Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly announced on Wednesday that the city will immediately begin offering free walk-in COVID-19 vaccines closer to home for most residents, opening up the city’s Community Centers for vaccinations.
“As I promised on the campaign trail, we are now launching an effort to make COVID-19 vaccines available in every neighborhood by opening up our community centers to residents seeking protection from this virus,” Kelly said. “By bringing these lifesaving vaccines directly into the communities we serve, we will help protect our most vulnerable neighbors, and speed our city’s path not just to recovery, but to greater shared prosperity.”
The city has partnered with LifeSpring to administer the vaccines, which will be made available free of charge to residents on a first-come, first-served basis.
Dr. Mary Lambert, the city’s director of community health, said that by offering vaccines in a familiar place that is comfortable and convenient for residents, the city hopes to protect more Chattanoogans against resurgent mutations of COVID-19 virus that continue to circle the globe.
“Even though it feels like we’re getting back to normal, the Delta variant of this virus is rapidly spreading among the unvaccinated population and may be on track to become the dominant strain in the country and in our community,” Lambert said. “If we do not take these easy steps to protect ourselves and our families, we risk not only harm to life and health, but a return to social distancing, mask wearing and closure.”
The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control recently named the Delta variant as a “variant of concern,” a designation that reflects its ability to spread more rapidly and make victims sicker than previous versions of the virus.
Kicking off the new vaccination campaign, both first- and second-dose Pfizer vaccines will be available at the Hixson Community center today from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. with no appointment required while supplies last.
Other Community Centers are planned to open as vaccination sites throughout the summer:
- June 23 — John A Patton from 10 a.m. to noon
- June 23 — Westside from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- June 30 — Washington Hills from 10 a.m. to noon
- June 30 — Glenwood from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- July 7 — East Chatt from 10 a.m. to noon
- July 7 — North Chatt from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- July 14 — Eastdale from 10 a.m. to noon
- July 14 — North River Civic Center from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- July 21 — Avondale from 10 a.m. to noon
- July 21 — Heritage House from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- July 28 — Shepherd from 10 a.m. to noon
- July 28 — Eastgate Senior Center from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- August 4 — Carver from 10 a.m. to noon
- August 4 — Hixson (2nd shot) from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- August 11 — Brainerd from 10 a.m. to noon
- August 11 — Westside (2nd shot) from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- August 18 — South Chatt from 10 a.m. to noon
- August 18 — Tyner from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- August 25 — John A Patten (2nd shot) from 10 a.m. to noon
- August 25 — Glenwood (2nd shot) from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The city will monitor the rollout of the vaccination program and will make adjustments as needed based on resident feedback and demand, Dr. Lambert said. The Mayor’s Office of Community Health is also working on additional initiatives to spur vaccination and ensure residents’ safety.