Raleigh, NC – Wake County will receive thousands more doses of the coronavirus vaccine this week, but the number is much lower than health officials wanted.
Wake County expects a shipment of 3,900 doses of the Pfizer vaccine to arrive on Tuesday and for each of the next two weeks. Across the state, North Carolina is expected to receive about 145,000 doses per week during that period.
Wake County ordered 10,000 doses this week to vaccinate people at its two clinics. Last week, the municipality received only 1,000 doses.
As of Monday morning, there were still more than 80,000 people on Wake County’s vaccination waiting list.
The boost in the available vaccine comes from a combination of the federal government pushing more doses to states in the coming weeks and state officials overhauling their vaccine distribution plan.
All 100 county health departments will receive doses in each of the next few weeks, after some have received no doses in several consecutive weeks.
The state is dividing about 90,000 doses a week between health departments and hospitals, providing each with a base amount. The remaining 55,000 doses per week will be sent to communities with large numbers of people aged 65 and over who have low income or live in rural or marginalized communities, officials said.
Some doses will also be directed to high-capacity vaccination clinics, such as the one held on Sunday at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, where more than 20,000 people have been vaccinated.
While many counties run drive-thru vaccine clinics that do not require consultations, Wake County is asking eligible groups, which include seniors over 65, health professionals and long-term care facility staff and residents, who apply for a vaccine online or by calling 919-250-1515.
As soon as someone is registered, they will be called when there is an appointment and the vaccine is available. You must make an appointment to get a vaccine in Wake County.
According to the state Department of Health and Human Services, you do not need to be vaccinated in the county of residence.