NASHVILLE, Tenn. — UPDATE 7/14/2021 - The Shelby County Health Department said it will continue to aim COVID-19 vaccination information to all residents, including teens.
This comes after reports that the state Department of Health told county-level employees to stop vaccination events and outreach aimed at teens.
In a statement, Dr. La Sonya Hall, the interim Shelby County Health Director, said: "Public health and safety is the Shelby County Health Department’s number one priority. Our mission is to promote, protect and improve the health of ALL in Shelby County. In keeping with our mission, we will continue to provide a comprehensive vaccination program for Shelby County residents of all ages."
----------------------------------------------------
7/9/2021 - A published report says health officials across Tennessee have been instructed to make sure they don't aim coronavirus vaccination information at juveniles.
The Tennessean cited emails it obtained in reporting that the Department of Health instructed county-level employees last week to stop vaccination events aimed at teens and to halt any online outreach to them.
The shift comes two weeks after a legislative hearing where Republican lawmakers admonished the agency for how it was communicating about the vaccine.
One email from the health department's chief medical officer said officials should not advertise vaccine events to anyone besides the "general population" and "should not have any pop-up events 'for adolescents.'"