Cabarrus Health Alliance goal to vaccinate 80% of eligible population

CABARRUS COUNTY, N.C. (WBTV) - In Cabarrus County on Tuesday nearly 1000 people got their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. U.S. Congressman Richard Hudson (R-08) was there as well with local health officials.

"We've set a goal, and I know it's an aggressive goal, of vaccinating 80% of the eligible population and right now we're at 10%," said Erin Shoe of the Cabarrus Health Alliance. "The largest groups are going to be groups 3, 4, 5, so we need vaccine inventory and additional funding to help us work through those groups as well."

That's where Congressman Richard Hudson comes in. On Tuesday he watched the vaccination process and talked about what help the federal government could provide.

"It's very impressive how organized the folks here are in Cabarrus County at the Health Alliance," Hudson said. "We've passed five different COVID relief bills, bipartisan relief bills, the most recent one in December and North Carolina got $95 million for vaccine distribution out of that last bill and we're just trying to help and encourage and make sure that money gets down here to the local level and puts shots in arms."

Hudson says that bill helped North Carolina move from 49th to 12th for vaccine distribution. Hudson also said that when he last spoke to CHA one month ago, they raised concerns about only getting one week notice of how many doses they would receive. Rep. Hudson said he took these concerns to Gov. Cooper, as well as the US Department of Health and Human Services. HHS then agreed to give three weeks' notice to providers across the country based on this feedback, which Cabarrus Health Alliance confirmed is now happening.