Chapel Hill, NC UNC Health on Monday began rolling out Phase 1B of delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine – meaning people aged 75 and over could start getting the vaccine.
The lines were short and orderly, and people were inside and out in less than half an hour.
The scene was a departure from the long lines and chaos that accompanied some scenes in the department of health in different provinces. UNC attributes the simple and easy procedure to allowing visitors to be admitted by appointment only.
What was it like getting vaccinated on the first day of Phase 1B?
Judith Crook, 76, could not believe how easy it was to make an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine with UNC Health.
“Within three minutes, my chart sent me an email that the appointment was scheduled,” Crook said.
Glenn Kaluka, who is also getting a vaccine today, said: “I understand that it was a bit more difficult in certain parts or towns. But it went very smoothly.”
The experience in this involves verifying personal information, vaccinating the vaccine and monitoring it for 15 minutes.
“It was a very easy procedure. It went very smoothly. Everyone was very friendly in there – which I appreciated,” Kaluka said.
The vaccines are not limited to current patients of the UNC health system. Anyone 75 years and older can get it.
Plans for the expansion of vaccination sites
The aim is to increase the number of people who can get vaccinated every day, while the need for the elderly to limit exposure to risk waits in long queues.
While the Friday Center is in first place, UNC Health plans to have as many as a dozen sites across the state.
“We started softly today. We only have a few hundred to get the nods out and understand our process,” said Dr. David Wohl, professor of medicine at UNC Health’s Infectious Diseases Division, said.
He said the rollout went very smoothly, and they hope to continue their process so that more people can be vaccinated quickly and without having to wait.
“We do not want people here to spend a lot of time here,” he said.
Wohl said the plan is to double capacity for Tuesday and continue to double as long as the vaccine supply can continue.
There are more than 700,000 people over the age of 75 in North Carolina – about 7 percent of the population. About 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 doses that began last week.
Anyone over the age of 75 can go to YOURSHOT.ORG and sign up for an appointment after completing a short questionnaire.
Looking for information on how to get vaccinated in your country? WRAL has compiled a list with information per country for vaccine.