MEMPHIS, Tenn. — "I know we have taken some uncalled for or unjustified criticism in the media," Shelby County Health Officer Dr. Bruce Randolph said.
Thursday, Dr. Randolph offered his strongest public words yet, following weeks of scrutiny in the Shelby County Health Department's mishandling of 2500 expired and discarded vaccine doses last month. He defended those who retired or resigned as a result in recent weeks, including health director Dr. Alisa Haushalter.
"I want to publicly acknowledge and thank all of you for your effort, for your sacrifice," Dr. Randolph said.
Dr. Randolph responded directly to an update Monday from Tennessee Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey. After a weeks-long probe, she said state and federal investigators found nearly 55,000 vaccine doses overseen or put into arms by the Shelby County Health Department between late December and late February were fully safe and effective.
"I want to tell you that in my opinion, this report exonerates us and it shows that we did our job," Dr. Randolph said.
But Dr. Piercey did not let the Shelby County Health Department entirely off the hook earlier this week. She criticized how certain staff monitored and kept track of vaccine temperatures.
"The bottom line is there was poor record keeping. There was a lack of standing operating procedure that could be followed consistently, and that was what was the root cause of the mismanagement," Dr. Piercey said Monday.
Those with the city of Memphis said the total vaccine supply from state is expected to remain same next week, and they don't expect to get additional Johnson and Johnson doses until the first week of April.
Meanwhile, those at 50 community clinics and doctor's offices are benefiting in recent days from the highest one-week total of vaccine supply sent from the city of Memphis. That includes Christ Community Health Services.
"It's been very gratifying, patients have been very thankful. I have cried with a lot of patients who lost family members or had COVID and had to deal with isolation," CCHS Chair of Medicine Dr. Reginique Green said.
It's part of the city's broader goal to get more vaccine access in more underserved areas and narrow economic and racial disparities.
"The benefit seems to me pretty obvious," Memphis Fire Director Gina Sweat said. "People are used to going to their community clinics, to doctors that they know on a regular basis."
