GREENSBORO, N.C. — We usually see lines for concerts or sporting events at the Greensboro Coliseum but Tuesday people will line up to get a coronavirus vaccine.
Hundreds of people age 65 and up are heading to get their coronavirus vaccines there in the coming days. It's the first of several clinics run by Cone Health and Guilford County.
The clinic will take place in the Special Events Center at the Coliseum Complex by appointment only.
Cone Health said patients are encouraged to park in Zone A of the main Coliseum parking lot. Vaccinations will take place in the western end of the Special Events Center which is behind the Greensboro Aquatic Center.
Patients will go to the same place whether the appointment is with Guilford County or with Cone Health. Inside the Special Events Center, the line will split into two rows.
Patients will line up to the left side of the lobby if they are getting vaccinated through the county. Cone Health patients will line up on the right side of the lobby.
There will be staff and signs to help you along the way. Each side will have waiting and sign in areas before you get to the vaccination areas.
After getting the vaccine, all patients will come to the middle of the room where a large area with chairs is serving as an observation area. Patients will be watched for at least 15 minutes to make sure they don't have any side effects.
The process can move very quickly but organizers said it may take more time than usual since Tuesday will be the first day of the clinic.
"I would allow 30 to 45 minutes, again, just for us to be able to get our new processes and improve them," Dr. DeAnne Brooks said.
Brooks is Cone Health's Chief Pharmacy Officer.
"Some of our community members must stay 30 minutes so again you gotta add that extra 15 on if that's there. But some of that (extra time) is just to make sure they have the ability to traverse through the parking lot," Deborah Grant said.
Grant is the Chief Nursing Officer for Cone Health's Ambulatory Division. She is leading the Greensboro Coliseum vaccination site for Cone Health.
Cone Health will schedule its patients for their second vaccine appointment before they leave the clinic.
Cone Health scheduled about 1,000 people to get their vaccines at the Coliseum Tuesday. Many more are still trying to get scheduled.
"They really want this vaccine, 65 and older (people), so it's really great to be right here with them and offer it to them here. It just gives us that opportunity to do even more in this volume space and to do it with our health department. We are working together for our county," Grant said.
Cone Health has an appointment waiting list on their website. You can sign up and it will notify you when more vaccination slots are available. You can find more information here.
Guilford County will release more information on appointments in the coming days. You can find details here.