CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – After a week of snow and ice that shut down almost all of the COVID-19 vaccination sites in Middle Tennessee, many of them reopened on Monday, including the one in Montgomery County.

I saw that as my chance to pay a visit to the site at the old Sears automotive location at Governors Square Mall to share a personal experience story for Clarksvillenow.com. There was also an ulterior motive: Since now being eligible, I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to receive my COVID-19 vaccine.

It was announced last week that teachers, childcare staff, and those over the age of 65, which is the category I fall in to, could begin registering for the COVID-19 vaccine with Tennessee moving into Phase 1b of the risk-based distribution plan.

I was happy for the teachers, childcare staff, and for the fact that I could now feel safer and healthier, not only for myself but for my family, friends, and co-workers as well.

The line moved steadily along the rear roadway of the mall and then wound through the parking lot into the former automotive garage.

Montgomery County Health Department Director Joey Smith said on a typical day they will have around 700 people at the drive-thru vaccine distribution site, and they are able to administer the vaccine to about 100 people an hour.

Along the way there were volunteers with the Tennessee National Guard who helped direct traffic and handed out the paperwork to fill out as I drove toward the garage of the former Sears store.

Once inside, there were two lanes of traffic and two stations of healthcare workers on each side of the garage. They took my paperwork, asked me a few health questions, and then I received injection of my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

The worker who gave me the vaccine warned me there might be a little “sting” with the injection, to which I responded that I was a type-1 diabetic, and I had already taken a shot of insulin earlier in the day.

Then I drove out of the garage into the parking lot where I was asked to spend 15 minutes in my truck to make sure there were no immediate aftereffects of the injection. That was quite a few hours ago and I feel fine, and, as I mentioned earlier, I feel better after getting the vaccine.

How to get the COVID vaccine

To register for a vaccination appointment online through the county health department, visit https://covid19.tn.gov/covid-19-vaccines/vaccine-phases/. Click Montgomery County on the map, click “Make an Appointment.” This website is open only to those 65 and older and those in 1a1, 1a2 and 1b of the risk-based phases of the priority list from the state. Individuals who do not have access to the internet should call 866-442-5301 to make an appointment.