Statement from Tennessee Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey, MD, MBA, FAAP regarding the ongoing investigation of reported wastage of COVID-19 vaccine in Shelby County:

"With today's confirmation of stockpiling the vaccine, the mayor's statements have alerted us to yet another significant violation with the Shelby County Health Department's vaccine management. These statements reflect that vaccines were inappropriately withheld from an in-phase population over the course of several weeks. Stockpiling for a later phase is not authorized, and this action unnecessarily prohibited high-risk elderly individuals from receiving their fair share of this limited and life-saving resource."