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Vaccinations of seniors continue, Atrium Health announces first COVID-19 vaccine trial
Vaccinations gain momentum across Meck County By Caroline Hicks | January 7, 2021 at 6:16 PM EST - Updated January 7 at 10:20 PM
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - It’s a big week in Mecklenburg County as the first mass vaccinations of the public kicked off.
People in phase 1B Group 1, anyone 75 or older, are now able to get the shot by appointment only through the Mecklenburg County Health Department and Atrium and Novant Health.
The health department is vaccinating roughly 350 seniors each day and is fully booked through January with 5,000 appointments.
“We’re trying to work with our partners to make sure it’s readily available across all three organizations,” Mecklenburg County Public Health Director Gibbie Harris said.
Honoring Thereasea Elder, Charlotte’s First Black Nurse
The community of Charlotte, North Carolina is paying tribute to Thereasea Elder, the city’s first black nurse, who passed away at the age of 93 on Tuesday. She forever changed the face of medicine when she fought to integrate the state’s segregated public health system.
Her story is a reminder of how far we have come in terms of making the healthcare system more equitable, but there’s still more work to be done.
Growing Up in Segregated North Carolina
Throughout her life, Elder was a fierce advocate for the black community. According to public records, she was born in the city’s historically black Greenville neighborhood, along with her five siblings, born to Booker T. and Odessa Clark.