Pittsboro, NC – The Chatham County Public Health Department (CCPHD) and several community partners worked together to vaccinate 400 individuals against COVID-19 on Monday, January 18, 2021, at the Chatham County Agriculture and Conference Center in Pittsboro. The mass vaccination clinic was the largest to date in Chatham County, and more are being planned in the coming weeks.
Those served at the event — the vast majority aged 75 and older — received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine administered by CCPHD nurses. CCPHD staff and volunteers from Chatham County Emergency Management, the Chatham County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), the Chatham County Agriculture and Conference Center, and Chatham County Sheriff’s Office worked all day to set up the event, vaccinate residents and ensure everyone’s safety.
The clinic involved six teams of nurses and administrative staff running stations of vaccinations, including a drive-up option for those who required curbside assistance. Medical professionals were on hand to monitor individuals after they received the vaccine. Support staff and volunteers registered individuals, managed traffic, drew vaccine, and organized refreshments for workers.
“Monday’s event was a tremendous team effort,” said Chatham County Public Health Director Mike Zelek. “I am so grateful to and proud of the staff, volunteers, and partners for making this a success and who are playing such a critical role in Chatham County’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic — in ending this worldwide pandemic that has taken thousands of lives. We received so much positive feedback from those who attended, not just gratitude for receiving the vaccine, but appreciation for the service they received.”
Individuals who received their first dose of the vaccine at this event were scheduled to get their second dose in four weeks. The CCPHD is planning similar events for the coming weeks and will share information on those events when plans are finalized, including with those who have signed up for information through the online Vaccine Information Tool. There are approximately 20,000 Chatham residents who are eligible to receive the vaccine, which is far greater than the current supply of vaccine.
Due to very high demand and limited supply, the Public Health Department encourages residents in Groups 1 and 2 to also consider additional options for receiving the vaccine, including:
- UNC Health is now offering the COVID-19 vaccination for individuals in Groups 1 and 2, including at its site behind Chatham Hospital in Siler City (Medical Office Building) and nearby options such as Chapel HIll. Interested individuals can visit https://vaccine.unchealthcare.org/get-vaccinated/ or call (984) 215-5485 to schedule an appointment. UNC Health is also hosting various vaccination events in the Triangle area.
- Duke Health, based in Durham, is also scheduling vaccinations. To learn more, visit https://www.dukehealth.org/covid-19-update/covid-19-vaccine-update or call (919) 385-0429.
- For a full list of options in North Carolina, visit https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/findyourspot.
“We know that there are many more residents who are eager to get the vaccine than there is supply at this point,” added Zelek. “We receive hundreds of calls and messages each day, and unfortunately cannot respond to each one immediately. We appreciate the Chatham community’s patience. There will be a vaccine for all who want it, but this process will take several months.”
To learn more about how Chatham County is distributing the COVID-19 vaccine, visit chathamnc.org/coronavirusvaccine. The Chatham County Public Health Department can be found online at chathamnc.org/publichealth and facebook.com/chathamhealth.