ONE Charlotte Health Alliance to Provide COVID-19 Vaccines Through Mobile Health Units
CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 7, 2021 – ONE Charlotte Health Alliance partners Atrium Health, Novant Health and Mecklenburg County Public Health are teaming up with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) to provide more vaccine access points to ensure vaccine equity in communities deeply impacted by COVID-19 in the Charlotte area.
ONE Charlotte Health Alliance was formed to begin conversations around investments in the community’s most critical needs, specifically barriers to health care, and to address long-term health outcomes. As COVID-19 has disproportionately affected African American and Hispanic communities, ONE Charlotte Health Alliance partners have organized two mobile health units to further mobilize vaccine access in Public Health Priority Areas which have the highest health and quality of life disparities.
The two mobile units will have walk-up vaccine events in Charlotte’s Public Health Priority Areas, identified as six zip codes which include 28205, 28206, 28208, 28212, 28216 and 28217. No appointment or proof of identification will be required. Vaccine events will be held on weekdays and Saturdays to provide convenient access to FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines. Initial vaccine event locations include Renaissance West STEAM Academy, Renaissance Park and Grier Heights Park.
“ONE Charlotte Health Alliance unites resources to improve access to health care for underserved communities in Charlotte,” said Rodney Gaddy, J.D., executive director of ONE Charlotte Health Alliance. “Our first ever COVID-19 vaccine event is a prime example of how organizations can join forces and address vaccine inequity to increase access to safe, effective vaccines. We are grateful to ONE Charlotte Health Alliance partners Atrium Health, Mecklenburg County Public Health and Novant Health, with the support of Blue Cross NC, for coming together to break down the barriers to vaccines by meeting people where they live, work, play and pray.”
ONE Charlotte Health Alliance will hold vaccine events with funding support from Blue Cross NC, as well as event support from Healthy Blue, Blue Cross NC’s Medicaid managed care plan, for each event. In 2019, Blue Cross NC invested $750,000 to support operations of the mobile health units, helping ONE Charlotte Health Alliance maintain convenient access to services that are essential for the well-being of the community.
“Emerging from the pandemic requires everyone in the health care community and beyond to work together and do their part to improve vaccine equity,” said Mike Restaino, community relations district manager at Blue Cross NC. “As a health insurer committed to improving the health outcomes of North Carolinians, we’re proud to be part of this collaboration and help remove barriers to vaccinations for our Charlotte communities with limited access to health care.”
For more information on upcoming vaccine events, including date, time and location details, visit oneclthealth.org/mobile. For more information on ONE Charlotte Health Alliance, visit www.oneclthealth.org.
About ONE Charlotte Health Alliance
The ONE Charlotte Health Alliance was launched by Atrium Health and Novant Health, in partnership with Mecklenburg County Public Health, to build upon the conversations around investments to address the community’s critical needs, specifically barriers to health care. ONE Charlotte Health Alliance intends to foster partnerships and create new opportunities to improve access to coordinated health services and resources in the communities that need it most. Learn more about the ONE Charlotte Health Alliance by visiting www.oneclthealth.org and follow ONE Charlotte Health Alliance on Twitter and Facebook at @oneclthealth.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) is committed to making health care better, simpler, and more affordable. We have been driving better health in North Carolina since 1933, working to tackle our communities’ greatest health challenges. Blue Cross NC serves its customers and communities of more than 3.8 million members, including approximately 1.1 million on behalf of other Blue Plans. Blue Cross NC is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Visit Blue Cross NC online at www.bluecrossnc.com. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.