NC's Coronavirus Vaccine Distribution Plan: What You Need To Know

CHARLOTTE, NC — Within days, North Carolina could begin receiving its first shipment of coronavirus vaccines, however some healthcare workers might not have access to it until early next year, the state's top doctor said Thursday.

Vaccines will likely not be widely available in the state until the springtime, according to North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen.

North Carolina officials are expecting 85,800 first doses of the Pfizer vaccine to begin rolling into the state for staging this week.

"I want to caution everyone that we are just at the beginning of this," Cohen said. "In terms of time frames, we don't even know how much vaccine we are to receive from the federal government in week two."

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Things are, however, moving quickly. Pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna have applied for authorization by the Food and Drug Administration to begin using their COVID-19 vaccines. The FDA approval process for the Pfizer's application began Thursday, while Moderna's application is set to be reviewed Dec. 17. Both companies have reported data showing they are at least 94 percent or more effective in preventing COVID-19.

An independent committee for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will also review clinical trial data and will issue recommendations about who should receive the vaccine. Should the FDA authorize and the CDC complete its review of the Pfizer vaccine this week, it won't be long before frontline healthcare workers in North Carolina will begin receiving it.

Earlier this month, Gov. Roy Cooper outlined the initial distribution plan for the first shipments of the vaccine, which are earmarked for frontline healthcare workers and those living and working in long term care facilities.

SEE ALSO: NC Health Officials Preparing For COVID-19 Vaccine Roll Out

Once the FDA authorizes the vaccine, it will then be shipped to 11 hospitals in North Carolina that have the ultra-cold storage capacity, where it will be stored until the CDC makes its final recommendation, Cohen said.

The CDC could issue its recommendations as soon as Sunday, Cohen said.

"However, if a decision were to be delayed beyond Sunday, the 11 hospitals have the capacity to safely store the vaccine for a longer period of time," she said.

The 11 hospitals are Caldwell Memorial Hospital, Cape Fear Valley Health System, Hoke Hospital, Bladen County Hospital, CarolinaEast Medical Center, Catawba Valley Medical Center, Duke University Hospital, Henderson County Hospital Corporation, CMC Enterprise, UNC Medical Center and Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

The CDC recommendations will also trigger additional shipments, she explained. Once that hurdle is cleared, the manufacturer will then ship vaccine doses packaged in dry ice to 42 additional North Carolina hospitals. The Pfizer vaccine is shipped in units consisting of 975 units, which means each of the hospitals must have the capacity to keep the vaccine shipment in ultra-cold storage or in a container with dry ice for up to 30 days.

"These hospitals were chosen based on bed capacity, healthcare workers and county population," Cohen said.

Here's how North Carolina's vaccination plan will prioritize those most at risk:

• Initial supplies of vaccine will go to healthcare workers at high risk for exposure, including those directly caring for or cleaning areas used by COVID-19 patients
• Future vaccine shipments will then be distributed to additional hospitals and health departments for high-risk healthcare workers.
• Hospitals will stagger distributing vaccines to staff to help avoid potential staffing challenges should someone have an adverse reaction to the vaccine.
• The next round of vaccinations in North Carolina will be earmarked for those living and working in long term care facilities, such as nursing homes. These vaccinations will be administered by the federal government through a partnership with Walgreens and CVS.
• The long term care group is expected to begin receiving vaccines once the Moderna vaccine is federally authorized.
• Vaccinations of top priority health care workers and long term care residents is expected to continue through December and into January.
• The next prioritized group will be adults with two or more chronic conditions who are more likely to have severe illness from the virus, and others who are at risk, such as frontline workers. Those workers include police, teachers and child care workers.
• As more vaccine shipments arrive in the state, they will then be made available to anyone who wants one, at clinics, pharmacies and community vaccination events. Widespread availability is expected around the spring.
• The vaccine will be free, with any fees paid for by insurance companies or the government.

Vaccines will be shipped to the state weekly, and DHHS will begin publicly sharing vaccination data Dec. 22, Cohen said.

North Carolina reported 5,556 new coronavirus cases Thursday, which increased the state's tally of COVID-19 cases to 416,038. The percentage of positive cases in the state was 10.5 percent, according to DHHS data.

As of Dec. 10, coronavirus had claimed the lives of at least 5,714 North Carolinians, of which 53 died from COVID-19 since Wednesday. Statewide hospitalizations also rose to a new high Thursday. According to DHHS, at least 2,444 patients sought medical treatment for coronavirus illness, an increase of four patients reported since Wednesday.

The record-breaking numbers of new coronavirus cases and filled hospital beds puts the state on a "dangerous course," Cohen said. "Our hospitals are feeling the strain and this is really worrisome. While we're able to currently manage capacity at this point, as we've seen in other states, things can escalate quickly."