COVID-19 Vaccines For 75 And Up To Begin This Week In Iredell

IREDELL COUNTY, NC — Iredell County is set to begin offering COVID-19 vaccinations to county residents 75 and older later this week, according to county health officials.

Due to limited vaccine supplies, the county is offering vaccines in phases. In late December, frontline healthcare workers and those living and working in long term care facilities, considered "Phase 1A," were offered the vaccine.

"Currently, the Iredell County Health Department is vaccinating individuals in the priority phase 1A, and will begin vaccinating individuals in priority phase 1B, group 1 (individuals 75 years of age and older) later this week," ICHD spokesperson Megan Redford told Patch.

ICHD said that anyone who meets the criteria for Phase 1A, or are 75 years old or older, should contact the health department by email (iredell.publicinfo@co.iredell.nc.us) or call 704-878-5300.

More information about COVID-19 vaccination distribution in Iredell County may be found here.

SEE ALSO: Iredell County Reports Deadly Rise In COVID-19 Cases

Here is the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' updated timeline for vaccination rollout:

Phase 1A: Health care workers fighting COVID-19 & Long-Term Care staff and residents.

• Health care workers caring for and working directly with patients with COVID-19, including staff responsible for cleaning and maintenance in those areas
• Health care workers administering vaccine
• Long-term care staff and residents—people in skilled nursing facilities and in adult, family and group homes.

Phase 1b: Adults 75 years or older and frontline essential workers.

There is not enough vaccine for everyone in this phase to be vaccinated at the same time. Vaccinations will be available to groups in the following order.

• Group 1: Anyone 75 years or older, regardless of health status or living situation
• Group 2: Health care workers and frontline essential workers 50 years or older The CDC defines frontline essential workers as first responders (e.g., firefighters and police officers), corrections officers, food and agricultural workers, U.S. Postal Service workers, manufacturing workers, grocery store workers, public transit workers, and those who work in the education sector (teachers and support staff members) as well as child care workers.
• Group 3: Health care workers and frontline essential workers of any age

Phase 2: Adults at high risk for exposure and at increased risk of severe illness.
Vaccinations will happen by group in the following order:

• Group 1: Anyone 65-74 years old, regardless of health status or living situation
• Group 2: Anyone 16-64 years old with high-risk medical conditions that increase risk of severe disease from COVID such as cancer, COPD, serious heart conditions, sickle cell disease, Type 2 diabetes, among others, regardless of living situation
• Group 3: Anyone who is incarcerated or living in other close group living settings who is not already vaccinated due to age, medical condition or job function.
• Group 4: Essential workers not yet vaccinated. The CDC defines these as workers in transportation and logistics, water and wastewater, food service, shelter and housing (e.g., construction), finance (e.g., bank tellers), information technology and communications, energy, legal, media, and public safety (e.g., engineers), and public health workers.

Phase 3: Students

• College and university students
• K-12 students age 16 and over. Younger children will only be vaccinated when the vaccine is approved for them.

Phase 4: Everyone who wants a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccination.

SEE ALSO:

• Cooper Mobilizes NC National Guard In Bid To Speed Vaccinations
• NC Officials Update COVID-19 Vaccine Schedule, Stress Equity
• COVID-19 Testing In Iredell: Where To Get A Free Test In January