Senior Centers And Affordable Housing Could Become Vaccine Sites

The Upper Cumberland Area Agency on Aging and Disability is working to create more COVID vaccination sites to improve access for aging populations.

Director Holly Williams said senior centers and affordable housing complexes are candidates for these, “Strike sites.”

“At this point, we have two senior centers in the Upper Cumberland that feel like that can get at least 50 to 100 seniors to come to their center for the vaccine,” Williams said. “And, that is kind of the threshold for them to be determined as strike sites.”

Williams said Cookeville and Fair Park Senior Centers are the two front runners. Williams said three housing authorities are also interested. They are Cookeville’s Highlands Residential Services, Crossville Housing Authority and the Holiday House of Cannon County.

“These strike sites are places where they can come in and just for a short period of a time be it maybe a day or a half a day depending on the location,” Williams said. “And inoculate a lot of individuals in a short period of time.”

Williams said the state agency on aging and disability has submitted these sites to the state health department for consideration. The state health department would also be responsible for distribution at these locations, Williams said.

“Nothing has been confirmed 100 percent just yet that these will be strike sites,” Williams said. “But, that is the plan. That is the goal that we are moving toward.”

About 1,500 calls were made by the Upper Cumberland Area Agency on Aging and Disability to gauge interest of the region. That is not including calls made by site candidates. Williams said the addition of 65- year-old residents being eligible for vaccination could change the number of residents interested.