Choice of vaccine now available at Sparta pharmacies

Appointments are still required

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 While the COVID-19 vaccine has been available at local health departments across Tennessee for some months now, the option to choose which vaccine you receive hasn’t been a feature that was offered. Now, Sparta pharmacies are offering patients the ability to choose whether they receive the Moderna vaccine or the newly released Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine.

“We are vaccinating by appointment for both Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) and Moderna - both first and second shots,” Beth Kirby, pharmacist at Sparta Discount Drug Center, said. “Some days we have extra vaccine available and can take walk-in appointments, but that is not always the case. We post on our Facebook page when we have extra shots.”

Kirby went on to say that appointments to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at Sparta Discount Drug Center can be made by visiting VaccineFinder.org or by calling the pharmacy directly at (931) 837-5000.

The other locally owned pharmacy in Sparta, which is Payless Family Pharmacy, is also offering patients the choice between the Moderna two-dose version and the newer Johnson & Johnson single dose.

“We get shipments weekly, but we don’t always know which brand we are getting,” Joyce Tatum, owner at Payless Family Pharmacy, said. “Lately they have been sending us mainly the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.”

Tatum said her pharmacy is distributing vaccines on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday and encouraged those wishing to be vaccinated to call the pharmacy at (931) 836-3187 and to let a representative know which vaccine they would like to receive.

“We keep a list, and, when the vaccine is available, we call those who have informed us that they would like to receive the vaccine,” she said, adding that a patient would also be informed if the brand other than the one they had requested was available in case they were willing to receive a different version of the vaccine at an earlier date.

Like Kirby, Tatum said that occasionally they will have a few extra doses that need to be used before they expire, but she said she starts making phone calls to find the next available person who can come immediately to be vaccinated.

“We don’t offer walk-ins at this time,” she said.

At this time, both of the locally owned pharmacies are offering daytime appointments only, but Kirby said later this month Sparta Discount Drug Center will be offering some extended hours.

“After the 20th we will be providing vaccines at least one evening each week from 6 to 8 p.m. for people that may not be able to get their vaccine during daytime hours,” Kirby said, but indicated these would still be appointment-based.

At press time, neither Walmart or Walgreens had returned calls to discuss their vaccination policies or to clarify which brand or brands they were offering.   

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