Mecklenburg County plans to expand access to COVID booster shots. Here’s what to know

Mecklenburg County Public Health and Novant Health will begin offering third doses of the Pfizer vaccine to eligible people starting Monday.

Some CVS Pharmacy and MinuteClinic locations started offering the Pfizer booster shots Friday. And Atrium Health said it expects to begin scheduling booster shots appointments next week.

Early Friday, the county said it was waiting on additional guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and from the state Department of Health and Human Services, Harris said.

That guidance came later Friday as NC DHHS endorsed the Pfizer booster shots in a press release, announcing that people age 65 and older, 18 years or older with underlying medical conditions or work in high-risk settings are eligible for the booster shots in NC.

That includes frontline workers like health care workers, teachers and childcare providers or food workers, according to NC DHHS.

The booster shots are recommended at least six months after the second dose.

The booster shots will be available at all Mecklenburg County Public Health vaccine sites and by appointment only at some Novant Health vaccine sites.

The county had already started providing third doses of Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to people with moderate to severe immunocompromising conditions.

Atrium Health, Charlotte’s largest hospital system, has been providing third doses of COVID-19 vaccines for immunocompromised patients since August.

Novant Health has also been scheduling third dose vaccinations for immunocompromised people since August.

Where to get a Pfizer booster shot

Here’s where you can get a booster shot through Mecklenburg County Public Health and Novant Health:

• Northwest Health Department, 2845 Beatties Ford Road.

• Southeast Health Department, 249 Billingsley Road.

• Valerie C. Woodard Center - Community Resource Center, 3205 Freedom Drive.

• StarMed Healthcare - Tuckaseegee, 4001 Tuckaseegee Road.

• StarMed Healthcare - Eastland, 5344 Central Ave.

• StarMed Healthcare - Bojangles Coliseum, 2700 East Independence Blvd.

• Novant Health Medical Group - East Mecklenburg, 6070 Independence Blvd.

The shots will also be available at some Novant Health primary care clinics and retail pharmacies. Eligible people can make an appointment through Novant Health MyChart or GetVaccinated.org.

And the booster shots are available at CVS Pharmacy locations across Charlotte. Find locations and appointments online at CVS.com.

For more information on community clinics and events, visit the Mecklenburg County website.