As North Carolina continues to advance vaccination groups across the state, an increasing number of the population is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Last week, the state opened vaccinations to Group 4, including adults ages 16 to 64 with one or more high risk medical conditions. Essential workers who work in retail, food service, education, transportation, public safety workers and other fields are also eligible to receive vaccines under Group 3.
The process of finding and scheduling a vaccine can be complex.
If you’re looking to get vaccinated, here are some things to know:
- The vaccine is free to everyone. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services has worked to cover the cost for COVID-19 vaccines in the United States, regardless of if one is insured. Though clinics and pharmacies may ask for insurance and opt to bill the health care provider, the vaccine should come at no cost to the individual.
- Free transportation services to and from clinics are often provided throughout the state. The North Carolina health department allocated approximately $2.5 million to local transit agencies throughout the state to provide individuals with transportation to and from their vaccine appointments. Though not every location may be serviced by a bus line, many vaccination locations have worked closely with agencies like GoTriangle to provide no-cost transportation.
- All widely distributed vaccines have been given emergency authorization by the FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson — have received emergency-use authorization by the FDA and are generally recommended by the CDC for adults.
The following list explores vaccination options in the Triangle area, with notes on what vaccines are being offered, how appointments are made, how vaccines are administered and what locations and transportation services are available:
Last Updated: 03/23/2021 at 1:00 a.m.
UNC Hospitals
Registration Method: UNC Hospitals has patients sign up directly for an appointment through their website or by calling (984) 215-5485. Some UNC students said they had better luck scheduling via phone than through the website, which often displayed all appointments as being booked.
Vaccines offered: Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson
Administration: Vaccines are administered in mass vaccination clinics, which allow for social distancing
Transportation: UNC Hospitals has many locations on bus lines that GoTriangle, which is providing free transportation to vaccine locations, serves. GoTriangle recommends calling at least 24 hours before your appointment to arrange for transportation, and having proof of your appointment and the clinic address ready.
Locations: 100 Friday Center Drive, Chapel Hill, N.C.; 101 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, N.C.; 11200 Governor Manly Way, Raleigh, N.C. 27614
Orange County Government
Registration Method: Orange County first has patients sign up for a vaccine request list and then follows up with appointment times as they become available.
Vaccines offered: Pfizer and Moderna
Administration: Vaccines are administered in mass vaccination clinics, which allow for social distancing
Transportation: Orange County has paired with local providers to set up transportation services and the county will ask upon scheduling if you need any special accommodations, including transportation.
Locations: Locations vary week to week, but will be shown when scheduling an appointment.
WakeMed
Registration Method: Patients can sign up directly for a vaccination appointment through MyChart.
Vaccines offered: Pfizer
Administration: Vaccines are administered in mass vaccination clinics, which allow for social distancing
Transportation: Wake County Government has worked directly with GoWake to provide local transportation services.
Locations: Locations vary week to week, but will be shown when scheduling an appointment.
Wake County Government
Registration Method: Wake County first has patients sign up for a vaccine request list and then follows up with appointment times as they become available.
Vaccines offered: Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson
Administration: Vaccines are administered in mass vaccination clinics, where groups may be waiting in socially distanced settings. Wake County also offers a drive-thru vaccination option in the PNC Arena’s parking lot, allowing for a more socially-distanced option.
Transportation: Wake County has worked closely with local transportation to provide free rides. Those in need of transportation can contact their Vaccine Hotline at (919) 250-1515 or GoWake to schedule a free ride to a vaccination location.
Walgreens
Registration Method: Walgreens has patients sign up online for their first and second dose appointments. Some student respondents noted difficulty in signing up for both the first and second dose, as the second dose was rarely available. Walgreens appears to update its website at the top of every hour, and one respondent said they were able to get a vaccine by checking in the early morning.
Vaccines offered: Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson
Administration: Vaccines are administered in the pharmacy area of the store and generally take place in a one-on-one setting.
