–
Galo Baird | [email protected]
Governor Roy Cooper announced that beginning February 24, North Carolina will expand eligibility to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to Group 3, beginning with educators and school personnel and expanding to frontline workers on February 10. March.
“This allows us to balance the number of people with limited supply to make sure we use our doses,” Cooper said.
PLAN
On February 24, educators will be the first in Group 3 to be eligible to receive their vaccine. This includes teachers, principals, child care providers, bus drivers, custodial and cafeteria staff, and others in pre-K-12 schools and child care centers.
“We anticipate that it will be approximately 240,000 people,” said the governor. “Essential workers are just that: essential. They have worked during this pandemic. We know educators can continue to work safely before being vaccinated, as long as schools follow state health guidelines. Students can safely return to schools now. That’s what I want them to do. “
Healthcare workers, long-term care staff and residents, and people 65 and older still get the first and second vaccines, and that will continue to happen even after the next phase begins, Cooper explained.
CHALLENGE
“Going to the next phase is good news. The challenge remains the very limited supply of vaccines, ”said the governor.
At this time, providers continue to vaccinate healthcare workers, long-term care staff and residents, and people 65 and older.
“It is essential to vaccinate this age group, as more than 80% of deaths from COVID occur in people 65 years of age and older,” Cooper said. “I am proud of North Carolina’s success in receiving all of our first arm doses each week before the next shipment arrives. We want to continue like this. As of last night, the state has administered nearly 1.5 million vaccines. And we keep pushing for more. “
As of Wednesday, January 10, North Carolina had 805,898 (total) laboratory confirmed cases; 3,833 new cases reported since Tuesday; 2,291 people in the hospital; and 10,181 people who have died since March 2020.
–
