Paris, Tenn.–The Henry County Health Department today announced it has received its first
shipment of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Henry County Health Department staff members
are administering the Moderna vaccine this afternoon to first responders, home health care providers, student health care providers and group homes for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, in partnership with these organizations and local community emergency
management agencies.
“We are excited to receive these vaccines and see our COVID-19 vaccination activities underway
in our community,” said Henry County Health Director Tracy Byrd. “We’ve been preparing for
months to distribute approved vaccines and we believe this will be a safe and effective tool in
the fight against COVID-19.”
The Tennessee Department of Health will provide data on COVID-19 vaccines administered in
the state via a new dashboard online at
www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/health/documents/cedep/novel-coronavirus/Vaccine.pdf. This
dashboard will be updated each Tuesday and Friday.
Initial supplies of the COVID-19 vaccines are limited. The first allocations of both the Moderna
and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines in Tennessee will be used to provide first vaccine doses to
individuals qualifying for Phase 1a1, as detailed in the COVID-19 Vaccination Plan for
Tennessee. Tennessee’s COVID-19 vaccination plan was last updated Dec. 2 and will be
modified as more is learned about the vaccines Tennessee will receive.
Byrd said “It’s important to note these Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are not interchangeable; each patient must receive two doses of the same vaccine to be protected against COVID-19. Those who choose to receive the vaccine will receive a card with the date of their first dose, the name/manufacturer of the vaccine received and the date on which they should receive their second dose.”
Tennessee’s plan for allocation of COVID-19 vaccine has been thoughtfully developed with a
focus on how best to serve our diverse populations and communities, and to ensure
distribution of vaccination sites across all 95 counties, especially in rural areas and those withhigh concentrations of people in vulnerable populations.
Tennessee’s local health departments continue to offer COVID-19 testing five days a week at no
charge to those wishing to be tested. TDH testing sites across the state will employ self-testing
kits for adults three days a week beginning Dec. 21, to allow staff members to transition to
vaccination of frontline health care providers and first responders. Find testing hours and
contact information for TDH health department testing sites online at
Photo: Henry County first responders began receiving the new Maderna COVID-19 vaccine today at 1 PM. at the Henry County Health Department. County Emergency Management Director Ron Watkins is shown receiving his vaccine. Administering the vaccine is RN Paula Perkins. (Photo by Casey Wright, EMA officer).