Wake County encourages those wanting COVID-19 vaccines to sign up on multiple waitlists
WAKE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- On March 31, all residents in Group 4 will be eligible to make an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine. The remainder of Group 4 includes essential workers not yet vaccinated.
"Our recommendation would be, if you can get a spot somewhere, get your shot," said Wake County Public Health official Ryan Jury. "(Wake County's) program is to offer you a spot and guarantee you that shot."
News of Group 4 eligibility comes just one week before all of Group 5, those over the age of 16, will become eligible to become vaccinated on April 7.
As more people become eligible, demand for the vaccine increases. However, supply is still sometimes a guessing game.
The week of March 29, Wake County is set to receive 26,000 doses of the vaccine for distribution through its health department and the more than 60 providers accepting appointments and administering doses.
"And for that reason" said Jury. "We don't have a lot of spots into the coming weeks, because we don't know how many shots, we'll get. But, sign up as much as possible. Try to get your spot. Once we got your spot and we'll get you your shot."
Wake County resident Carlos Savinon received his final dose Monday afternoon in Raleigh. He told ABC11 he looks forward to getting closer with his grandmother, who also is fully vaccinated.
"I feel better now that I'm going to spend more time without anxiety," said Savinon.
The expanded eligibility comes on the heels of a recent CDC study of more than 3,900 adults between December 2020 and March 2021 that showed interim estimates for those who received at least one dose of the vaccine.
The study's interim estimates showed an 80% efficacy rate for people who received at least the first dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine just two weeks after receiving the shot.
Pfizer, Moderna COVID-19 vaccines found highly effective in CDC study
Jury said the findings aren't enough to let your guard down.
"80% is not 95%," Jury said of both vaccines' initial efficacy claims. "I think it's best for us to kind of try as much as possible to stay within the guidelines that the CDC is currently established so that we can ensure that our community is healthy and protected as possible."
"We did experience a large influx of additions on our waitlist as new priority groups became eligible, with about 38,000 people joining over the past 10 days. We are working through the wait list as quickly as possible based on vaccine allotments," said officials with Duke Health. "We are also continuing to partner with community health workers, faith-based organizations and other community organizations to make sure vaccine is getting to historically marginalized communities and to those most impacted by COVID who might not be signing up on our wait list."
