MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Shelby County health officials said a new health directive will be coming out this week.
While he didn’t provide specifics, Dr. Bruce Randolph with the Shelby County Health Department said the order will address opening buffets with some restrictions as well as guidance on music and dancing. More emphasis will be placed on personal responsibility versus mandatory requirements.
During the news conference, Chief Operating Officer Doug McGowen reported the city has administered more than 435,000 vaccines and less than 100 doses have gone unused, with some of them being attributed to cracked viles and others due to lack of syringes.
If you remember it actually took a bit longer for the J&J vaccine to get here compared to other parts of the country.
The city of Memphis’ Chief Operating Officer Doug McGowen who recently took over vaccine distribution estimates several thousand Johnson and Johnson vaccinations have been given out in our area.
“To our knowledge no one here in our local community has experienced any adverse effects from the J&J, no one at our community-based pods, homebound or homeless residents,” McGowen said.
Currently, they have 17,000 doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine on hand.
“And we have those segregated and set aside with labels that say, ‘do not use,” said McGowen.
Those who might see this news about the J&J vaccine and might be hesitant to take any vaccine. Health Department officials said do not let that prevent you from becoming vaccinated.
“Do not let this deter them or make them fearful of the vaccine. Keep in mind the whole purpose of the vaccine and the main reason why you want to get vaccinated is to prevent severe illness and death,” Dr. Bruce Randolph, of the Shelby Co. Health Department, said.
On Saturday, health officials overestimated the number of people who would be getting a vaccine that day and realized they had 70 doses at the end of the day that were going to go unused. Instead of throwing them away, health officials said they began contacting different groups to find individuals who would like to get vaccinated.
When all was said and done, they had 25 doses that went unused.
