CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Thousands of people received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine Saturday and Sunday at Atrium Health's mass vaccine clinic at Bank of America Stadium in uptown Charlotte.
The clinic began Friday and continued through Sunday. Atrium said they originally planned to vaccinate just under 20,000 people, but due to "increased efficiency" more appointments were opened for eligible patients to be vaccinated Sunday. Click here for more information about vaccine appointments at the clinic.
By mid-afternoon Friday, roughly 2,400 people got vaccinated at the stadium with 80% of patients parking and walking up to the stadium gates while the remaining 20% used the drive-thru option.
Roshni Gajjar got her vaccine Saturday afternoon and she said it was an efficient process.
"I feel great! I feel much safer now," Gajjar said. "I know it's not safe still. I'm going to have my mask. I'm going to wash my hands, but I feel great."
There continues to be heavy traffic around the stadium around Mint, Stonewall and Graham Streets.
Mint Street in front of the stadium remains shut off to cars and pedestrians not going to the clinic.
The clinic opened one day after South Carolina officials announced the first two known cases of the South African COVID-19 variant were detected there. Mecklenburg County Health Director Gibbie Harris said she's confident that variant is also in the Charlotte area, it just hasn't been detected yet.
"Routine testing for COVID-19 does not screen for the different strains of the virus," Harris said. "We know we have the B.1.17 variant in our community and we know that the African variant has been identified in South Carolina. The identification of cases and the treatment they may need will not differ based on the strain of the virus. We are not testing or screening for these variant strains. We can assume that they are present in our community."