The Hamilton County Department of Health has announced changes to its COVID-19 vaccination process. The following changes will be implemented immediately:
1) The Department of Health will continue to use the phased allocation plan of the Tennessee Department of Health, but an additional alphabet system will be used to restrict traffic at the Riverpark POD site. For example, one day will be for AK, another day for LZ. To access the site, you must first falls into the current phase category, and secondly in the alphabet group for that day. The current phase and age groups are constantly updated and can be found on the website of the Department of Health.
2) Traffic is directed through the main entrance of Chattanooga State Community College. Hamilton County’s Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security and partners will oversee this process. The aim is to reduce traffic on the Amnicola highway.
3) A screening station of the Department of Health will examine each individual to see if they are eligible. Please be sure to fall into the day’s phase criteria and alphabet group, to avoid waiting in line and turning away.
4) At the screening station, eligible individuals will receive a meeting form with an individualized number. Meeting forms are only given at the screening station, they cannot be obtained by e-mail, post or otherwise in advance.
5) To ensure that no vaccine is used, the Department of Health will offer the opportunity to be present at the end of the daily allocation of meeting tickets. to wait to see if any doses remain at the end of the day.
6) The goal of the health department is no wastage of vaccine and will monitor doses given as soon as possible.
7) Additional portable toilets have been added to the traffic waiting line, which is accessible to passers-by.
“We demand the patience of the community as we work through the major logistical hurdles with this vaccine because we are limited by the amount of doses we receive in any consignment,” said Becky Barnes, administrator of the health department. “As more vaccine becomes available to us, we will open more websites and work for more hours.”
The vaccine POD in Riverpark will reopen on Tuesday and Wednesday, with about 1,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine each day.