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Cape Fear Valley Health opens COVID-19 vaccines to Group 3, all frontline essential workers

Cape Fear Valley Health is now opening its vaccination clinics to frontline essential workers, which includes all of Group 3.

Posted Updated

By
Ryan Bisesi
, WRAL multiplatform producer & Michelle Mackonochie, WRAL anchor/reporter
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Cape Fear Valley Health is now opening its vaccination clinics to frontline essential workers beyond teachers.

The hospital system said it's ahead of schedule and is moving forward with the next phase of the vaccination plan after a high turnout of school workers combined with decreasing demand from other eligible groups. The move forward means any frontline essential employee 18 and older can now get their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine from one of Cape Fear Valley Health’s vaccination clinics.

The state defines "frontline essential workers" as people who must work in-person and be part of eight fields: education, critical manufacturing, essential goods, food and agriculture, government and community services, health care and public health, public safety and transportation. The definition applies to food and agriculture production, manufacturing, corrections workers, U.S. Postal Service, public transit and grocery workers.

More examples of what the state deems a frontline essential worker can be found Who's a 'frontline essential worker'?.
Because supply is still very limited and the population of frontline essential workers is so large, the state started allowing vaccines to those working in child care or in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade schools on Feb. 24. Learn more about eligibility here.

“This is a very broad category that includes most workers, if they are working in-person with others or the public,” said Chris Tart, vice president of professional services at Cape Fear Valley Health.

"The state has done a great job in communicating with us and all the providers, letting us know that this [vaccine] was coming," he added.

Cape Fear Valley Health has vaccination clinics in Fayetteville, north Fayetteville, Elizabethtown and Raeford. Some clinics have increased their availability with the Group 3 opening. All first-dose visits for Group 3 participants must make an appointment. Second-dose appointments aren't necessary.

Group 1 includes health care workers and long-term care staff and residents. Group 2 consists of adults age 65 and older.

Despite the additional doses coming to the hospital system, some don't want to stick their arm out for the short, including Dante McKnight.

"It hasn't been out for very long, and a lot of vaccines I've taken as a kid have been out for years, so they have more studies under them. I don't know the long-term effects, and I don't want to risk it," said McKnight.

Other have a different view.

"I've very excited," said Charity Thomas. "I'm ready for this to be over with."

Daniel Vigo said he'll get a coronavirus vaccine but not Johnson & Johnson's.

"I'd much rather have the higher effective one," he explained. "I'd take 95 percent over 70 percent any day."

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