Tennessee will open COVID-19 vaccination eligibility to Tennesseans in Phase 1c populations on March 8.
Phase 1c of Tennessee’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan includes people with high-risk health conditions including pregnancy, and parents and caregivers of children with high-risk health conditions. Tennesseans may find vaccination providers in their area by visiting VaccineFinder.org.
Phase 1c includes:
Individuals 16 years of age or older with the following diagnosed health conditions:
- Chronic renal disease
- COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, moderate-severe asthma
- Obesity (BMA 30 or greater)
- Heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, hypertension
- Sickle cell, Thalassemia
- Cerebrovascular disease, Stroke
- Dementia
- Liver disease
- Women age 16 years and older who are pregnant
- Technologically- dependent individuals 16 years and older and the household residents and caregivers of children under the age of 16 who are technologically dependent
(such as individuals who are ventilator dependent with tracheostomy, wheelchair-bound due to high-risk medical condition or require tube feedings, parenteral nutrition or dialysis) - Individuals age 16 years or older with immunocompromising conditions and the household residents and caregivers of children 16 years of age and younger who have immunocompromising conditions
(such as individuals receiving chemotherapy, requiring daily oral steroids or other immunosuppressants, requiring medication to control diabetes, those with HIV/Aids or other diagnosed high-risk immunodeficiencies) - Household residents and caregivers of those 16 years of age and younger who:
– Have complex congenital heart disease, require ongoing medical management such as Tetralogy of Fallot, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, double outlet right ventricle
– Qualify for Katie Beckett waiver
Tennessee continues to see increased supplies of COVID-19 vaccine, including allocations of the Janssen/Johnson and Johnson vaccine given emergency use authorization by the FDA Feb. 27. COVID-19 vaccination efforts continue across the state, and vaccinations are now available through hundreds of county health departments, community clinics and pharmacies.
Tennessee is now vaccinating residents in Phase 1a1, 1a2 and 1b populations and those age 65 and older. Tennesseans can visit Vaccinate.tn.gov to book their appointment when they are eligible to receive vaccine.
Checks and Balances in Place
The Tennessee Department of Health has completed a process review of state COVID-19 vaccine administration to minimize possible waste and support providers receiving greater supplies of vaccine ahead of opening eligibility to Phase 1c.
The TDH Vaccine Preventable Diseases and Immunization Program leads the state’s vaccination activities for COVID-19 and other vaccine-preventable diseases. The program has standard procedures in place to ensure safe and efficient management of all vaccine handling and administration activities.
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- Providing technical assistance and monitoring in collaboration with state, local and private partners
- Routine, detailed, quality assurance visits with vaccine providers required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tennessee county health departments receive these visits every 24 months. Private providers receive these visits every 12 months.
- Health care providers and organizations currently receiving COVID-19 vaccines receive a call from the TDH regional immunization representative to review a checklist of requirements. Any flags prompt a site visit.
- All new providers onboarded to receive COVID-19 vaccines receive information to help start their operation, and are contacted by the TDH vaccine storage and handling team to review expectations for appropriate handling and administration of these vaccines.
- TDH is engaging a health care quality assurance company to provide ongoing checks with COVID-19 vaccine providers.
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As TDH reported last week, TDH has embedded personnel at the Shelby County Health Department for technical assistance, monitoring of their pharmacy operation and improvement in efficiency of their COVID-19 vaccination sites, following reports of COVID-19 vaccine wastage. The TDH immunization program is working with the state’s five other metropolitan health departments to perform quality assurance visits this week, and will perform quality assurance checks with all 89 rural health departments over the next two-three weeks.
