Raleigh, North Carolina – Most healthy adults in Wake County are unlikely to get a coronavirus vaccine until late spring or summer, local health experts said Thursday.
Meanwhile, the virus is spreading in the county, with more than 7,400 new infections reported in November. Associate medical director Dr. Nicole Mushonga said the county is about to break that record in December.
Daily cases rose 63 percent in the first two weeks of December and have now surpassed 700 a day for the first time, Mushonga said.
“There is a lot of concern about the rise in cases after the holiday season,” said Matt Calabria, chairman of the Wake County Board of Commissioners, who on Thursday obtained a local vaccination schedule from doctors and other experts .
“We see the peaks after each of these holidays and we are watching it closely,” Mushonga said.
Local hospitals are also seeing an increase in patients treated with COVID-19, surpassing the figures seen during the summer peaks, officials said.
“Our staff is tired, everyone’s staff is tired, but everyone is stepping up and doing what needs to be done,” said Donald Gintzig, president and CEO of WakeMed.
WakeMed in Raleigh and Cary, UNC Rex Hospital and Duke Raleigh Hospital were scheduled to get the first shipments of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine on Thursday, which will allow them to begin inoculating some of their employees.
The county health department will begin receiving some doses of vaccine next week, after a second vaccine, produced by Moderna, receives emergency authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
“We are almost out of the woods. We are going to fight this pandemic for months, ”Calabria said.
“Everyone who wants to get a vaccine will eventually get one, but it’s important for the community to understand that the vaccination process will take months,” said Jason Wittes, Wake County Pharmacy Director. “Really, most healthy, middle-aged adults won’t be vaccinated until late spring or early summer next year.”
The nationwide distribution plan requires first vaccinating health workers and residents and long-term care staff, followed by adults most at risk for serious illness or exposure to the virus. Industry-critical workers and students are as follows, followed by the rest.
Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine require two shots, with Pfizer’s second shot three weeks after the first and Moderna’s second shot after four weeks. Wittes said an organized system involving a vaccination card will ensure that each person gets the vaccine doses of the right type and at the right time.
“Everyone will be able to be aware of who gets what vaccine when, for what it is due,” he said.
The pandemic has also affected Wake County financially.
“COVID-19 has caused an economic recession and this, in turn, has led to a decrease in our tax revenue, especially sales tax revenue,” Calabria said. tens of millions of dollars “.
The county has cut positions and postponed projects to cut its budget.
“Right now we’re extremely thin,” he said.
The county received nearly $ 200 million from the federal government through the CARES Act to help cover much of its response costs, but Calabria said Congress should provide more support to local governments in any new aid package .
“The coming months will be critical in our fight against the pandemic,” he said. “It is very important to provide robust support to local governments because we are engaging in the day-to-day battle with the virus.”