MEMPHIS, Tennessee — Thursday, Shelby County health experts laid out some difficult facts.
COVID-19 vaccinations will be spread out over a year and those 65 and older may not be eligible for a shot anytime soon.
All appointments are booked through the end of the month for thousands in the first eligible groups, but with the future supply unknown and a huge demand well known, those with the Shelby County Health Department are adjusting on the fly.
"The reality of it is we have X number of doses and thousands and thousands of people to vaccinate," Shelby County Health Director Dr. Alisa Haushalter said.
That's the ongoing challenge for SCHD, as it balances the available COVID-19 vaccine arriving in the weeks ahead and when to offer appointments for eligible groups next in line.
"We are planning for the full year of 2021 because we know there will be ongoing changes," Dr. Haushalter said.
The issue played out dramatically this week in Mississippi. After Magnolia State health experts okayed those 65 and older to make a vaccine appointment Tuesday, Mississippians overwhelmed the online site and hotline, and available doses ran out and slots were pushed back to at least mid-February.
"We have a very large population, so we need to move those phases in a very organized way so everyone in those early groups can get vaccine," Dr. Haushalter said.
As the Shelby County Health Department oversees the vaccine distribution, it's encouraged by the stabilizing of new daily COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the past week.
"We have plateaued - but we actually want to decrease," Dr. Haushalter said.
"Now is not the time to let off the gas," Shelby County Health Dr. Bruce Randolph added.
Dr. Randolph said even with those promising COVID trends, it's unclear whether he'll scale back any restrictions in the new health directive, which takes effect next weekend.
"We won't commit to that at this point. We are still waiting to see the remaining days but we will certainly respond accordingly," Dr. Randolph said.
Shelby County health leaders are finalizing plans on a phone or online waiting list to contact people if vaccine appointment slots open or if there's unused vaccine available for eligible groups. That system should be announced within the week.
In the Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare system, Dr. Nick Hysmith said Thursday the system administered nearly 12,000 doses to date, including some second doses.
Dr. Hysmith said the priority will be getting all second doses scheduled and administered, even if that means slight delays for those waiting for a first dose.
"If we feel like we haven't got confirmation that we are going to get the doses for the second dose, then we stop at a certain amount of time so we still have enough left from the initial wave to go ahead and do the second wave. So we are doubly sure to make sure we have enough to get the second dose to our associates," Dr. Hysmith said.
