The Hamilton County Health Department is opening a new COVID-19 vaccination site for first-dose shots at Enterprise South Nature Park.
The location at 190 Still Hollow Loop will begin offering shots on Friday, Feb. 19. The health department added nearly 4,600 new first-dose appointments with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to its schedule, according to an announcement Wednesday morning.
First-dose appointments are being offered at the Tennessee Riverpark Hubert Fry Center, 4301 Amnicola Highway, and at the CARTA Bus Barn, 1617 Wilcox Blvd.
Hamilton County is offering vaccinations to residents 70 and older, as well as members of phase 1a1 and 1a2 of the state's vaccination plan. People included in the two eligible phases include health care workers with direct exposure to patients and other workers in the health care industry, staff and residents of long-term care facilities, first responders and people over 18 who cannot live independently due to health conditions or disability.
To make a first-dose appointment, register online at vaccine.hamiltontn.gov, or call 423-209-5398. To make a second-dose appointment, register online or call 423-209-5399. Health department workers can also assist Spanish speakers in making vaccine appointments at 423-209-5384.
Tom Lamb, director of Hamilton County Parks and Recreation, said Enterprise South will not be open to the public for recreational use on the days when the health department is using the site for vaccinations. However, the park will be open the other days when vaccinations are not taking place at the park.
On Wednesday, the Hamilton County Health Department reported 135 new COVID-19 infections with 88 hospitalizations and 24 people in the intensive care unit with the virus. The county is averaging 110 new cases a day in the past week as cases and hospitalizations continue to trend down from region-wide spikes during the final months of 2020.
Contact Wyatt Massey at wmassey@timesfree press.com or 423-757-6249. Follow him on Twitter @news4mass.