NASHVILLE – Today the Tennessee Department of Health announced state-specific visitation restrictions for long-term care facilities will end effective February 28, 2021. Facilities should use the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services guidance for safe operation and visitation with limited visitation restrictions no longer in place at the state level.

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Health today provided information on the investigation of reported wastage of COVID-19 vaccine by the Shelby County Health Department.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee will begin registering Tennesseans aged 65 and older and those in Phase 1b of the state’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan COVID-19 for vaccinations on Feb. 22. Phase 1b includes staff members of kindergarten through 12th grade schools and child care facilities.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee will see expanding access to COVID-19 vaccination with the launch of a new federal retail pharmacy program. The first phase of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program for COVID-19 Vaccination will launch in Tennessee February 12, with select pharmacies offering vaccinations in accordance with the state’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan. These vaccinations will be provided at no cost to patients and will be available by appointment only.

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Health reminds adults aged 70 and older they are now eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccination. TDH estimates there are about 300,000 Tennesseans in the 70-74 year age group, and only about one in three Tennesseans in this group have been vaccinated to date.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee will begin administering COVID-19 vaccinations to Tennesseans aged 70 and older this week as the state has begun receiving increased allocations of COVID-19 vaccines. Tennesseans aged 70 and up may begin registering for COVID-19 vaccination tomorrow, Feb. 2.

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Health is expanding access to COVID-19 vaccination with a particular focus on rural and underserved areas. TDH is partnering with pharmacies and community health clinics to add more than 100 new vaccination sites across the state. Tennessee’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan remains focused on equity to ensure those with limited access to health care resources will be able to receive vaccinations when they meet eligibility criteria outlined in the plan.

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Health has updated Tennessee’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan as the state continues to prioritize Tennesseans most at risk of illness and death from COVID-19.

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Health and Tennessee’s Unified Command Group have added new features to the COVID19.tn.gov website to make it easier for users to find county-specific information and request an appointment for COVID-19 vaccination.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee is making great progress in rapidly vaccinating those at highest-risk of serious illness and death from COVID-19. Within four weeks of Tennessee receiving its first doses of COVID-19 vaccine, more than 221,000 people in the state have received vaccinations, and the Tennessee Department of Health is distributing COVID-19 vaccinations as rapidly as supplies are received from the federal government. Tennessee is one of the most successful states in the U.S. at quickly administering vaccine, having administered more than 50 percent of the vaccines received by the state.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee county health departments are now booking appointments for people in Phase 1 populations of the Tennessee COVID-19 Vaccination Plan and those aged 75 and up who wish to receive COVID-19 vaccinations.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee continues efforts to administer COVID-19 vaccinations as described in the state’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan. Tennessee county health department staff members administered more than 25,000 COVID-19 vaccinations during the New Year weekend, and more than 157,000 total vaccinations have been administered statewide to date.

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Health has updated the Tennessee COVID-19 Vaccination Plan and its phased approach to administering COVID-19 vaccines to Tennesseans.

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Health will provide data on COVID-19 vaccines administered in the state via a new dashboard to be provided online at www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov/covid-19-vaccine-information.html. This dashboard will launch Dec. 18 and will be updated each Tuesday and Friday.

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Health today announced the state expects to receive its first shipment of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on or around Dec. 21.