KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knox County Health Department is making changes to the way it schedules people for vaccines. Starting Monday, people will be able to register for an appointment directly instead of putting names on a waitlist.
First, the health department said it would reach out to people currently on the waitlist to tell them about a new opportunity to schedule an appointment. Then, people will be able to schedule appointments online as they become available.
All phases are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, according to health leaders. Anyone 16 years old and older can receive a shot.
The department said that vaccine supplies are continuing to increase, allowing them to give more people the vaccine. They said they hope the new system will make the vaccination process easier for people.
As of Thursday, the health department said that 204,774 vaccinations were reported among Knox County residents — 28.88% of people in the county had received at least one dose.
As of Friday, April 3, the waitlist was closed and people could no longer place their names on it as the health department moved into the new system.