Beginning March 23, COVID-19 PCR testing at the local health department will be offered by appointment only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Everlywell self-tests will still be offered Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9-11 am without an appointment.
The Tennessee Department of Health has updated Tennessee’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan as the state continues to prioritize Tennesseans most at risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19.
Tennesseans in Phase 1c of the state’s plan are now eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccination along with those in the 1a1, 1a2, and 1b phases. Those in Phase 1c are Tennesseans age 16 and older with high-risk health conditions including pregnancy, and parents and caregivers of medically fragile children and those with complex congenital heart disease.
At last report doses of the Moderna vaccine were available in Smithville at the DeKalb County Health Department, F.Z. Webb & Sons Pharmacy, Johnny’s Drugs, and Walmart.
Though positive case counts have slowly decreased, the COVID-19 related death count in DeKalb County is 51 since last March and 51 have been hospitalized due to COVID-19 within the last year.
Protecting Adults and Children with High-Risk Health Conditions:
Phase 1c of the state’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan includes Tennesseans age 16 and older with
high-risk health conditions including pregnancy, and parents and caregivers of medically fragile
children and those with complex congenital heart disease. Tennessee’s COVID-19 Vaccination
Plan has been updated to include the following groups among the Phase 1c populations:
• Permanent household members age 16 and older living with pregnant women
• People age 16 years and older with diagnosed diabetes
• People age 16 years and older with Down Syndrome
• People age 16 years and older with progressive neuromuscular diseases such as ALS,
multiple sclerosis or muscular dystrophy
Prioritizing Age-Based Risk
Age-based criteria run concurrently to the risk-based phases. Tennessee continues vaccinating those age 65 and older in addition to those eligible for COVID-19 vaccination based on risk categories. The estimated timeline and phases of Tennessee’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan are preliminary and subject to additional changes pending further recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and other federal and state partners.
Book Your Vaccination Appointment
Tennesseans may find vaccination providers in their area by visiting VaccineFinder.org. Book an appointment for COVID-19 vaccination through your county health department at COVID19.tn.gov. As of today, there are nearly 480,000 appointments available in the system for COVID-19 vaccination across the state. Tennessee’s COVID-19 Vaccination Reporting dashboard is available online at www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov/covid-19-vaccine-information.html. This dashboard is updated Monday through Friday. Find answers to frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccination at https://covid19.tn.gov/data/faqs/.
