Eligible members of the public can now make appointments online for a vaccine at the federally supported COVID-19 Community Vaccination Center in Greensboro. In advance of its official opening, a coalition of health officials, military personnel, and volunteers held a dry run with about 500 people getting their shot and offering feedback.
The new site with both indoor and drive-thru vaccination clinics is located at the Four Seasons Town Centre in Greensboro where it will act as a hub for future satellite stations scattered throughout the region. The goal is to vaccinate more marginalized and underserved communities in the state by administering some 21,000 doses per week.
North Carolina Emergency Management Director Mike Sprayberry says the biggest challenge will be preventing burnout with 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. hours of operation seven days a week. But for now, he says enthusiasm is running high.
"They are stoked," says Sprayberry. "We're stoked. I mean, really, if you think about it, this is the best mission ever. We're going to be saving lives here, right? And 3,000 shots a day, that's fantastic. And so, we have this young captain here and she's going to make it happen. She's going to get it done, and so, with all of the rest of her airman, and so ... very excited."
That captain is one of hundreds of workers from the U.S. Air Force, the National Guard, along with city, state, and private sector volunteers who will be running the center. On Tuesday, the CVC will begin its official launch offering doses of vaccine daily for people in Groups 1, 2, and 3, including frontline essential workers, people age 65 and older, health care workers, and long-term care residents, among others.