Official explains Thursday’s drive-thru vaccine event at Jackson Fairgrounds

JACKSON, Tenn. — The Jackson Fairgrounds were empty Wednesday, but Thursday, the Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department will be giving out thousands of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

“I was told we’re getting two trays of vaccines, and there’s over 900 doses in each tray, so around 2,000 is what we’re anticipating,” said Mallory Cooke, the health department’s public information officer.

This event starts at 9 a.m. It’s only for people 75 years and older who are Madison County residents, and you don’t need an appointment.

“We don’t know what time the line will start, but we definitely expect a line,” Cooke said.

It’ll run similarly to the drive-thru COVID testing event last spring. You’ll enter the fairgrounds at Magnolia Street and drive through the parking lot. They’ll give the vaccines under the sheds.

“The good news is you don’t have to get out of your car,” Cooke said. “You’ll stay in your car the entire time to stay nice and toasty warm. And we hope to get people through as quickly as possible.”

But unlike the testing event, this time, they’re expecting thousands of people.

“We expect a crowd tomorrow. We’ve had a lot of interest. We’ve had a lot of phone calls. We’ve had a lot of folks message us wanting logistical information, so we definitely expect a crowd,” Cooke said.

And as the drive-thru vaccination clinic in Henry County Tuesday showed, you need to be prepared for long lines and even longer waits.

“We just hope to be as efficient as possible,” Cooke said. “We just ask that folks be patient with us. We want to make sure we get this vaccine in the right people’s arms.”

Cooke does have a few reminders for you if you plan on coming. You need to bring your ID, that way they can verify your age and make sure you’re a Madison County resident. She also said there will not be any bathrooms available, and that the line is expected to be long.

Those who get the vaccine Thursday will need to come back in three weeks to get the second dose.