New sites for COVID vaccine for kids open at Charlotte schools
Three schools in Charlotte as well as one each in Huntersville and Mint Hill began Thursday offering COVID-19 vaccinations through StarMed in Mecklenburg County. Shots are available for anyone over the age of 5.
As of launch, the online appointment locator showed thousands of slots available for people over the next three weeks.
If you don’t have an appointment, walk-ins are accepted.
Pfizer is available for children. StarMed will also have Moderna and Johnson & Johnson available for adults visiting the school-based clinics. COVID-19 testing is available at each site as well.
The vaccines and tests are free, with or without insurance.
New child vaccine locations
These sites are open Monday to Friday, with scheduling currently available online through Nov. 30.
- Rocky River High School, 10505 Clear Creek Commerce Dr., Mint Hill, NC 28227, (9 a.m. - 3 p.m.)
- Garinger High School, 1100 Eastway Dr., Charlotte, NC 28205, (8 a.m.- 2 p.m.)
- James Martin Middle School, 7800 IBM Dr. Charlotte, NC 28262, (10 a.m. - 3 p.m.)
- Waddell Language Academy, 7030 Nations Ford Rd., Charlotte, NC 28217, (10 a.m. - 3 p.m.)
- Barnette Elementary School, 13659 Beatties Ford Rd., Huntersville, NC 28078, (9 a.m. - 1 p.m.)
For more information, go to starmed.care.
Patrick Smith, the district’s assistant superintendent of communications, told the Observer on Wednesday, that CMS will encourage families to have their children vaccinated “to protect not only their health but also to protect in-person learning in schools.”
Vaccinations for children newly-eligible began early November in and around Charlotte. As the Observer previously reported, both Atrium and Novant health care systems, plus the county health department, and others, have begun offering appointments. The county-ran sites allow for walk-ins.
Mecklenburg vaccine locations
Mecklenburg County Public Health pediatric COVID-19 vaccine locations:
- Southeast Health Department (249 Billingsley Road), opens at noon
- Northwest Health Department (2845 Beatties Ford Road), opens at noon
- Valerie C. Woodard Center (3205 Freedom Drive), opens at 1:30 p.m.
Appointments and walk-in spots at the county sites are available for adults needing initial COVID-19 vaccines or boosters, as well as children needed their first shot.
A full list of where to get the various vaccines in Mecklenburg County is available online at mecknc.gov/covid-19/pages/vaccine.aspx. For information or to make an appointment, call 980-314-9400.
Free student testing
CMS is offering free student diagnostic testing if they develop symptoms or are identified as a close contact to someone who tests positive. The testing requires opt-in consent, according to CMS officials.
“This testing may allow students to return to school earlier, shortening quarantine and ruling out a COVID diagnosis,” according to the communications team. “Staff will also be eligible to participate in diagnostic testing.”
COVID-19 tests at schools will be free and conducted by a lab. Results will take 24 to 48 hours to receive results and will reveal a current COVID-19 infection, regardless of whether a student has symptoms.
Unvaccinated staff continue regularly testing
Nearly 63% of CMS principals, teachers and staff self-reported they are vaccinated, according to information the district released after the first week of asking employees to voluntarily verify whether they’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19 in mid-September.
CMS began requesting vaccination information from its nearly 19,000 employees on Sept. 20. Unvaccinated employees are required to test for COVID-19 regularly.
This story was originally published November 4, 2021 at 12:54 PM.
