Fayetteville, NC – State officials say any North Carolina adult who wants to get a coronavirus vaccine will be able to get one on May 1, but Cape Fear Valley Health is not waiting that long.
The Fayetteville-based hospital system plans to start vaccinating anyone 16 years of age or older on Tuesday to ensure the end of the weekly vaccine distribution.
“The state has a clear guideline that if you accept the first doses for this week, they expect you to take them out this week,” said Chris Tart, vice president of professional services at Cape Fear Valley Health.
Tart said the hospital system last week rejected additional doses from the state because officials noticed a pause in appointments from groups on the vaccine priority list who are currently eligible to receive shots. To make sure the weekly shipment is not cut, he said, they need to open up to the next priority group, which is basically everything.
“We posted our appointments on Friday at 5am and by this morning we’re already pretty much full all week,” he said.
Cape Fear Valley Health plans to administer 12,000 shots this week at its hospitals and medical centers Cumberland, Blades and the counties of Hoke.
Last week, the hospital system surpassed 100,000 total vaccines.
“It’s a pretty impressive feat, getting so many doses in arms in 14 weeks just for a hospital system,” Tart said.
Even with Cape Fear Valley Health moving to group 5 on the priority list, he said, people from higher-priority groups, such as health workers, seniors and teachers, can still book appointments.
“We still see some pursuers,” he said. “Some people were holding the Johnson & Johnson vaccine because it’s a one-dose alternative to two-dose vaccines.”