Transportation: Many Walgreens locations are on the Chapel Hill Transit, GoTriangle, GoDurham and GoWake bus lines, all of which are offering free transportation to and from vaccination locations.
Locations: Many Walgreens throughout the Triangle area and state; including Orange County locations on Franklin Street, Jones Ferry Road, Environ Way and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard; are offering the vaccine. To see a list of locations, visit myspot.nc.gov or Walgreen's website.
Duke Health
Registration Method: Duke Health first has patients sign up through a waitlist form and follows up with appointment slots once they become available.
Vaccines offered: Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson
Administration: Vaccines are administered in mass vaccination clinics that allow for social distancing
Transportation: Duke Health has paired with GoTriangle, GoDurham and GoWake to set up free local transportation. They recommend calling at least 24 hours before your appointment to arrange for transportation, and having proof of your appointment and the clinic address ready.
Locations: Karsh Visitor’s Center, 2080 Duke University Road, Durham, N.C. 27708; Duke Regional Hospital, 3643 N. Roxboro St., Durham, N.C. 27704; Duke Raleigh Hospital, 3400 Wake Forest Road, Raleigh, N.C.; and Southern (Durham) High School, 800 Clayton Road, Durham, N.C.
Durham County Government
Registration Method: Durham County first has patients sign up through a waitlist and follows up with appointment slots once they become available.
Vaccines offered: Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson
Administration: Vaccines are administered in mass vaccination clinics that allow for social distancing.
Transportation: Durham County has paired with GoDurham for free transportation. They recommend calling at least 24 hours before your appointment to arrange for transportation, and having proof of your appointment and the clinic address ready.
Locations: 414 E. Main St., Durham, NC; 800 Clayton Road, Durham, N.C.
NeighborHealth Center
Registration Method: NeighborHealth has patients sign up directly for their first and second dose appointments on their website.
Vaccines offered: Moderna
Administration: Vaccines are administered in the pharmacy area of the store and generally take place in a one-on-one setting.
Transportation: Wake County Government has worked directly with GoWake to provide local transportation services and WakeMed’s Raleigh campus is on GoRaleigh’s Route 4.
Location: 3249 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, N.C. 27612
Advance Community Health
Registration Method: Advance Community Health first has patients sign up through a waitlist form and follows up with appointment slots once they become available.
Vaccines offered: Moderna
Administration: Vaccines are administered in mass vaccination clinics, which allow for social distancing.
Transportation: Wake County Government has worked directly with GoWake to provide local transportation services.
Location: 1011 Rock Quarry Road, Raleigh, N.C. 27610
Central Pharmacy
Registration Method: Central Pharmacy first has patients sign up through a waitlist form and follows up with appointment slots once they become available.
Vaccines offered: Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson
Administration: Vaccines are administered in the pharmacy area of the store and generally take place in a one-on-one setting.
Transportation: GoDurham is offering free transportation to and from vaccination sites within their service area. They recommend calling at least 24 hours before your appointment to arrange for transportation, and having proof of your appointment and the clinic address ready.
Locations: 2609 N. Duke St., Durham, N.C.
Greensboro Community Vaccination Center
About: The Greensboro Community Vaccination Center is a federally supported pilot program for vaccine distribution with the capacity to provide up to 3,000 appointments a day. The center opened on March 10 and is administering first doses of the Pfizer vaccine through March 30. The site will administer second doses March 31 through April 20.
Registration Method: The Community Vaccination Center has patients sign up directly for their first dose appointments on the Guilford County Health Department website.
Vaccines offered: Pfizer
Administration: Vaccines are administered in mass vaccination clinics, with both an indoor and outdoor, and drive-thru setting.
Transportation: The City of Greensboro has worked with local transportation to provide free rides. Those in need of transportation can contact Greensboro Transit Agency's customer service center, Guilford County Transportation and Mobility Services or the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation.
Location: Four Seasons Town Centre, 410 Four Seasons Town Centre, Greensboro, N.C. 27407