Metro Public Health Department officials announce the COVID-19 Strike Team will cease operations December 31. The Strike Team, which offers COVID-19 boosters, testing and flu shots in community locations, will offer opportunities to the public to receive those services at multiple locations across the city through the end of December. Since mid-2020 when the Strike Team was initially formed, more than 1,300 events have been held offering COVID-19 tests, COVID-19 vaccines, COVID-19 booster doses and flu shots.
COVID-19 vaccines, boosters and flu shots are available in the Metro Public Health Department clinics by appointment. COVID-19 vaccines and boosters will continue to be available free of charge at those clinics. At-home test kits can also be picked up at any of the Health Department clinics. PCR testing will not be available through the Health Department starting January 1. Providers will still be required to report cases of COVID-19 to the Metro Public Health Department.
“While COVID-19 is still a serious issue in our community, the response from the Metro Public Health Department will shift to mirror the way we respond to other serious, endemic illnesses,” said Dr. Gill Wright, Director of Health. “Vaccines and boosters are very effective at preventing the most serious effects of COVID-19. We encourage everyone to stay up to date on their vaccinations to best protect against hospitalization and death due to COVID-19.”
The Metro Public Health Department will no longer be publishing weekly COVID-19 surveillance reports as COVID-19 shifts to a more endemic virus. Wastewater surveillance will continue, allowing the Health Department to get a sense of the amount of virus in the community. The Health Department will continue to monitor data on COVID-19 to track the virus and alert the community of notable trends.
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