Metro expects to ease COVID-19 restrictions next week

NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) - Metro officials expect to issue a new health order to ease COVID-19 restrictions in Nashville after more than 30% of Davidson County residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Dr. Alex Jahangir said officials are reviewing the numbers to make sure everything remains stable before issuing an updated order.

“The health department and the Mayor’s office is working on refining an order and an updated order will come next week,” Jahangir said during Thursday’s weekly briefing.

Jahangir, the chairman of the Metro Health Board and Metro Coronavirus Task Force, said after hitting a vaccination metric, the health department reviews numbers to make sure there’s nothing abnormal.

Changes expected to ease restrictions for Nashville businesses and restaurants

Changes are expected to be made to the Nashville restrictions set forth due to the COVID pandemic.

“We'll spend the next seven days evaluating the situation on the ground,” Jahangir said. “Thus far cases have remained stable; hospitalizations have remained stable. We anticipate early next week we’ll issue a new order.”

Nashville Mayor John Cooper has set a goal of having at least 50% of Metro’s population vaccinated by May.

UPDATE: Over 30% of Nashvillians have received a vaccine. Let’s get to 50% by May! #50by5Please go online today to book your appointment. There are openings starting Sunday, April 11th at https://t.co/0pJXgPi0hQ. You can also visit https://t.co/bcz1mwVo3d or call 615-862-7777.

— Mayor John Cooper (@JohnCooper4Nash) April 5, 2021

Jahangir said the city is on track to reach that goal.

Metro Public Health and Meharry Medical Center will be converting the testing center at the former Kmart location on Murfreesboro Pike to a drive-thru vaccination center. The center will be closed on Friday and will begin offering vaccinations by appointment on Monday.

Officials said there were two reasons the Kmart location was chosen for vaccinations – more people of Hispanic background are in that area and the site wasn’t being used as much for testing.

COVID restrictions loosened for Nashville businesses

 

 

Metro Health will be giving 300 doses of the Johnson & Johnson one-dose vaccine at this location each weekday from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Vaccination appointments can be scheduled on the Nashville COVID-19 response website. Appointments for each week open at 10 a.m. on Thursday.

The COVID-19 vaccination site at the Music City Center will continue to offer two-dose Pfizer vaccines. Appointments for the Music City Center are also available on the Nashville COVID-19 response site.

The health department is also expanding outreach to the homeless for vaccinations. The mobile vaccination unit will be going into encampments and the Neighborhood Health Downtown Clinic trying to remove all barriers.