Courtesy photo
Dr. Shelly Lowery spoke to the Rotary Club via Zoom on Tuesday.
Mass community vaccination is Thursday, Friday
LAURINBURG — Dr. Shelly Lowery, a Scotland Health Care System physician from Pembroke, told the Rotary Club on Tuesday that the state has delivered 1,200 additional COVID-19 vaccinations to Scotland County.
“We also hope to secure additional vaccines at the same amount,” she added.
SHCS has held a pair of mass community vaccination events in the past two weeks, where 800 to 1,000 local residents have been vaccinated. The hospital system will hold another community vaccination, this one a two-day event, on Thursday and Friday this week.
“We’re hoping to show the state that we can get these vaccinations done efficiently and quickly in order to receive additional vaccines,” said Lowery, who was a Park Scholar at N.C. State.
In addition, she said the hospital system has been getting some of the vaccines out to its practices and clinics in the region, but there has been one big hurdle.
“Staffing continues to be the biggest challenge,” Lowery said. “Our volunteers have really helped, but overall staffing has kept us from getting to some of the places we want to.”
At Scotland Memorial Hospital, Lowery said 556 of the staff have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination so far, which is more than 50%, and 389 have received the second dose.
“Some of our younger staff still express concerns with the potential risks with regard to future pregnancies, etc.” Lowery said. “But we have only had some minor allergic reactions so far.
“Still, we are not mandating that our staff receive the vaccinations … only urging.” she added.
Lowery emphasized that anyone who is diagnosed with COVID-19 should stay home and isolate, as well as rest.
During a question and answer period, Lowery was asked about the COVID-19 variants that have been confirmed elsewhere.
“To our knowledge, we have not had any confirmed in this area,” she said.
Lowery was also asked about the use of SHCS’s mobile units to reach those in remote areas of the region, and she said there are plans being put together to do that as long as staffing is available.
W. Curt Vincent can be reached at 910-506-3023 or [email protected].