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NEW VACCINE PRIORITIES IN NORTH CAROLINA
We’ve modified the vaccine rollout plan for North Carolina, based on new CDC guidance.
The biggest changes are creating a specific priority for people 75-years-old and over and creating new sub-categories within existing phases.
We’ve modified the vaccine rollout plan for North Carolina, based on new CDC guidance.
The biggest changes are creating a specific priority for people 75-years-old and over and creating new sub-categories within existing phases.
*Phase 1a* - No changes (health care workers specifically dealing with COVID and residents/staff of long-term care facilities).
Note: This week, Walgreens and CVS launched their program to vaccinate long-term care staff and residents in partnership with the federal government.
Note: This week, Walgreens and CVS launched their program to vaccinate long-term care staff and residents in partnership with the federal government.
*Phase 1b* - This has changed.
Previously, this phase was adults with at least two chronic conditions that put them at severe risk and front-line workers at high risk of exposure.
Previously, this phase was adults with at least two chronic conditions that put them at severe risk and front-line workers at high risk of exposure.
There were two issues:
First, we decided that people 75-years-old and over need to be in this phase even if they have no chronic conditions, based largely on their disproportionate hospitalization and mortality.
First, we decided that people 75-years-old and over need to be in this phase even if they have no chronic conditions, based largely on their disproportionate hospitalization and mortality.
Second, even before we added everyone 75-years-old and over this was a very large group. But now it's enormous - roughly two million just in NC.
So we’ve broken this phase into a few sub-groups that will go in this order:
So we’ve broken this phase into a few sub-groups that will go in this order:
Group 1: 75 and over
Important: There's nothing for this group to do right now to “get in line,” but stay tuned for further guidance.
Group 2: Health care and frontline essential workers over 50-years-old.
Group 3: Health care and frontline essential workers of any age.
Important: There's nothing for this group to do right now to “get in line,” but stay tuned for further guidance.
Group 2: Health care and frontline essential workers over 50-years-old.
Group 3: Health care and frontline essential workers of any age.
The CDC defines “frontline essential workers” as:
- First responders (e.g., firefighters and police officers)
- Education and childcare workers (that means ***teachers and support staff***)
- Corrections officers
- Food and agricultural workers
- Manufacturing workers
...
- First responders (e.g., firefighters and police officers)
- Education and childcare workers (that means ***teachers and support staff***)
- Corrections officers
- Food and agricultural workers
- Manufacturing workers
...
- U.S. Postal Service workers
- Grocery store workers
- Public transit workers
Note: Phase 1b will likely begin in the week of January 11th and will continue at least through the end of January.
- Grocery store workers
- Public transit workers
Note: Phase 1b will likely begin in the week of January 11th and will continue at least through the end of January.
*Phase 2* - The change here is to sequence the groups that were already eligible under this phase.
Group 1: 65-74-years-old
Group 2: 16-64-years-old with a high risk medical condition (there is no approved vaccine for people under 16 yet)
...
Group 1: 65-74-years-old
Group 2: 16-64-years-old with a high risk medical condition (there is no approved vaccine for people under 16 yet)
...
Group 3: Anyone in a close group living setting, or who is incarcerated
Group 4: Essential workers who haven’t been vaccinated (includes government employees)
Group 4: Essential workers who haven’t been vaccinated (includes government employees)
*Phase 3* - No change. This phase is college students, K-12 students (when a vaccine is approved for children; Pfizer is allowed for 16+, Moderna is only for 18+), and essential workers at lower risk of exposure.
*Phase 4* - No change. It’s everyone else who wants a vaccine.
Current estimates are that we will not enter this Phase 4 until April, at the earliest.
Current estimates are that we will not enter this Phase 4 until April, at the earliest.
