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WEB EXCLUSIVE It’s been nearly a week since everyone age 16 and older has been eligible to get the COVID vaccine in North Carolina—and vaccination numbers have already surged. On April 12, the News & Observer reported that 1 in 3 adults age 18 and over are now fully vaccinated; among the entire population, 23.6% have received both doses; and, as of April 11, 5,872,275 total doses have been administered.
These numbers—coupled with Gov. Roy Cooper’s recent executive orders easing restrictions on capacity limits for a multitude of businesses and venues throughout the state—are a sure sign that the state is on track to get things back to “normal” sooner than originally anticipated.
“Vaccines will help us put this pandemic in the rearview mirror,” Cooper tweeted April 12. “It’s your spot, take your shot!”
NC is currently offering three COVID vaccines: Pfizer (two doses), Moderna (two doses) and Johnson & Johnson (one dose), though the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was put on hold over the weekend (April 9-11) for an investigation by the CDC and the North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services (NCDHHS) after many people reported adverse reactions to it at PNC Arena last Thursday.
According to a tweet by the FDA, as of Monday, April 12, “6.8m+ doses of the J&J vaccine have been administered in the U.S.” Today (Tuesday, April 13), out of “an abundance of caution,” the FDA and CDC called for a national pause on using the Johnson & Johnson after six people (ages 18 to 48) reported a rare disorder causing blood clots.
While children are not yet eligible for the current COVID vaccines, on April 9, Pfizer formally asked the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization that would allow kids ages 12 and older to get the shot. The FDA is still reviewing the use. In the meantime, Wake County Public Schools are offering a Virtual Academy program for children in grades K to 12 during the 2021–22 school year who are not yet comfortable returning to in-person instruction.
To further help those who are eligible receive the COVID vaccine, United Way of the Greater Triangle, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina and the NC Department of Transportation have partnered up with ride-share service Lyft to remove transportation barriers to scheduled vaccine appointments via Ride United NC. Their goal is to provide 100,000 free round-trip rides in 100 NC counties. You can help by donating to the program here.
The finish line is so close, y’all. If you haven’t already, get your COVID shot! Find a vaccine appointment at myspot.nc.gov.
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