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StarMed gives hope to west Charlotte in first drive-thru vaccine clinic

Six-hundred COVID-19 vaccines were administered Thursday in west Charlotte.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For the first time, StarMed held a drive-thru vaccine clinic in Charlotte. On Thursday, they administered 600 COVID-19 vaccine shots in the arms of people who were desperate to find the shots as supply continues to lag behind demand.

"This community deserves to have an event like today," Mike Estramonte, the CEO of StarMed, said.

The parking lot of their clinic on Tuckaseegee Road in west Charlotte was transformed into a drive-through clinic in a matter of days. 

"We found out on Monday that we'd get an allocation for 600 doses and we decided to set it up here," he said. "It was all a team effort."

Those who booked an appointment were given their first dose of the Moderna vaccine.

RELATED: All adults in NC will be eligible to get COVID vaccine starting April 7

WCNC Charlotte's Hunter Saenz got a behind-the-scenes look Thursday at how the outdoor clinic was run.

The vaccines were stored in refrigerators inside the StarMed Urgent Care clinic, then walked out to tents as people drove up. Once the shot was given, recipients drove to a waiting area where they were observed for 15 minutes. 

"Oh! Satisfaction," said John Taylor, who was thrilled to receive his shot. "I think it's the best thing to ever happen." 

Like so many, he said he spent the past year isolated from those he loved. 

"There ain't nothing to brag about, it's been very rough," he said, explaining the toll the past year has taken. 

Taylor and the others who received their first shot will come back in four weeks to receive the second shot. 

"Once I get my second shot, I should be completely relieved," Taylor said. 

StarMed waited months to get their hands on doses to administer at their own clinics. As they waited, they helped Mecklenburg County Health Department give out vaccinations. 

"We waited for the state to get it to us. Obviously they had an inventory issue at the beginning and when they got it to us, we were ready," Estramonte said. 

His team was efficient on Thursday. One recipient walked up to Estramonte to tell him, "it's better than a Chick-fil-a line." 

Currently demand for a shot is outpacing supply. Hundreds if not thousands of people are racing to get signed up when vaccine appointments become available with many crossing county lines and driving miles just to get one. 

RELATED: Here's how to make a COVID-19 vaccine appointment in both NC and SC

North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services is sending out vaccines across the state, doing their best to meet demand. 

The week of March 22, the department sent out 237,560 first doses of Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, according to a spokesperson. They also sent out 11,500 doses of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. 

RELATED: Tracking coronavirus data: Carolinas outbreak map

StarMed said as they get more vaccine supply, they plan to open more clinics in other underserved communities. 

"It's satisfying to do it anywhere, but especially to those communities that perhaps weren't getting the care and level of service that they deserve to have," Estramonte said. 

Taylor was just happy his dose was found in his neighborhood. 

"This was a perfect place right here," he said. 

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.

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