On Wednesday, Jan. 6, the Forsyth County Department of Public Health will open Group 1 of Phase 1b of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout to the public, which is devoted to vaccinating all individuals 75 years-old and older regardless of health conditions.
Individuals that meet this criteria can call 336-703-2081 to schedule an appointment. Due to high call volume, callers will need to be patient and may need to call back if the line is busy. The vaccine appointment line is open Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m. and Sat. and Sun. 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
It’s important for individuals to attend their appointment or cancel at least two hours in advance. There’s a limited time frame to use the vaccine once it’s thawed for use. So that none of Public Health’s limited supply of vaccine goes to waste, staff need time to schedule others to receive the vaccine in the event of a cancelation.
Vaccinations for those in Phase 1a, which is health care workers fighting COVID-19 and long-term care residents and staff, will also continue. Vaccinations for Phase 1a and Group 1 of Phase 1b are expected to continue for several more weeks.
The upcoming Group 2 for Phase 1b will be healthcare workers and frontline workers 50 years-old and older, followed by Group 3 for healthcare and frontline workers of any age. Public Health will notify the public when it is ready to begin these tiers.