Clinics, health department see fewer people for COVID-19 vaccine

JACKSON, Tenn. — Health clinics across West Tennessee are seeing fewer people getting COVID-19 vaccinations.

“Currently, it’s significantly lower than it was a few months ago or even a few weeks ago. We went from doing several thousand a week to just less than hundred a week,” said Jay Phipps, the owner of Phipps Pharmacy.

According to the Tennessee Department of Health, only 35% of people statewide are fully vaccinated and only 40% of people have at least one dose.

Charles McNatt, a pharmacist at City Drug of Henderson, says they are running into the same situation.

“Our first doses are declining. We’re not giving that many first doses. We’re finishing up our second doses on people, but we’re not seeing that big of a demand,” McNatt said.

President Joe Biden has made a goal for 70% of Americans to be vaccinated by the July 4th holiday as reported COVID-19 cases decrease nationally.

Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department Public Information Officer Mallory Cooke says Madison County has 42.8% of residents fully vaccinated.

“That’s fantastic. We’re actually amongst the top counties in the states for vaccination rates. We would like to see that get better though. 42.8% is not 100%,” Cooke said.

In order to push more people to get vaccinated, Cooke says they have extended their hours of operation for residents.

Phipps says they are doing everything they can to reach residents.

“If people are homebound, they’re unable to get out, reach out to us. There is a possibility that we can come to them to give the vaccines, so that’s important. I personally have went to peoples’ homes to give the vaccine. People with things like Lou Gehrig’s, hospital bound, or bed bound,” Phipps said.

For more information on how you can receive your COVID-19 vaccine, click here.