Raleigh, NC Health care providers in North Carolina have administered 95 percent of the first doses of coronavirus vaccine the state has received to date, said Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the department of health and human services, said Tuesday.
About 260,000 of the 630,000 first doses were given in the past week, Cohen said. Along with the required second dose of each of the two available vaccines, North Carolina providers have so far administered more than 810,000 doses, she said.
“[This] “shows the federal government that North Carolina is ready to take more vaccines and that we now need the additional vaccines,” she told a news conference.
Coronavirus vaccinations in NC
The next shipment of 120,000 doses is expected Wednesday, but Cohen said state officials hope the federal allocation will increase over time now that North Carolina has nearly depleted its available stock.
A large portion of the next 120,000 doses have already been dedicated to mass vaccination clinics set up weeks ago when the state tried to remove its backlog of available doses. So the supply in many provinces will be extremely limited in the coming weeks.
“This week is going to look particularly strict, and many vendors are getting little or no awards,” Cohen said.
The supply issue has caused frustrations to providers and government residents as clinics struggle to meet the demand for vaccinations.
On Monday, the Orange County Department of Health said the first doses in the clinic had run out, and it was not clear when it would get more from the state. Provincial officials have sent a notice that it could take weeks or even months before all health workers and people aged 65 or older are vaccinated.
Wake County received fewer vaccinations this week than expected and consequently delayed the appointments that are delayed by appointment only. Clinics in the counties of Cumberland and Lee were primarily open to those receiving their second dose of vaccine.
To give providers more stability, Cohen said, the state has committed to lifting 84,000 doses of its weekly federal government grant among all 100 provinces, based on population. Providers will receive a minimum number of doses they can expect over the next three weeks, making it easier to hold clinics and schedule appointments, she said.
The remaining 36,000 doses per week will be used to readjust the distribution of vaccines, both geographically and in “marginalized communities”, to ensure that the vaccine reaches the places where it is most needed, she said.
“We continue to expect vaccine providers to use each first dose each week or to transfer to a provider,” she said. “We will always have second doses available … but the first doses should be off the shelf every week and given to people.”
More than 100,000 doses have been transferred across providers across the country to allow it to be administered more quickly, she said.
If Cohen had said the number of first doses administered would place nearly 100 percent of the state’s allocation, North Carolina would be placed ‘at the forefront of the queue’ to obtain greater weekly distribution from the government.
“In the coming weeks there will be more chance for more vaccine. That’s why I want all our suppliers to be ready,” she said. “I want to make sure we’m ready to say to the federal government, ‘Yes, we can take it now, today, and get it out quickly.’