The first COVID-19 vaccines in Marion County have been administered. Dr. Brent Hoehns of Knoxville Hospital & Clinics is one of the first to receive the vaccination, and says that when it’s their turn, everyone over the age of 16 should get vaccinated to help eradicate this disease.

“I’m praying that this is the beginning of the end. There’s a lot of questions on how to get out of it, but hopefully enough people get vaccinated, we’ll see less disease, that’s the idea. Who shouldn’t get vaccinated? If you’re under 16 don’t get it, just because it’s not approved for them yet, but past that, get it. There’s very, very few reasons not to get the vaccine. When it comes your turn, the more people that get the vaccine, the more herd immunity, the less likely it spreads through the population.”

For those who are skeptical of vaccinations, Hoehns says that there is no reason to be.

“The phenomenal, fabulous, awesome science behind it when you see how it’s made. If we were scared of vaccines, we’d still be fighting smallpox, people would die of rabies, we all would have tetanus. Everybody says that some things are common and benign. I know two kids that have died of complications from chickenpox. So get a vaccine. Of all your options, getting a vaccine is 1,000 times safer than sitting around, waiting to get the disease and see what happens.”

The vaccine is currently available to those working in healthcare and long-term care residents. Vaccines will be available to the general public in the coming months.