Sanford, NC – Demand for the coronavirus vaccine overwhelmed the phone lines in Lee County on Monday morning, after the county began accepting records of people with health problems that put them at greater risk of contracting the virus.
Lee County is the first county in the area to begin allowing people in Group 4 on the state’s priority vaccine list to register for vaccination.
At about 10 am, the county IT staff had to shut down the vaccine call center and establish a new number. Less than three hours later, county officials have completely suspended registrations because of limited vaccine supplies.
“The Department of Health has a vaccine supply available to complete all vaccine clinics currently scheduled. New registrations will not be accepted until additional vaccines have been secured, ”officials said in a press release.
Other counties in central North Carolina, including Wake County, are vaccinating Groups 1-3, and state officials said Group 4 people will be eligible for vaccination on March 24.
Once registered, people will have a vaccination appointment based on availability. Group 4 people will receive their vaccines as early as March 17, officials said, but it may take several days for a registered person to receive a call from the county to make an appointment.
People do not need to be vaccinated in the same municipality in which they live, according to the state.