The Orange County Health Department is changing up its operations as more county residents are vaccinated, vaccine supply increases and community demand wavers.

In Orange County, roughly 46 percent of residents are partially vaccinated, having received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. At least 36 percent of the county is fully vaccinated.

With these high percentages, Orange County is one of the leaders in the state in terms of vaccination efforts. Statewide, 37 percent of North Carolinians have received at least one dose.

Quintana Stewart, the director of the Orange County Health Department, said the department hit a big milestone just last week, administering its 10,000th first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

“It was an exiting moment there in the department,” Stewart said. “We were over at our Whitted site and folks just felt relieved and excited. It’s hard to believe we’ve only been at this since January.”

Stewart said, unlike in past months, where supply was extremely limited and residents we’re struggling to get their vaccine, now the department has a surplus of available appointments.

“We have the supply, but our demand unfortunately has seemed to decrease a bit,” Stewart said. “Right now, our supply is really good – in fact, we’re calling folks at the end of each day – midway through the clinics and just trying to fill the appointments out.”

To better serve the community, Stewart said the health department is considering changing its hours of operations to extend past 5 p.m. and making the move away from appointment-based scheduling.

“So, we’re moving away from the appointment-based scheduling to more of a walk-in kind of scheduling – trying to figure out if maybe making an appointment was one barrier so let’s open it up and just allow folks to walk in,” Stewart said.

For people who do want the vaccine but have yet to make an appointment, walk-ins for the Moderna vaccine were made available at the health department’s Whitted site in Hillsborough on Wednesday, with another clinic to be held this Friday. Walk-ins are taken between the hours of 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

The Orange County Health Department said it is still solidifying its schedule for walk-up clinics in the coming weeks.

As supply continues to increase, with 1,200 first doses allocated to the department last week, Stewart said they are continuing to work towards distributing vaccine equitably.

“We are really, really reaching our Black and African American population, our Asian population and our Hispanic population,” Stewart said. “Again, we are trying to make it as accessible as possible. We have folks that are going out, talking to different community groups, and trying to figure out ‘is there any hesitation or are there any access and barrier issues.’”

As the county moves forward in its vaccine distribution process, Stewart said she encourages everyone to get their COVID-19 vaccine as it is safe, effective, and necessary.

“I respect and honor hesitancy,” Stewart said. “I know it’s their choice, but I really worry if we hit this spot where folks just are not going to receive the vaccine – I worry about us being able to really protect the entire community.”

To schedule a vaccine appointment with the Orange County Health Department, click here.

 

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.

 

Related Stories
‹
UNC Health: More Than 50,000 Vaccine Appointments Scheduled, No Waitlist Available
UNC Health has administered more than 75,000 COVID-19 vaccinations across the state with more than 50,000 future appointments already scheduled amid an increasingly-limited number of available doses.
As COVID Cases Surge with New Variants, Experts Encourage Bivalent Vaccine
North Carolina last week, compared to 23,322 the previous week. UNC infectious disease specialist Dr. David Wohl said the latest Covid surge is placing stress on hospital systems, clinics and workplaces.
Orange County Health Department: No More COVID-19 Shots at Hillsborough Site
The Orange County Health Department has closed its COVID vaccination site in Hillsborough, though one remains open in Chapel Hill.
Orange County Health Director: 'It's Time to Revisit Our Narrative About COVID'
Orange County's health director says she's not opposed to relaxed COVID-19 restrictions - but don't throw away your masks just yet.
UPDATE: Every Mask Claimed in Orange County N95 Giveaway
Starting Monday, January 31, the Orange County Health Department will be giving out free N95 masks at two locations while supplies last.
OC Health Director: More COVID Cases in Winter Likely Despite Positive Trends
COVID-19 numbers are trending downward in Orange County, but with the colder months approaching, local health experts say it’s important to stay vigilant in coronavirus prevention measures.
Duke Expert: If COVID Vaccine Boosters Come This Month, Low-Risk Public Should Wait
In mid-August the FDA approved a third round of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for immunocompromised peoples. Now, President Joe Biden wants all Americans to be eligible for a booster shot the week of September 20 – with healthcare workers and nursing home residents first in line.
Full Approval of Pfizer's COVID-19 Vaccine Paves Way for Vaccine Mandates
The vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech now carries the strongest endorsement from the FDA, which experts say will make it easier for businesses and governments to move forward with vaccine mandates. 
CHCCS to Require Masks For All, Mandate COVID Testing for Unvaccinated Staff
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education voted to approve a universal mask requirement in schools as well as mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations or weekly testing for staff.
Orange County Health Director Urges Mask Wearing as COVID Variant Spreads
Orange County Health officials say community members should continue to abide by mitigation strategies, especially as variants of the virus emerge.
›