Charlotte partners come together in race to vaccinate

A community collaboration between WSOC-TV, Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, Charlotte Fire Department and Northside Baptist Church is working together to help residents in Charlotte’s Hidden Valley community sign up for COVID-19 vaccinations.

“The Sugar Creek corridor is one of our corridors of opportunity, and we’ve been very intentional about being in this area being available to residents working with our community partners like Faith CME, Northside Baptist and also with WSOC-TV and Atrium to bring resources into this community,” said Lt. LeBraun Evans with Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department. “We know that we have a great opportunity to do some good work in this community.”

The partnering organizations have been signing up residents for a vaccination event that Mecklenburg County will facilitate on Saturday, April 17.

“We are visiting churches, motels and knocking door to door and asking neighbors to sign up for the vaccination,” said Veronica Washington, community outreach coordinator for Northside Baptist Church. “For people without access to the internet, our volunteers pull out a laptop to sign them up on the spot.”

Along with the registration, there was information disseminated about the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccine and the importance of helping stop the pandemic and how the vaccination will help protect people from getting the virus.

During registration at Faith CME Church, the church’s pastor, Sandra H. Gripper, encouraged her congregation to be vaccinated.

All COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to be highly effective at preventing COVID-19 by creating an antibody response without sickness.

Getting vaccinated may also protect people around you, particularly people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

“We have a great opportunity to do some good work,” Evans said. “Our goal is to have 100% vaccinated, and I think we are making great strides bringing out our community leaders to do so.”

The vaccine safety systems ensure that all vaccines are as safe as possible.

More than 70,000 people participated in clinical trials for two vaccines to determine safety and effectiveness. To date, vaccines are nearly 95% effective in preventing COVID-19, with no safety concerns.

“We want to make sure that all our neighbors have access to easy vaccination registration,” Washington said. “We’re working side by side with our community partners to fulfill our vision of showing love to the Hidden Valley community.”

Click here to access WSOC-TV coronavirus information.

If you have an inspiring story to share, email Kevin Campbell, WSOC-TV/WAXN-TV/Telemundo Charlotte public affairs manager, at Kevin.Campbell@wsoctv.com.

Cox Media Group