Governor Cooper visits vaccine sites in Gastonia as state continues to expand vaccine eligibility
RALEIGH: Today, Governor Roy Cooper visited Gaston Medical Partners and CaroMont Health in Gastonia to see North Carolinians get their COVID-19 vaccine. Gaston Medical Partners is a primary health care provider that will provide 100 vaccinations this week. CaroMont Health will administer over 2,000 vaccines today.
“North Carolina is working with diverse providers across the state to distribute shots in a fast and fair way,” Gov. Cooper said. “I am grateful for the tireless work of our providers to get shots off shelves and into arms.”
Over 4.7 million shots have been administered in North Carolina, and 35.5% percent of adults have received at least one shot. Starting today, all Group 4 members are eligible to get the vaccine. All adults in North Carolina are eligible to get the vaccine starting on April 7.
North Carolina is focused on getting shots to all communities in the state. Healthier Together is a new public private partnership with the NC Counts Coalition. This partnership will build on the Department of Health and Human Services’ efforts to ensure equitable access to the vaccine for people from historically marginalized populations.
NCDHHS has released a new report to promote fair access to vaccines, Promoting COVID-19 Vaccine Equity in North Carolina. The CDC has recognized North Carolina as one of the top ten states for equitable vaccine distribution.
"From the moment the first COVID-19 vaccines were administered, CaroMont Health has maintained an unwavering commitment to deliver vaccines safely, efficiently and equitably," said Chris Peek, President and CEO for CaroMont Health. "Over the last three months, CaroMont Health has provided more than 50,000 doses to individuals in Gaston County and from across the region. This incredible effort reflects our promise to always put the care and safety of patients and our community first, no matter the circumstances. We appreciate Governor Roy Cooper's visit to the CaroMont Health Vaccine Clinic, but more than that, we appreciate his efforts to recognize the thousands of healthcare professionals working to vaccinate communities across the state."
North Carolinians can find nearby vaccine providers through the NCDHHS online tool, Find a Vaccine Location. The COVID-19 vaccine hotline is available at 888-675-4567. Learn more about the state’s vaccine distribution at YourSpotYourShot.nc.gov (English) or Vacunate.nc.gov (Spanish).
To allow for proper distancing and safety protocols, coverage of this event was pooled.
Video footage of this event will be available for media use here and here.
Still photos are available here, credit to Khadejeh Nikouyeh of Charlotte Observer.
