To streamline vaccine appointments, Brunswick Co. health leaders ask those 75+ to sign up for MyChart
County health departments try to streamline vaccine roll-out By WECT Staff | January 8, 2021 at 10:32 AM EST - Updated January 8 at 7:55 PM
BRUNSWICK COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - In an effort to streamline COVID-19 vaccination appointments, Brunswick County health leaders are asking those 75 years or older to sign up for a MyChart account if they donât already have one.
In a joint news release from Novant Health, Dosher Memorial, and Brunswick County Health Services, officials say signing up for an account would allow those eligible and interested in getting the vaccine to be notified automatically when they can schedule an appointment.
On a Friday morning, Town Creek Elementary’s parking lot is full of staff cars. While teachers are back in the building following a severe Covid-19 outbreak last month, students are at home learning virtually. (Port City Daily photo/Alexandria Sands)
BRUNSWICK COUNTY – Town Creek Elementary has topped the statewide
list of Covid-19 clusters in recent weeks with the largest number of positive cases in a school setting, including 16 infected staff members and 21 students.
Three teachers of the elementary school, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation, expressed concerns about the management of the outbreak. They believe cases could have been prevented had the district closed the building earlier.
Nohora Bejarano receives her COVID-19 vaccination during a drive-through clinic run by Atrium Health in Charlotte on Tuesday morning. Photo: Atrium Health
Since North Carolina received its first allocation of the vaccine against COVID-19, North Carolina Health News has been inundated with queries from readers as to where they can find information on getting vaccinated.
As of early January, the state is in the early phases of the vaccine rollout, vaccinating people in groups 1a, which is health care workers fighting COVID-19 and long-term care staff and residents, and 1b, adults 75 years or older and frontline essential workers.
As manufacturing and distribution speed up, the state will proceed into different phases. Some counties will move into different phases at different times depending on the number of health care workers, older adults, prisoners, teachers and other priority groups.
Brunswick County Health Services vaccinated county Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel Tuesday morning, Dec. 22, from an initial shipment of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
The department is also working to vaccinate individuals within local law enforcement, fire/rescue teams, county Health Services and other medical providers eligible under Phase 1a of the North Carolina vaccine distribution plan. Individuals who received the Moderna vaccine on Dec. 22 will return for a second dose about four weeks after the initial injection.
Health Services administered the vaccinations after receiving 200 doses and official instructions from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS). Health Services will work with NCDHHS on coordination of future shipments, which are expected in the coming weeks.
Patients will receive the second dose of the two-shot drug in four weeks.
Brunswick County Health Services has received 200 doses of the vaccine from the N.C. Dept. of Health and Human Services, which has also delivered to Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center and the New Hanover County Regional Medical Center.
Pursuant to state order, the vaccine will be rolled out in four phases. It is currently in Phase 1A, which includes health care workers at high risk of exposure and long-term staff and residents of group facilities.
“Following the State’s vaccination plan for Phase 1a, Brunswick County’s first shipment(s) of doses went to health care workers providing direct care to COVID-19 patients and/or who are treating COVID-19 related symptoms,” said a county release. “Vaccine supplies will be limited at first, which is why independent state and federal public health advisory committees determined that the best way to fight COVID-19 is to start with vaccinations for those m