MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. — It is too late for someone who has not gotten a COVID-19 vaccine to be fully vaccinated by Thanksgiving next week, but there is still time to get protected by Christmas.
Kids ages 5- to 11-years-old have been eligible to get the Pfizer pediatric vaccine for about 10 days. According to NCDHHS data, 9% of kids in this age group in Mecklenburg County have started their series.
That’s good news because families who want their kids vaccinated by Christmas Eve have to act fast. Children need to get the first dose by this Friday, Nov. 19, so their second shot is scheduled for around Dec. 10.
That leaves the necessary two weeks before immunity fully kicks in.
“It’s an opportunity for us to protect the entire family not only from being sick but also from potentially spreading the virus when we have those family get-togethers,” Chris Dobbins with StarMed Healthcare said.
Local vaccine providers are doing all they can to make the vaccine easily accessible. According to state data, so far 7% of kids ages 5 to 11 in North Carolina have gotten their first Pfizer pediatric vaccine. The people giving the shots at StarMed have definitely been busy, but with kids in school, the weekdays tend to be slower.
Like with every new group becoming eligible for the vaccine, those who desperately want it go out and get it immediately.
“I know that if you don’t get the shot, you’re at more risk of getting COVID,” Brooks Russell said after getting his first shot. “So, when my mom said I would get it, I’m like yeah I’ll get it.”
StarMed officials say they’ve given the first dose to around 7,000 elementary-age kids in Mecklenburg County while Novant Health has vaccinated about 1,000 in the state.
RELATED: Minors in NC require parental consent to get COVID-19 vaccine under emergency authorization
Vaccine providers are hoping the holidays will keep the momentum going.
“We’re very interested to know what may be the next 10 days will bring us, we have about 3,700 appointments on the books already, so we are encouraged,” Dobbins said.
StarMed is also offering incentives. Anyone who gets their kid vaccinated here and then tweets a picture of it will be entered into a drawing for an Xbox. They’ll pick one winner each week until Christmas time. The first drawing is on Wednesday.
NCDHHS Family Vaccination Sites
For those looking for a potential option for getting their child vaccinated, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services partnered with community groups to create nine Family Vaccination Sites in North Carolina.
All nine sites accept walk-ins, and will be open from Nov. 13 through Thanksgiving. Any adult who brings someone to a Family Vaccination Site for their first dose will receive a $25 prepaid Mastercard to offset time and transportation costs, according to NCDHHS.
Sites are located in Buncombe, Burke, Forsyth, Lenoir, Pasquotank, Robeson, Sampson, Vance and Wilson counties. More information on NCDHHS vaccine locations can be found on the department's vaccine finder website.
Contact Chloe Leshner at cleshner@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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