Appointments For Teacher Vaccinations Open In Mecklenburg County

CHARLOTTE, NC — Charlotte-area teachers are one step closer to getting vaccinations. Mecklenburg County Public Health opened appointments for first doses of vaccine to pre-K through 12th grade educators Friday morning at 8:30 a.m.

The appointment dates range from Feb. 22 through March 9, MCPH said.The vaccine clinics are being held at the Bojangles' Coliseum, located at 2700 East Independence Boulevard in Charlotte.

Tuesday, Gov. Roy Cooper announced that North Carolina's K-12 and childcare teachers will be prioritized at the front of the line in the state's upcoming expansion of vaccine eligibility to frontline essential workers. Educators and school personnel will be eligible to receive the vaccine Feb. 24, with additional frontline essential workers added to the eligibility list on March 10, Cooper said.

Those included in the school prioritization include teachers, principals, childcare providers, bus drivers, custodial and cafeteria staff and others in pre-K-12 schools and childcare centers.

Educators, school staff, and childcare providers are only eligible for appointments between the dates of Feb. 24 and March 9, 2021, MCPH said.

SEE ALSO: Teachers To Be Prioritized In NC's Vaccine Eligibility Expansion

"As vaccine supply is currently limited, MCPH will continue to follow State guidelines and gradually move into Group 3 vaccine distribution focusing available resources on remaining Groups 1 and 2 and Group 3 pre-K through 12th grade educators, school staff, and childcare providers," MCPH said in a statement.

The new batch of appointments isn't reserved just for teachers, however. Healthcare workers with current in-person patient contact, ong-term care staff and residents and anyone over the age of 65 "are encouraged to continue making appointments at any available times," county health officials said.

How To Make An Appointment

• First dose appointments may be booked online through the Mecklenburg County Health Department Online Appointment Scheduling System, which may be found here.

• Phone appointments may be made by calling 980-314-9400 and selecting Option 3. If you leave a message, we will attempt to return your call within 24-48 business hours.
• Mecklenburg County residents who need assistance with transportation to vaccine appointments, can contact the Mecklenburg Transportation System at: 980-314-7600.

County health officials also launched a formal online wait list for COVID-19 vaccination appointment Friday.

"The wait list is intended for individuals who are eligible to receive the vaccine but have not been able to secure an appointment and for individuals in Groups 3 and 4 who would like to receive the vaccine when these groups become eligible," MCPH said.