State Department of Health provides update on vaccine distribution

JACKSON, Tenn. — The Tennessee Department of Health will potentially receive more vaccines heading into next week.

As of Tuesday morning, more than 24,000 Tennesseans have been vaccinated. The state hopes to see a change in demand on hospitals with this quick distribution.

“Now that we have a better idea, we are putting our foot down on the accelerator,” said Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey.

Starting next week, the Tennessee Department of Health will receive 50,000 doses a week of the Pfizer vaccine and 40,000 doses a week of the Moderna vaccine, with a goal of vaccinating 360,000 Tennesseans a month.

Those vaccines are both two-step processes.

“The worst situation we could be in is have a bunch of people vaccinated with the first dose and then not have a second dose for them,” Piercey said.

Piercey says state leaders expect to have the second doses for healthcare workers who received their initial shots already, but are waiting to see if those second doses will be distributed this month later in January.

Concerns for distribution include the vaccine supply chain, changes to who is identified as an early vaccine candidate, and how many will take it.

“How many people who are offered the vaccine are actually going to take it,” Piercey said.

Staff and residents at long-term care facilities across the state will be able to receive the vaccine next Monday.

“We do anticipate that being an incredibly effective tactic in reducing strain on hospitals and reducing mortality because that population is so very vulnerable,” Piercey said.

In the meantime, Piercey says half of the ICU beds in the state are being used for COVID-related cases, up 7% from Sunday.

“That means there aren’t ICU beds for things that are life-threatening, that are non-COVID related,” Piercey said.

Piercey says the more we can get vaccines in arms, the quicker the strain on hospitals will decrease.

Health officials also say the extra 40,000 Pfizer vaccines are en route and are expected to arrive Wednesday.