Health Information
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Testing Locations
Testing for COVID-19 is available for free to anyone at testing sites throughout Shelby County. If you are feeling sick or know you have been exposed to COVID-19, please call your healthcare provider or schedule a test at a site near you. To find a site near you, please click here or call 833-556-2476. Please be aware that each site provides its own scheduling instructions. Some locations allow walk-ups while others allow appointments to be scheduled by phone, text, or online.
Vaccines
In Shelby County, everyone 16 and older is now eligible for the vaccine.
The City of Memphis is operating several public COVID-19 Vaccination Sites, Mondays – Saturdays from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Only those who meet the eligibility criteria (16+) will be vaccinated.
Beginning Monday, April 12, 2021 the Pipkin Building, located at 940 Early Maxwell Blvd., is open for walk-ins without an appointment between 2 p.m and 7 p.m. The site is open from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m, with availability to schedule appointments at any time.
To see all the site locations and schedule an appointment, you may visit the City of Memphis' online portal here. You can also call 901-222-7468 (SHOT) or 615-552-1998 between the hours of 9 a.m.- 6:30 p.m. Seven days a week.
Currently, Walmart, Walgreens, Kroger, First Pharmacy Services, Community Supplemental Foods and the Memphis VA Medical Center are also offering COVID-19 vaccines in Shelby County. To schedule your appointment, visit: www.walmart.com/COVIDvaccine, https://www.walgreens.com/findcare/vaccination/covid-19/location-screening, https://www.kroger.com/rx/guest/get-vaccinated, and www.samsclub.com/covid.
As more COVID-19 vaccines become available and more individuals qualify to get their vaccines, scammers are increasingly posing a threat to your money and personal information. Fraudsters are using telemarketing calls, text messages, door-to-door visits and more to trick unsuspecting Memphians. These COVID-19 vaccine scams are increasingly targeting seniors. To protect yourself and your loved ones from scammers, make sure that you follow these tips:
- Only refer to the official City of Memphis website and the Shelby County Health Department website to monitor the status of vaccines in Shelby County, and to find the official sign up links
- Most likely, you will not need to pay out-of-pocket to get the COVID-19 vaccine
- Vaccines administered by the City of Memphis and Shelby County Health Department will be free of cost
- Do not pay to put your name on a list to get the COVID-19 vaccine
- Do not pay to get early access to the COVID-19 vaccine
- You will not be solicited door to door to receive the COVID-19 vaccine
Cost: If you get your vaccination through the City of Memphis, it is free of cost. Should you schedule it through a different provider, you might be billed for the cost of administering the vaccine.
Vaccine FAQs: If you have questions about the vaccine and how it was safely developed, you can read more here.
Local, State and National Health Resources
The Centers for Disease Control provides updates on the virus and safety information for the public and health care professionals: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
The CDC's guidance includes:
- Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth to help protect yourself and others.
- Stay 6 feet apart from others who don't live with you.
- Get a COVID-19 vaccine when it is available to you.
- Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated indoor spaces.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water aren't available.
COVID-19 vaccines are effective at protecting you from getting sick, but we're still learning how vaccines will affect the spread of COVID-19.
Keep taking all prevention steps until you are fully vaccinated. If it has been less than 2 weeks since your 1-dose shot, or if you still need to get your second dose of a 2-dose vaccine, you are NOT fully protected. After you've been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, you should keep taking precautions in public places like wearing a mask, staying 6 feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces until we know more.
Based on what we know about COVID-19 vaccines, people who have been fully vaccinated can start to do some things that they had stopped doing because of the pandemic.
The Tennessee Department of Health has information on the virus, guidance for the public, and updates on COVID-19 cases in Tennessee. Please visit https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov.html
- Public information number: 877-857-2945, 10am-10pm daily
- COVID-19 Assessment Sites: https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov/remote-assessment-sites.html
The Shelby County Department of Health has information on the virus, guidance for the public, and updates on COVID-19 cases in Shelby County: https://insight-editor.livestories.com/s/v2/0.0-home-page/344bee8e-f3d6-4b4c-a05b-58e8f94f9bf8
The Health Department's Covid-19 Call Center can be reached at 833-943-1658, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday-Sunday.
Mental Health
Almost every aspect of our daily lives has been altered over the past year by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many in our community are facing extreme health and financial strain due to this disease. It is extremely important that we take care of our mental health in this time. Here are some resources that are available to you:
- COVID-19 Stress and coping resources from the CDC
- National Institute of Health, National Institute of Mental Health: Coping with Coronavirus
- National Alliance of Mental Illness COVID-19 Resource and Information Guide
- Mentalhealth.gov
- Yale Child Study Center Resources to Support Adults, Parents, Children and Families
- Yale Child Study Center Guide for Families with Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
If you need help, you can call:
- Disaster stress hotline: 1-800-985-5990
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
- Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233