By WECT Staff | January 4, 2021 at 4:00 PM EST – Updated January 4 at 4:36 PM
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Phase 1b of North Carolina’s rollout plan for COVID-19 vaccines will get under way this week.
During Phase 1a of the rollout, health care workers treating COVID-19 patients and long-term care facility staff and residents were eligible for vaccines.
In Phase 1b, vaccines will be administered to three different groups. The first group to received the vaccines will be anyone 75 years old or older regardless of medical or living condition.
The second group will be health care and frontline essential workers who are 50 years of age or older.
The third and last group of the phase will frontline workers and health care workers of any age, regardless of whether they work directly with COVID-19 patients.
Here are the current plans for Phase 1b for our local counties:
Columbus County will begin administering vaccines to the first group in Phase 1b beginning Monday, Jan. 11. Beginning Jan. 7, eligible county residents can call 910-640-6615 to schedule an appointment.
Beginning in early January, the Bladen County Health Department says it will move into Phase 1b of the NC COVID-19 vaccination plan.
“We will begin vaccinating Group 1 of Phase 1b, which includes anyone 75 years or older, regardless of health status or living situation,” officials said. “Anyone in this group can call 910-862-6900 extension 6220 to schedule an appointment to receive their COVID-19 vaccine.”
New Hanover County’s Public Health department says it hopes to share its plans for moving to group 1 of Phase 1b on Tuesday.
Pender County will begin to vaccinate those in Group 1 of Phase 1b on Tuesday.
“We are moving to Phase 1B, Group 1, those 75 years of age and older,” health officials said. “Vaccinations will be Tuesday in Burgaw and Thursday in Hampstead this week BY APPOINTMENT ONLY in order to manage our inventory and avoid sending people away when we run out.”
Brunswick County Health Services is coordinating its plan to distribute vaccines to individuals eligible under Phase 1b Group 1.
“Brunswick County Health Services will share instructions on when Phase 1b Group 1 will start in Brunswick County and how those individuals can schedule a vaccination with the county health department in the coming days,” officials said. “It’s important to note that Brunswick County will not necessarily enter Phase 1b Group 1 or any subsequent phases at the same time as other counties because it depends on a number of factors, including how many vaccines are allocated to providers in our county and how many Phase 1a individuals remain unvaccinated with either their first or second dose.”
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