CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Atrium Health, which was the first health system in North Carolina to administer the FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine, became one of the first in the region to begin offering vaccinations to the general public Wednesday.
As North Carolina moves into the next phase of vaccinations (Phase 1b, Group 1), Atrium Health patients 75-years old and older were allowed to schedule appointments for their vaccinations on Tuesday, Jan. 5. Appointments quickly filled up for the entire month.
The first vaccination given Wednesday was for 87-year-old Allen Laymon, at Bojangles' Coliseum. Hundreds of seniors are scheduled to be vaccinated at the drive-thru clinic.
"I wanted to get the vaccine and I want to encourage people to do it because this is maybe the last opportunity for us to make the virus go away," Laymon said.
Over 160,000 emails have been sent to current patients who qualify for Phase 1b, Group 1. Many have already taken advantage and have scheduled their appointments through their existing MyAtriumHealth account. Those who don’t have a MyAtriumHealth account, can create one or schedule a vaccination appointment by phone if assistance is needed.
Vaccination appointments are required due to the current vaccine supply and storage requirements.
Atrium Health released the following statement:
Atrium Health is proud to be have been among the first in the nation to receive and distribute the initial vaccine allotments, which is critically necessary to slow the spread and lessen the detrimental effects of the virus. The health system has worked to develop comprehensive plans to safely and effectively distribute the vaccine, as vaccination is the best way to prevent infection from COVID-19. In the Charlotte area alone, over 10,200 Atrium Health teammates have received their first dose of the vaccine as part of Phase 1a.
Phase 1
- Phase 1A: Reserved for frontline healthcare workers, and the staff and residents of long-term care facilities
- Phase 1B Group 1: Anyone 75 years or older, regardless of health status or living situation.
- Phase 1B Group 2: 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, U.S. Postal Service workers, manufacturing workers, grocery store workers, public transit workers, and those who work in the education sector (teachers and support staff members) as well as child care workers.
- Phase 1B Group 3: Health care workers and frontline essential workers of any age.