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Five things to know about COVID-19 in the Chattanooga region for the week ending March 12

Staff Photo by Matt Hamilton / Dr. Chris Smith, who has received both vaccination shots, talks about the response to COVID-19 at the testing center at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on Wednesday, March 10, 2021. Staff Photo by Matt Hamilton / Dr. Chris Smith, who has received both vaccination shots, talks about the response to COVID-19 at the testing center at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on Wednesday, March 10, 2021.

By Wyatt Massey March 12, 2021 3 min read

Every week, the Times Free Press will publish five essential things to know about the coronavirus pandemic in the Chattanooga region. For more updated case count numbers and other data related to Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama, visit timesfreepress.com/virus.

Five things to know about COVID-19 in the Chattanooga region for the week ending March 12:

1. Hamilton County will close Alstom site for COVID-19 testing: Health department focus turns to vaccines.

Why it matters: After being the headquarters for Hamilton County’s COVID-19 testing efforts for eight months, the Alstom site on Riverfront Parkway will close Saturday as the county transitions it to become a vaccination site. The announcement comes as record-low numbers of people are being tested each day and vaccine supplies are increasing.