COVID-19 is now the third-leading cause of death in Shelby County and has killed five times more people than the 173 who succumbed to complications from influenza in 2019.

Director Alisa Haushalter says the early days of the rollout are going to be bumpy and people will have to make their vaccination plans based on where and to whom the shots are being given that day.

Drive-thru sites were busy all weekend; the Health Department will announce later this week when and where drive-thru sites will reopen. 

Beginning today, funeral workers can begin getting vaccinated against the coronavirus.

From an ongoing budget battle to police reform and new voting machines, these are five critical votes by the Shelby County Commission in 2020 as chronicled in The Daily Memphian’s County Commission Scorecard.

Two drive-thru stations have a combined capacity to vaccinate 3,000 people a week.

The last County Commission meeting of the year included important decisions on governing in a pandemic, with a path to nine votes through compromise and the fine print of the newest health department directive.

Each coronavirus surge in Shelby County came with an increase in cases, hospitalizations and deaths that preceded the previous one as transmission rose significantly.

For perspective, the death toll for first nine months of the pandemic is 821 as of Tuesday, Dec. 22.

The grant is for a project at Belle Forest Community School.

Fund to help service industry workers is created as new Health Directive 16 will put more strain on service industry workers. 

The delay in the final vote on requiring County Commission approval for the sheriff to acquire surplus military hardware came after Sheriff Floyd Bonner complained he hadn’t been consulted. County Mayor Lee Harris disputed that assertion.

Shelby County commissioners voted Monday, Dec. 21, to support a health department directive announced earlier in the day and, in a separate vote, to give the health department the authority to cite and fine business owners for violating the directive.

A revised health directive released Monday, Dec. 21, by the Shelby County Health Department is better than a draft leaked to the media earlier, suburban and county leaders say, but still causes some concerns. Related story: New, restrictive health directive out, effective Dec. 26

The commission is taking final votes on an ordinance that would let Shelby County Health Department levy fines for COVID violations, and a requirement for Shelby County Sheriff’s Department to get commission approval to acquire surplus military equipment and weapons. 

From Dec. 5 to Dec. 19, the Health Department reported an average of 691 new cases and 6,093 test results each day with a 11.3% positivity rate. One hundred thirty-two coronavirus-related deaths have been reported since Dec. 1. That represents 16.4% of all pandemic deaths in Shelby County. 

The 21 deaths reported Saturday range from Nov. 11 to Dec. 15, according to the Health Department. This follows the 23 deaths reported Friday. With the 44 new deaths in the past two days, Shelby County has surpassed the 800 mark. 

Staffer snaps, edits the thrill on her iPhone to snappy “My Shot” from Hamilton. 

The Shelby County Health Department reported 625 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, Dec. 18. 

As the first COVID-19 vaccinations began in Memphis hospitals Thursday, Gov. Bill Lee offered a message of hope that the pandemic’s end is close but also acknowledged the challenges of Tennessee being in the midst of its worst surge yet.

Coming restrictions have to include ways to limit transmission over the coming holidays, health officials say.

The Health Department reported 1,163 new COVID-19 cases and four more coronavirus-related deaths in its daily update Thursday morning.

The ordinance cleared second reading Wednesday at a special commission meeting with seven votes. However, nine votes will be needed to approve the ordinance at Monday’s final vote of the commission.

The Shelby County Health Department reported 779 new COVID-19 cases and four more coronavirus-related deaths in its daily update Wednesday, Dec. 16.

Health Department expects it could be vaccinating EMS workers and nursing home residents and staff by Dec. 28.