurses were able to withdraw six and sometimes seven doses from some vials instead of the five planned. It was our first day of using the Pfizer vaccine and the staff had no history to project the actual doses we would have. The vaccine doses had been thawed and prepared and should be given to people as soon as possible. The intent of the Department of Health is never to waste a single dose.
“Since the thawed vaccine needed to be used as soon as possible, staff on site were asked to call people they knew could get there as soon as possible. By 7:00 p.m., the Department of Health had administered 1,158 doses. Not a single dose was wasted. “
Ms Barnes said: “The dose estimate was wrong on our part and we learned from it. We ask for the continued patience of our residents as the Department of Health staff work to meet the challenges that this massive undertaking brings.
The health department plans to open additional vaccination days next week when shipments arrive and will notify the public as soon as those dates are confirmed.
In the meantime, the public is invited to subscribe to the Department of Health mailing list http://bit.ly/3nWWh5P, visit the COVID-19 vaccination webpage: https://bit.ly/ 3hrmQxJ or follow on social media: http: //health.hamiltontn.org/
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