It’s no secret that area elected leaders want to make sure that state officials know Guilford County is putting all the COVID-19 vaccines it gets to good use.
In an effort to spread that awareness, on Wednesday, Feb. 3, Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston sent a letter to NC Governor Roy Cooper inviting him and NC Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen to visit Guilford County.
Alston stated in the letter that he wanted the two to witness the county’s impressive vaccination efforts first hand.
“It is with great pride that we wish to extend an invitation to you and Dr. Cohen to visit Guilford County and our COVID-19 mass vaccination clinics,” the letter to the governor reads. “Our team has done a remarkable job in establishing three well-functioning, high volume sites to facilitate the important task of vaccinating our residents.”
The county’s largest vaccination site is the Greensboro Coliseum at 1921 W. Gate City Blvd. Alston, who knows the governor well, stated in the letter that the Coliseum vaccination site is ready to quickly expand operations when more vaccine doses become available.
Last week, Alston began petitioning for the State of North Carolina to hold a state-sponsored mega-vaccination event in Guilford County. Getting the governor to visit the Coliseum is no doubt part of that effort.
In the Feb. 3 letter, Alston touted the county’s cooperation with private health providers.
“Guilford County took an early approach to collaboration with our health system partners and we currently co-locate with Moses Cone to provide a seamless delivery system to the public,” he wrote.
Alston also invited the Governor and Cohen to observe a vaccination drive at an area church where more marginalized members of the community were getting vaccinated.
One goal the state has strongly emphasized is making sure that more minority and financially challenged communities have access to vaccinations. Alston pointed out in the letter to the governor that Guilford County has been vaccinating its marginalized populations at a rate of 31 percent of all vaccinations. Alston also stated that that percentage was increasing.
“Our second site, Mount Zion Baptist Church, is located at 1301 Alamance Church Road in Greensboro,” the chairman wrote. “While smaller, this site affords an accessible location to reach our marginalized populations. Guilford County has been a leader when it comes to ensuring that all members of our community have equal access to the vaccine dosages available.”
“One goal the state has strongly emphasized is making sure that more minority and financially challenged communities have access to vaccinations.” How exactly is this practice not racism? Don’t worry, I’ll wait……..
How exactly is it?
We live in a city with about 50% minorities. Yet, 80% of people that have been vaccinated have been white. Putting effort to ensure all people get it is not racist practice. Giving more minorities access does not mean taking access away from white people and often that access has more to do with education and Public Health Service announcements than actual physical access. Like imagine if all white people had phones with internet and all black people didn’t. If they only advertised on the Rhino, no black people would know about the vaccine events.
…But they probably don’t teach that in homeschool. Your logic is a great example of why racism has systemically pervaded our society.
Dear Mark- do your research-the majority of the vaccinations provided are located in the eastern part of Greensboro. Correct it is not racial but a desire to obtain the shot and being educated how, where, when to obtain the vaccination that appears to be lacking. Why are our council people in their respected districts not becoming more involved in their districts? Council could have taken the $900 K they provided to the non- effective “ Cure for Violence “ and used that money to assist those who lack knowledge or education to receive the vaccine.
All local News stations, news & record, rhino times, county commissioners, etc.. have made these public announcements for weeks before the vaccine was available to the public.
Cost= free
Vaccine = priceless
Sorry, I have to disagree. Your facts are based on suppositions. First, life is not fair, and never will be. Most people can find what they need if they try. We all have to go to the DMV to renew our NCDL, don’t we? People understand that, and do whatever it takes.
My suggestion is to get on the phone, if you have 2 or 3 lines, get on all them. While you are waiting, use the internet. With a shortage of vaccine, you have to be persistent, and patient. You may get lucky tomorrow, if not today.
Making excuses only makes you a victim, which you did to yourself.
Yep. I’m right there with you on how the DMV works. Like many other services I its something we need or want bad enough, we will do whatever I takes to get it done. As a community and as individuals I believe we should also help the elderly or others when they need it. I don’t think that should be a government function except in extreme cases. We have far too much fraud and unnecessary dependence on the system as it is. I completely respect other opinions, but I just do not understand using tax dollars to promote anything to any targeted group or area. I suppose I’ll have to claim closet libertarian on that.
Oh, how badly some people want some political capital for higher offices in the near future.
Yeah, if Cooper were to yawn right now, all you’d see is Skip’s face.
While you are at it, also invite them and other elective politicians to come and tech these kids for a couple of weeks while they are social distancing. Maybe they can avoid COVID before they get vaccinated!