MEMPHIS, Tenn — City leaders are weighing in on all the confusion people are experiencing while trying to get their vaccines and what's gone wrong.
Is it a lack of the COVID-19 vaccine doses, scarce personnel, or flat out disorganization.
What's the answer to people waiting for hours for a shot or just being flat out turned away? Local leaders want the same answers and they want it fixed.
Sources tell me that Shelby County and the City of Memphis have been working to fix this problem since early Tuesday morning, especially since things seemed to be going so well for the last 3 weeks until Tuesday.
They've identified some areas that need some tidying up.
First, logistics as in checkpoints where people verify who they are and if they have an appointment and simply moving vehicles through at reasonable pace, like at Chick-Fil-A.
Next area of focus, making sure people aren't showing up for vaccinations with no appointments.
Many people are hearing there are leftover doses at the end of the day and are showing up in hopes of getting lucky.
Then, timing, the city says, is everything.
People with appointments are hearing about long lines and showing up much earlier than their scheduled appointments and vaccination site organizers say that's throwing the schedule out of whack.
To avoid confusion for the 2nd dose Moderna shots at 2355 Appling, on Facebook late this evening, Mayor Jim Strickland reminding that appointments are necessary, arrive only an hour before that appointment or you will be turned away and bring proof of your appointment time.
Shelby County Commission Chair Eddie Jones said late Wednesday evening that he'd heard about the issues at Pipkin and he had lots of questions, himself and he planned on speaking with the Health Department soon to see how the people of Shelby County could be better served.