CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Atrium Health is teaming up with Honeywell and Tepper Sport & Entertainment for a mass COVID-19 vaccination event at Bank of America Stadium for front-line essential workers.
The vaccine clinic starts Tuesday, March 9 and runs through Thursday, March 11. Atrium Health said they plan to vaccinate nearly 14,000 people over the course of three days. Atrium has administered thousands of vaccines at the stadium this year as major sporting venues across the Charlotte area have hosted mass clinics.
"What we hear from them is just their hopes and dreams and what they're looking forward to," said Becky Fox with Atrium Health. "They know they're not going to be a burden to their family, they feel safe to go back to work. They feel safe to go to the grocery store and the post office."
Appointments for the clinic are now available and can be booked through Atrium Health's website.
Gov. Roy Cooper opened up Group 3 Wednesday. The change allowed essential front-line workers to get vaccinations starting March 3. Mecklenburg County began accepting appointments Thursday for March 10-31.
The following essential workers are part of North Carolina's Group 3, and they include people who must work on-site and cannot do their jobs remotely:
- Critical manufacturing
- Education and childcare
- Essential goods
- Food and agriculture
- Government and community services
- Healthcare and public health
- Public safety
- Transportation
Novant Health will also get thousands of people fully protected this weekend. On Saturday, they'll give second doses at the Spectrum Center and thanks to the single shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, they'll get an extra 2,000 people vaccinated.
They are working to get those vaccines to as many childcare and school employees as possible.
"We're able to really double the amount of people who will be able to be fully vaccinated from that event. We're going to add in on top of the second dose we saw 3 week ago, we'll add in another 2,000 appointments," said Nikki Nissen with Novant Health.
The single shot will be key in getting more people vaccinated faster.
Unsure about your vaccine group? Click here to learn more about North Carolina's vaccine rollout program.
RELATED: Group 3 opens up, allowing another round of front-line heroes to get vaccine: grocery store workers
Have a relative or friend in another state and want to know when they can get vaccinated? Visit NBC News' Plan Your Vaccine site to find out about each state's vaccine rollout plan.