Medic and Mecklenburg fire departments prepare to administer the COVID vaccine
Mecklenburg County paramedics and EMTs could soon be administering COVID-19 vaccinations.
Mecklenburg County Public Health has asked first-responder agencies, including Medic, the Charlotte Fire Department and other Mecklenburg County fire departments to help with administering the vaccine, according to a joint statement Tuesday from the health department, Mecklenburg EMS Agency, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Office and Charlotte Fire Department.
The county could hold vaccination clinics for the public in the future, according to the statement. More details on those clinics will be released when available, the statement said.
“This partnership further expands our capacity to distribute the vaccine to those in our community, who are eligible, as quickly as possible,” the joint statement said.
Mecklenburg County received its first shipment of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday, with 975 doses.
The county is responsible for vaccinating first-responders and staff and residents of some long-term care facilities, Public Health Director Gibbie Harris has said.
The health department is training first-responders “in preparation for future distribution efforts,” Medic said in a statement.
“At this time, there are no plans to conduct home visits for vaccine distribution,” according to the statement.
Neighboring Cabarrus County announced similar plans Monday, vaccinating dozens of county EMS staff ahead of several vaccination clinics planned for this week. Cabarrus County EMS staff will help administer the vaccine in those clinics, according to a statement from Cabarrus Health Alliance.
This story was originally published December 29, 2020 at 5:15 PM.
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