Vaccinations begin for all Group 3 essential workers in Fayetteville

Cape Fear Valley Health opened its vaccination clinics to frontline essential workers, which includes all of Group 3, on Tuesday.

Posted 9:41 p.m. Mar 1, 2021 — Updated 12:38 p.m. Mar 2, 2021

Gilbert Baez

and

Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporters

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — On Tuesday, Cape Fear Valley Health clinics in Cumberland and Hoke counties and the Johnston County Health Department will begin providing shots to other members of Group 3 in the state's vaccination priority list.

Teachers and school staff have been eligible for shots for weeks, but now other frontline workers, including restaurant and grocery workers, can get a vaccine at some local clinics.

”The demand is starting to lessen in Groups 1, 2 and 3, so we’ve decided to go ahead and open up to the rest of Group 3," said Chris Tart, vice president of professional services at Cape Fear Valley.

Group 1 included health care workers and residents and staff of long-term care facilities, and Group 2 was seniors 65 or older. State officials last month put teachers, school personnel and child care workers at the front of Group 3, making them eligible for vaccinations.

The rest of Group 3 includes people who must work in-person in one of the following industries: critical manufacturing, essential goods, food and agriculture, government and community services, health care and public health, public safety and transportation. That includes grocery store and pharmacy employees, restaurant staff, U.S. Postal Service workers, clergy, law enforcement, paramedics, police officers, firefighters and veterinarians.

The Cumberland County Health Department, which is vaccinating people weekly at mass clinics at the Crown Expo Center, said it's not yet ready to move beyond educators in Group 3.

State officials previously set March 10 as the date when the rest of the Group 3 would be eligible for vaccinations, but Gov. Roy Cooper is expected to push that date earlier during a 2 p.m. press conference on Tuesday.

How to make an appointment

Appointments for Group 3 workers can be made at any Cape Fear Valley Health clinic starting Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Johnston County Health Department is holding a drive-thru vaccination clinic at West Johnston High School in Benson from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday that is open to any county resident in Groups 1-3 on a first-come, first-served basis. More appointments can be made at:

Cape Fear Valley Rehabilitation Center Auditorium

1638 Owen Drive in Fayetteville

First doses: Tuesday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. in 1-hour appointment blocks

Second doses: May walk in (no appointment required) Tuesday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Health Pavilion North ExpressCare

6387 Ramsey Street in North Fayetteville

First doses: Tuesday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. in 1-hour appointment blocks

Second doses: May walk in (no appointment required) Tuesday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Bladen County Hospital

501 S. Poplar Street in Elizabethtown

First doses: Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (appointments needed)

Second doses: May walk in (no appointment required) Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Hoke Hospital in Raeford

210 Medical Pavilion Drive, off Highway 401 in Raeford

First doses: Tuesday through Thursday, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. (appointments needed)

Second doses: May walk in (no appointment required Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Valentina San Nicolas works the self-checkout lane at the Carlie C's IGA supermarket on Cedar Creek Road in Fayetteville and said Monday that she's looked forward to getting her vaccination for a while.

"My family members have passed away from the COVID. I got two cousins, one in Washington state and the other in California, and they passed away just recently," San Nicolas said. "I'd rather be protected and be safe and not be sick."

Alisa Galarza, who also works that the supermarket said she has similar personal reasons for wanting to be vaccinated.

"I have an elderly grandma, and I want to protect her and the rest of my family as well," Galarza said.

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