Chapel Hill, NC – UNC Health on Monday began launching Phase 1B of delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine – meaning that people aged 75 and older can start receiving the vaccine.
The lines were short and orderly and people got in and out in less than half an hour.
The scene was a departure from some of the long lines and chaos that accompanied scenes from the health department in several counties. UNC attributes the easy and smooth procedure to allowing visitors by appointment only.
How was it to receive the vaccine on the first day of Phase 1B?
Judith Crook, 76, couldn’t believe how easy it was to get an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine with UNC Health.
“In three minutes, my chart sent me an email saying that your appointment was scheduled,” said Crook.
Glenn Kaluka, who also received a vaccine today, said: “I understand that in certain sections or cities it was a little more difficult. But it went very well.”
The internal experience involves checking personal information, obtaining the vaccine and monitoring for 15 minutes.
“It was a very easy procedure. It went very well. Everyone was very friendly there – I appreciated that,” said Kaluka.
Vaccines are not limited to current patients in the UNC Health System. Anyone aged 75 or over can get it.
Plans to expand vaccination sites
The goal is to increase the number of people who can be vaccinated every day, while reducing the need for the elderly to be exposed to the risk of waiting in long lines.
Although Friday Center is the first location, UNC Health plans to have up to a dozen locations across the state.
“We started smoothly today. We only have a few hundred to resolve and understand our process,” said Dr. David Wohl, professor of medicine in the Infectious Diseases Division at UNC Health.
He said the implementation was very smooth and that they hope to continue simplifying the process so that more people can be vaccinated quickly and without having to wait.
“We don’t want people to spend a lot of time here,” he said.
Wohl said the plan is to double capacity by Tuesday and continue to double as long as the vaccine supply can continue.
There are more than 700,000 people over 75 in North Carolina – about 7% of the population. Approximately 85,000 of them live in the Triangle.
So far, in Phase 1A, UNC has vaccinated more than 21,000 health workers, including 3,000 second doses, which started last week.
Anyone over 75 can go to YOURSHOT.ORG and sign up for a consultation after filling out our short questionnaire.
Looking for information on how to get vaccinated in your municipality? WRAL has compiled a list of county vaccine information by county.