1/11/2021 11:56:00 AM Atrium Health Begins COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics
Atrium Health Lincoln began COVID-19 vaccinations Monday (Jan. 11th). 210 senior citizens 75+ got their vaccination Monday. The clinics will continue every day. Appointments are necessary. Details on getting one are in this article.
Among those getting their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on Monday at Atrium Health Lincoln were Trudy Bess, Willard Hicks and Edwared Mueller.
photos courtesy of Atrium Health
Wayne Howard Staff Writer
Atrium Health began mass public vaccinations of those 75 years old and older at Atrium Health Lincoln, Atrium Health Cabarrus, and Atrium Health Union Monday morning (Jan. 11th). 210 senior citizens 75+ got their first vaccination with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
Teresa Watson, VP of Administration, said another 210 people will get vaccinated on Tuesday (Jan. 12th) and that vaccination clinics will continue every day. For now, those being vaccinated are from North Carolina's Phase 1B, Group 1, senior citizens 75 or older. More than 180,000 current patients who qualify for the vaccinations have already received communication from Atrium Health with details about scheduling their vaccination appointment.
Those age 75 and older can schedule their vaccination appointment through an existing MyAtriumHealth account. Those who don’t have a MyAtriumHealth account, can create one by clicking here.
Watson said those who are not part of this group, if they don't already have an account, should go ahead and establish one so they can be included when it's time for their group to get vaccinated. Please understand that establishing an account doesn't financially obligate you--bhe vaccinations are being provided FREE as part of a government program. Having people establish an account provides a way to keep track of the distribution of the vaccines, a state requirement.
Even if you are in the group currently getting vaccinated, you can't just show up at one of these clinics. Vaccination appointments are required due to current vaccine supply and storage requirements of the Pfizer-manufactured vaccine. Watson said the local hospital gets new shipments almost every day; they don't have all the vaccine that they'll be using already on hand.
You don't have to be a resident of Lincoln County--or for that matter, of North Carolina--to get your COVID-19 vaccination at Atrium Health Lincoln (or at the other Atrium Health locations already mentioned).
The first COVID-19 vaccines were given to Atrium Health teammates serving on the frontlines in mid-December. In just four weeks, more than 13,000 Atrium Health teammates in the Charlotte region have received their initial dose, and many have received their second and final dose to be fully inoculated.
North Carolina DHHS established the schedule for vaccinations in our state. Ie is essentially the same as the CDC recommended schedule.
Phase 1a included :
a) Frontline health care workers who are working directly with patients and the accompanying staff responsible for sanitation and maintenance in those areas and are not currently under a hospital system vaccination schedule.
b) Employees and residents of congregate living facilities who are not currently enrolled under the state’s contract with CVS or Walgreens.
Phase 1b: (Phase 1b is currently separated in to descending priority groups)
Group 1 is anyone 75 years or older.
Group 2 includes health care workers and frontline essential workers 50 years or older. The CDC defines frontline essential workers as first responders (e.g., firefighters and police officers), corrections officers, food and agricultural workers, US Postal Service workers, manufacturing workers, grocery store workers, public transit workers, and those who work in the education sector (teachers and support staff members, child care workers).
In additon to Atrium Health Lincoln, the Lincoln County Health Dept. is doing vaccinations for anyone in Phase 1a and Phase 1b, group 1 (those 75+) and will likely begin vaccinating those in group 2 in February. For Vaccination appointments (group 1 only at this time) call the Health Department's COVID Response line at 704-479-2202. They began taking voicemails, but that has been discontinued. If you don't get through at first, you should wait and try again later.
Group 3 is Health care workers and frontline essential workers of any age. Vaccination appointments for this group are not open at this time.
The COVID vaccine cannot be administered to anyone currently sick with fever and/or respiratory symptoms; has received any type of vaccine in the previous 14 days; or, has received passive antibody therapy for treatment of COVID-19 in the past 90 days.
For the many residents that are not identified in the current rollout priority, more information will be provided at a future date for target groups and when appointment accessibility will be open.
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