Mecklenburg Health Officials Readying For Teen Vaccinations

CHARLOTTE, NC — Public health officials are readying for the forthcoming federal approval of the Pfizer vaccine for children between the ages of 12 and 15 years of age, which could come as early next week, according to the top health official in Mecklenburg County.

County health officials are eyeing plans to get information about vaccines into parents' hands by sending home educational materials through schools, as well as possible vaccination events to be held at schools.

"We're very excited about that and hope that most of the parents who have 12- to 15-year-olds in Mecklenburg County are as excited as we are about it," the county's public health director, Gibbie Harris, said Wednesday.

The Pfizer vaccination for the younger age group has gone through the same rigors of the federal approval process, Dr. Meg Sullivan, Mecklenburg County Public Health medical director, added during a news conference.

Parents need to also understand, she said, that while COVID-19 has not had as much of an impact on the younger age group, "we have seen kids get sick, and we have seen kids get hospitalized and die."

But just with adults, county health officials, are braced for possible hesitancy in the younger age group.

"We run into this on all childhood vaccinations," Harris said. "We continue to have challenges with some families that are uncomfortable with vaccines and also uncomfortable with the number of vaccines kids have to have."

Across the board, county health officials are attempting to push vaccination efforts deeper into the community.

In a bid to increase vaccination numbers in historically marginalized communities, MCPH has launched a grassroots community vaccine outreach campaign staffed by a team of 15 people. All on the team are people of color, four are bilingual and some are working with the county's immigrant community, Harris said.

MCPH has also provided about 300 vaccines to homebound residents in the county.

SEE ALSO: Mecklenburg Set To Deliver COVID Vaccines To Homebound Residents

As of May 5, about 41 percent of Mecklenburg County residents were partially vaccinated, while about 31 percent of the county was fully vaccinated.

"We still have a ways to go," Harris said.

Harris would not, however, say when Mecklenburg County's vaccination rate will reach herd immunity.

"No one really knows exactly what herd immunity is," Harris said. "It's a new term that's been thrown around a lot, but there's just not really good science on what that is. I think the emphasis right now is really on getting as many people vaccinated as possible. The more people we have vaccinated in our community, the less ability there is for this virus to spread and transmit throughout the community, and that's what we're focused on."

SEE ALSO: NC's Gov. Cooper Eyes Lifting COVID-19 Mandates By June 1

Last month, Gov. Roy Cooper made an urgent call for at least a partial vaccination of at least two-thirds of adults 18 years old and older in the state as soon as possible.

"With at least two-thirds of adults vaccinated, our public health experts believe we will have enough protection across our communities to be able to live more safely with this virus and begin to put this pandemic behind us," Cooper said.

President Joe Biden is calling for 70 percent of Americans to be fully vaccinated by July 4.

"It's always good to have goals," Harris said. "But at this point, we really don't know what a percentage would be for herd immunity."

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