By WECT Staff | January 14, 2021 at 11:13 AM EST – Updated January 14 at 4:16 PM
RALEIGH, N.C. (WECT) – North Carolinians 65 and older and all health care workers will soon be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) announced Thursday afternoon.
“Doctors, hospitals and local health departments are working hard to get people vaccinated. There may be a wait, but when it’s your spot, take your shot to stay healthy and help us get back to being with family and friends,” said Dr. Mandy K. Cohen, the secretary of NCDHHS.
State health leaders share update on COVID-19 vaccinations. https://bit.ly/3idtOH3
Posted by WECT News on Thursday, January 14, 2021
Additionally, the NCDHHS recently updated its vaccination groups and they are as follows:
Group 1: Health care workers fighting COVID-19 & Long-Term Care staff and residents
- Health care workers with in-person patient contact
- Long-term care staff and residents—people in skilled nursing facilities, adult care homes and continuing care retirement communities
- Anyone 65 years or older, regardless of health status or living situation
Group 3: Frontline essential workers
- The CDC defines frontline essential workers as workers who are in sectors essential to the functioning of society and who are at substantially higher risk for exposure to COVID-19
Group 4: Adults at high risk for exposure and increased risk of severe illness
- Anyone 16-64 years old with high-risk medical conditions that increase risk of severe disease from COVID-19 such as cancer, COPD, serious heart conditions, sickle cell disease, Type 2 diabetes, among others, regardless of living situation
- Anyone who is incarcerated or living in other close group living settings who is not already vaccinated due to age, medical condition or job function
- Essential workers not yet vaccinated. The CDC defines these as workers in transportation and logistics, water and wastewater, food service, shelter and housing (e.g., construction), finance (e.g., bank tellers), information technology and communications, energy, legal, media, public
As the supply of the vaccines continue to be limited, the NCDHHS says it will be up to vaccine providers on when they should begin offering shots to those who are 65 years and older.
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