North Carolina has received it first doses of the newly approved Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine, Gov. Roy Cooper said Monday (December 14). Though the first shipment is a limited supply of 85,800, state leaders anticipate receiving more doses, and even another vaccine, within the coming weeks.
Cooper made the announcement on Twitter Monday morning.
"The first doses of COVID-19 vaccine have arrived in North Carolina," he wrote. "It's a limited supply for now, but this is a remarkable achievement for science and health. We all need to keep wearing a mask and acting responsibly while we get as many people vaccinated as fast as we can."
Several hospitals around the state are awaiting their shipments so they can begin vaccinating frontline health care workers who are most at risk of COVID-19, some as early as today (December 14). Atrium Health's Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte and Duke University Hospital in Raleigh are among those expecting their delivery Monday.
While some have already received their supply, such as Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Greensboro, one of the first in the state to get the vaccine, the vaccine supply will be distributed to a total of 53 hospitals across the state throughout the week.
After the frontline health care workers at risk of COVID-19 and longterm care workers and residents, the next phase of vaccinations will include other frontline workers, school staff, and seniors at high risk. Phase 3 will cover essential workers and students, and phase four will go to the remaining population.
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