MEMPHIS, Tenn. — There were no Coronavirus vaccine shots given today at the Pipkin Building and four other sites across Shelby County. And it’s probably just as well. Yes, it is crucial that residents get the shots as quickly as possible - but this unusual winter weather has made roads treacherous. Plus, this gives everyone a chance to regroup and hopefully cut down on the confusion around the vaccination process at the Pipkin Building – which is being taken over by the city of Memphis.
The changeover is expected to start by week’s end – assuming new snowstorms don’t delay things any further. And it can’t come too soon. The last straw was Sunday when extra vaccine doses became available at the Pipkin Building, and the county alerted residents to show up and get their shots. When they did, they faced long lines – and many of them were turned away.
So rather than endure more criticism, county mayor Lee Harris asked the city to handle logistics for getting people through the Pipkin vaccine line more efficiently. The city already is handling vaccine logistics at the old Appling Road inspection station where things have been running much smoother.
So this is a good move. The other good news is, COVID cases are subsiding. But we can’t let down our guard. We must continue practicing safety and do what it takes to get vaccines into arms. And that’s my point of view.
