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COVID-19 response in Mecklenburg County now focusing on how many shots are given over herd immunity, health leaders say

Health Director Gibbie Harris says a focus on getting as many shots out as possible is a more clear target than herd immunity

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Mecklenburg County health leaders say local vaccination efforts will now focus on how many COVID-19 shots are given, and not solely on the concept of herd immunity.

Health Director Gibbie Harris and Medical Director Dr. Meg Sullivan shared the latest data on COVID-, providing new insights into the county's progress in the fight against the virus. During the news briefing, Harris noted there were still slight increases and decreases across the board, but current virus levels still remain stable, albeit still higher than desired. As of Wednesday, Harris reports 41% of all residents eligible for a COVID-19 shot have been partially vaccinated, while 31% are fully vaccinated.

In previous updates, Harris has expressed concern about a growing lack of urgency among eligible adults to get vaccinated against COVID-19. She also has discussed her department's pivot from mass vaccination clinics to walk-up events as the Mecklenburg County Health Department works to get shots to underserved communities along with younger adults. Shot clinics at local breweries have more recently taken place, with a free beer as part of an incentive to get vaccinated.

Now, Harris says the focus for the county will be on getting as many shots out into arms as possible; she said the idea of reaching herd immunity is a newer one and said simply focusing on vaccinating more people is her department's concern. 

Dr. Sullivan notes their efforts to get shots into arms are not slowing down in the least, and the health department is looking for more opportunities to reach residents still on the fence on the shot. A group of 15 community volunteers was recently trained to better reach minority communities. Among them, four people are bilingual. Additionally, at-home vaccines for homebound residents is still a primary focus, according to Sullivan.

Harris and Sullivan both expressed optimism that the two-shot Pfizer vaccine would soon be approved for use in children aged 12-15 years, discussing possible vaccine opportunities at local schools. A number of vaccine clinics are also slated for the rest of the week, including another brewery event with walk-up slots.

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These efforts will be key for the fight against the virus; Harris said the COVID problem will likely be tangled with for up to the next three years. She said the county has hired some part-time workers to help with tackling the virus, but the department is now looking at building a COVID-19 response unit. The goal is to move as many employees over to a full-time schedule as possible, with salaries to be paid for using federal and state funds granted to Mecklenburg County earmarked for COVID response. The county has until 2023 to use those dollars, and Harris said they weren't trying to burn through that cash quickly. She also noted more government funds were on the way for COVID-19 response; a specific dollar amount wasn't available, but she did note it would be a "significant" cash injection.

Earlier in the afternoon, Harris appeared with North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, NCDHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen, and Charlotte mayor Vi Lyles at a vaccine clinic in west Charlotte. There, she commended the clinic's efforts to providing vaccines to underserved communities. The clinic, hosted at the MEDIC station along Wilkinson Boulevard, is a collaborative effort with county Emergency Medical Services, the health department, and the North Carolina National Guard.

WCNC Charlotte will stream the press conference live on our digital platforms.

 Have a relative or friend in another state and want to know when they can get vaccinated? Visit NBC News' Plan Your Vaccine site to find out about each state's vaccine rollout plan.  

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