CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is holding its first on-campus COVID-19 vaccination clinic this week as college students join the ranks of those eligible for the shot.
Wednesday is the first day all college students across North Carolina can get in line for the vaccine as part of the second phase of Group 4. Gov. Roy Cooper’s accelerated timeline pushed college students and other essential workers up, making way for all North Carolinians to become eligible by April 7.
UNCC said it is partnering with the UNC System, Atrium Health and the North Carolina Department on Health and Human Services to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to students, faculty and staff through on-campus clinics.
University officials sent an email to students Monday morning letting them know to sign up for the first clinic, which will be held at the Student Activity Center on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
All 1,200 appointment slots were filled by noon, university officials said.
“We opened it up initially Friday evening and then it sold out or filled up by about noon this morning,” Vice Chancellor of Safety and Security John Bogdan said.
UNC Charlotte is hosting a Johnson and Johnson clinic this week for students and staff. I reported last week on Charlotte area colleges turning to J&J with the end of the semester approaching. Johnson & Wales and Davidson are doing the same https://t.co/Za8gPOnQOy
— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) March 29, 2021
Bogdan is overseeing the university’s vaccine clinic. He said school officials are drawing on the experiences of other mass vaccination clinics to help make it happen.
Most students like Amir Penn appear to be on board.
“I really like to be in class. I really can’t wait to see my classmates and see my friends on campus and to be able to enjoy the campus life,” Penn said.
Attending college with COVID-19 restrictions in place is the only experience freshman Patrick Van has had so far. He believes the vaccine could help change that.
“If the vaccine becomes widespread on campus we could open things up more. Maybe in the near future we could stop wearing masks in side and we could go back to things even before I got here,” Van said.
Like other universities, the clinic will be distributing the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine so that students don’t have to worry if they will be on campus for their second dose.
UNCC said it’s expecting to get more vaccine doses next week and will host another on-campus clinic soon.
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