Fayetteville, NC – State officials say any North Carolina adult who wants to be vaccinated with coronavirus will be able to get one by May 1, but Cape Fear Valley Health is not waiting that long.
The Fayetteville hospital system intends to begin immunizing anyone 16 years of age or older on Tuesday to ensure that the weekly vaccine allowance is consumed.
“The state has a clear directive that if you accept the first doses for that week, it expects you to take them out that week,” said Chris Tart, vice president of professional services at Cape Fear Valley Health.
Tart said the hospital system last week turned down additional doses from the state because officials noticed a break in appointments for groups on the list of vaccine priorities that are currently eligible for vaccines. To ensure that weekly delivery will not be reduced, he said, it must open up to the next priority group, which is virtually everyone who comes.
“We posted our meetings on Friday at 5 o’clock and by this morning we are a bit full for the whole week,” he said.
Cape Fear Valley Health plans to run 12,000 fires this week at its hospitals and medical facilities in Cape Town. Cumberland, Blades and Hoke counties.
Last week, the hospital system exceeded 100,000 total vaccinations.
“It’s a pretty impressive feat, getting so many doses in his 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 in higher priority groups, such as health workers, the elderly and teachers, can still book meetings.
“We still see some fighters,” he said. “Some people have opted for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine because it is a single-dose alternative to two-dose vaccines.”