KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — This year's COVID-19 booster shot is the first one that isn't being shipped directly to doctor's offices. Instead, they have to be ordered from a third-party partner, a process that the Knox County Health Department said could create some delays as offices learn the process.
"Trying to figure out how much to order, how quickly it will go and how long it takes to come in — it'll take some time to figure that all out," said Dena Mashburn, the director of nurses at KCHD.
This is also the first time that the shot isn't free for patients and health providers. So, local practices need to decide how much they want to spend on the booster.
"In the past, COVID shots were free for doctors' offices and patients. Now we're in a place where we have to bet on how many people will get it from us and all of that cost is coming from our end," said Dr. R. Michael Green, who is a pediatric doctor in Knoxville.
Insurance companies are more likely to cover pharmacy vaccines than ones from a doctor's office for patients, Dr. Green said.
"Insurance also plays a role. Such as, sometimes people can't get a shingles vaccine here at the doctor's office but can go to the pharmacy and their insurance covers that same shot there," he said.
The Bridge Program is Knox County's way of trying to help people without insurance receive a free COVID-19 vaccine, but it's mainly for pharmacies.
"CVS and Walgreens are partners, so they should have Bridge vaccine availability," said Mashburn.
Dr. Green said access to the COVID-19 vaccine is crucial for keeping communities healthy.
"There are plenty of people that need to be protected against COVID, and if they can't access the vaccine, you risk limitations on who can and can't get it. And you don't want that," said Green.