MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It’s been six weeks since the federal government came to the Mid-South to help vaccinate people. Officials chose Memphis for a mass vaccine site because of social vulnerabilities, like poverty and transportation access.
Their goal was to give 3,000 Covid vaccines a day, but the site never hit the goal of 21,000 vaccines a week.
Officials said this is the reason the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency is packing up and leaving the Pipkin building on Wednesday.
The site dropped appointments so anyone could stop by and get a shot. From local campaigns, to a new car offer and even free gift cards or popsicles, it didn’t draw the numbers health officials were hoping for.
Data showed that in the last few weeks, only a couple of hundred people dropped by each day for their vaccines.
Once FEMA leaves the Pipkin site, the Memphis Fire Department will step in and oversee it.