GREENSBORO, N.C. — Right now, there is a lot of confusion, fear, and uncertainty in the world when it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine. So WFMY News 2 partnered with Cone Health, Novant Health, and Wake Forest Baptist Health to help the public understand the vaccine and appointment process.
A panel of experts from all three health systems joined Tanya Rivera to talk about the vaccine, the need, and the process of getting a vaccine. Panelists included DeAnne Brooks, PharmD, Chief Pharmacy Officer for Cone Health, Dr. Christopher Ohl, infectious disease expert with Wake Forest Baptist Health, and Dr. Ashley Perrott, physician executive with Novant Health.
The experts' discussion was broken into three segments: the Need, the processes, the vaccine/ viewer questions. Be sure to watch the videos once they're available to hear the full discussion.
THE NEED
Many people say they're hesitant to get the vaccine or don't trust it -- especially in communities of color. Experts say it wasn't rushed, is safe, and is the most effective way to stop the spread of COVID-19. All three health systems have plans for getting the vaccine into historically marginalized communities. Since getting the vaccine is so important, there's no cost to get it, regardless of whether or not a person has insurance.
THE PROCESSES
In North Carolina, the vaccination process is either handled by the county health departments or the health systems. Each entity has its own process for scheduling appointments.
Here are the processes for the health systems participating in Thursday's discussion.
Cone Health
As of Jan. 28, the hospital does not have any vaccine appointments available. So if you’re eligible, meaning currently 65 or older or a frontline healthcare worker, the only way you can sign up is by going to this website www.conehealth.com/vaccine and get on the waitlist. The waitlist is only for people who have not already scheduled their vaccine through Cone Health or anyone else. If you had an appointment with Cone Health and are waiting to be rescheduled, do NOT get on the waitlist, because you’re already at the top of that list.
Cone Health knows that not everyone is internet savvy or even has internet access. If you're in that boat, ask a family member, friend, or caregiver to sign you up for the waitlist online. If that's not an option, you can call (336) 890-1188 to get help. IMPORTANT! This number is NOT an appointment scheduling number. It is only if someone needs help getting on the waitlist because they can't do it online. Once you're on the waitlist, when appointments open up, the hospital will contact you in the order you're in on the waitlist to schedule your vaccination.
Right now, all Cone Health vaccine appointments are taking place at the Greensboro Coliseum. They are working on opening clinics in Alamance and Rockingham Counties soon, but that option is not available now.
Novant Health
Novant Health has a few options for scheduling appointments. If you're already a Novant Health patient and eligible to get vaccinated, you'll get a notification through your MyChart account. That will let you sign up for an appointment when one is available. Your Novant Health appointment will most likely be at the Hanes Mall mass vaccination location in Winston-Salem.
If you're eligible but not a Novant Health patient, or if you don't have a MyChart account, you'll want to sign up for a MyChart account at mynovant.org. Then you'll be able to sign up for a vaccine appointment at the mass vaccination site.
If you're not yet eligible for a vaccine, meaning you're not a frontline healthcare worker or you're under 65, you can go to getvaccinated.org and preregister. This way, you'll find out your eligibility group and get notified when you can sign up for your vaccine appointment. When you're eligible, you'll get a MyChart notification inviting you to make your vaccination appointment.
Wake Forest Baptist Health
Wake Forest Baptist Health is scheduling appointments for people who are 65 and older and who are Wake Forest Baptist Health patients. That's important. You must be a Wake Forest Baptist Health patient to schedule your vaccine through them. If you're a patient, you make your appointment by calling (336) 70-COVID. That's (336) 702-6843. This is the only way you can schedule an appointment. You must have an appointment to get vaccinated. On the day of your appointment, head to your vaccine location - that could be in Winston-Salem, High Point, Lexington, or Davie County. As of right Thursday, this is the only way Wake Forest Baptist Health is scheduling appointments. They hope to add online scheduling soon. Keep monitoring their COVID-19 website and news outlets for when more appointments open up.
THE VACCINE
You cannot get COVID-19 from the vaccine. You may have temporary reactions like a sore arm, headache, or feel achy for a day or two, but you will not develop COVID-19 from the vaccine. NCDHHS says more than 70,000 people volunteered in clinical trials for two vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) to see if they are safe and work to prevent COVID-19 illness. To date, the vaccines are 95% effective in preventing COVID-19 with no serious safety concerns noted in the clinical trials. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) makes sure the vaccines are safe and can prevent people from getting COVID-19. Like all drugs, vaccine safety continues to be monitored after they are in use.
