Gaston County Health Officials Announce A COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic For Residents 75 And Older

GASTONIA, N.C. — Beginning Friday, January 8th health officials say Gaston County residents 75-years-old or older are invited to get vaccinated for coronavirus at a clinic located at the Gastonia Farmer’s Market.

Health officials say in addition to their older residents, classified as being in 1B, Group 1 according to the state classification, individuals a part of the state’s 1A grouping, who have not already been vaccinated, are welcome to attend Friday’s clinic.

1A’s grouping includes frontline health care workers, first responders who have had direct contact with potential COVID patients, and long-term care facility residents and staff, according to a news release.

Gaston County officials say they plan to host weekly vaccination clinics as doses are made available, and future times and locations will be announced as they are finalized here.

“We have arrived, as a community, as a state and a nation,” shared Public Health Director Steve Eaton. “The biggest game-changer in terms of a pandemic is a vaccine. Both the people giving the vaccine and receiving the vaccine are part of history here in Gaston County.”

Frontline essential workers are also included in the 1B distribution plan, but they must wait for residents 75 year and older to get vaccinated before them, as there is not enough vaccine currently available to take care of this group all at once, officials say.

The CDC says frontline essential workers include first responders, corrections officers, food and agricultural workers, U.S. Postal Service workers, manufacturing workers, grocery store workers, public transit workers, and those who work in the education sector as well as child care workers.

Officials say frontline essential workers 50 years and older will be offered the vaccine first.

Health officials say even with the rollout of the vaccine to its initial groups, Gaston County is still seeing high levels of hospitalizations and the amount of people contracting the virus is rising.

Public Health Director Steve Eaton urges residents to continue wearing masks and avoid gathering with anyone outside of their immediate household.

“While we are thrilled to have vaccinations on hand and be providing them to our community, it will take some time to vaccinate enough people to see the full impact. We have to continue doing our part to prevent the spread.”