GREENSBORO, N.C. — Since vaccine appointments started it has been challenging for some people to secure their spot for their shot. Vaccine supplies are limited and therefore affect the number of appointments available.
Several people have shared their complaints with WFMY News 2. But one Greensboro woman has made it her mission to find and schedule vaccine appointments for her closest loved ones, especially for the seniors in her family.
She said the process can be frustrating especially for people who are not very tech-savvy, may not have reliable access to the internet, or have a language barrier.
"I do have several older family members that don't really have the access to navigate going online or going through the websites," said Andrea McAdoo, a Greensboro mom, and mental health counselor.
The new mass vaccination clinic at the Four Seasons Town Centre in Greensboro has been a welcomed option. The site which is run by FEMA set a goal of vaccinating 3000 people daily for 8 weeks. Local and state officials are already lobbying to have the clinic extended and vaccine supply boosted.
McAdoo said even with that finding an appointment is still difficult because of the demand.
"We were able to get one or two family members in but as soon as it happened the appointments are filled up through drive-through and going through the clinic pretty far out," she said.
Online Appointments are booked through next month but officials have said more appointments will become available.
McAdoo said she checks various options in the Triad and connects someone in her family network with a slot.
"It's been challenging at times, you have to be very quick to respond. We've kind of developed a network amongst family members sending that information and exchanging that information and getting it across the other family members so they can get online and try to get what is available," she said.
State and local leaders said they are focused on vaccine equity to make sure there aren't barriers to access based on race, class, or income.
North Carolina is among the best-performing U.S. states when it comes to even vaccine distribution, especially among Black and White residents, according to a report by Kiser Family Foundation. However, the state still falls short in certain areas.
The report also showed it ranked 24th in vaccine equity between whites and Hispanics. Another survey by Siembra NC, an advocacy group for the Latinx community, showed of those who want shots 70% don't know how or where to get vaccinated.
"We also saw that more than 2/3 of the respondents we're working and what is considered essential industries and that includes domestic work," said Kelly Morales of Siembra NC.
Challenges also remain when it comes to the supply and availability of vaccine clinics. Elected officials are pushing for more vaccine supply and more clinics like the one at the Four Seasons Town Centre so that more people can get shots.
"Everybody wants to get back to some normalcy and being able to get back to some normalcy meaning you have to get the vaccination," said Skip Alston, Guilford County Commissioner.
McAdoo said she wants to see more options closer to underserved neighborhoods and communities.
"You have to wonder do people have access to transportation, does it fall outside of working hours for individuals that can't get off work. You know people may be with disabilities. I think it's a step in the right direction but there's definitely still a lot more work to do," she said.
The mass vaccination clinic is a partnership between FEMA and NCDHHS. Local governments are also helping with transportation needs for people who need rides.
The phone number to schedule an appointment is 1-888-675-4567. To schedule online and get details about the clinic visit www.gsomassvax.org.