GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Across North Carolina, people 75 and older continue to get the covid vaccine.
In Gaston County, the health department opened its vaccination clinic to people who fall under phase 1b group 1 on Friday. It was held at the Gastonia Farmers Market and hundreds of people were able to drive up for the shot.
“You can't work this event without getting goosebumps," said Steve Eaton, the Gaston County Health Director. "To sit there and look through the lens of this could be my mother, that could be my grandfather coming through here, and knowing that you're potentially saving lives."
Health officials in Gaston County said the vaccination clinic went much better than expected, the average wait time was about 20 minutes. A relief after the county’s phone system overloaded shortly after opening a hotline to register people earlier this week.
“To get rid of this mess! To stop it,” said Sandra Bullock, a Gaston County resident who was vaccinated Friday.
600 people were originally scheduled to get vaccinated at the clinic. Cars filing in and out of the garage ahead of schedule the county working to get even more people in and vaccinated.
“Because flow is going so well, we're reaching out to people who are on the waiting list for next week to come in today. Currently, we have on hand today 1,600 vaccines because we wanted to make sure we were overprepared,” said Eaton.
County officials are personally reaching out to 100 people who were on the waitlist for later clinics and inviting them to come out immediately.
Gaston County is offering the public the Moderna vaccine. Because of the way it’s stored, it doesn't necessarily have to be used immediately and none will go to waste.
The small injection, offering a lot of hope and relief.
“It would just tear me up to know that I had something that I passed on that would harm somebody,” said Esther Dunlap.
One of the people vaccinated was 99-year-old World War II veteran Al Stowe.
“I’ve been around a long time. I've had some real good times and I’ve had some bad times,” said Stowe.
He’s turning 100 in a few months, this another moment in history he is witnessing.
"From the bottom of my heart, I urge everybody, everybody to take the shot,” said Stowe.
For now, Gaston County is holding vaccination clinics once a week. The next one is next Friday.
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Each county is handling vaccinations differently.
Cabarrus County was forced to change its plans. On Wednesday, the first clinic was held at the events center in Concord and an appointment was not required. The line of cars stretched for miles.
The county was able to vaccinate just over 1,000 people but turned away many. Moving forward, an appointment will be required. The next clinics are on January 10 and 12. Anyone wanting to make an appointment can make one online at: www.cabarrushealth.org/vaccineclinics
County officials said people who arrive more than 30 minutes prior to their appointment will be asked to return closer to their appointment time. Any person without an appointment will be turned away and asked to make an appointment.
In Rowan County, the weather and short supply of vaccine canceled Friday’s drive up vaccine clinic.
In Mecklenburg County, the health department, Atrium and Novant Health have all been vaccinating the elderly most of the week.
Mass vaccination has proven to have some challenges, every organization working through its supply and this is only the beginning.
“We're going to be vaccinating all year long. So, we have just left the start line of a marathon and there’s 26 plus miles ahead of us so we're kind of taking that approach and giving as much vaccine as possible based on what they give us,” said Dr. David Priest with Novant Health.