COVID-19 vaccinations across NC remain slow, steady

"We would love for anybody who is not vaccinated to get vaccinated, but we recognize that may not be where they are or fitting for them," said Ryan Jury, Wake County's vaccine branch director.

The state and country's vaccine rate has plateaued at around 50%, data shows. To reach herd immunity from coronavirus, around 70% of people need to be vaccinated, experts say.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, in Wake County nearly 57% of adults are fully vaccinated against coronavirus. Wake has one of the highest vaccination rates in the state.

"We are encouraged by the numbers and where we are moving," Jury said.

Just below Wake is Wayne county, which has a vaccination rate of only 30%, state data shows. People living in low-income areas have lower rates of vaccinations — even though those people are at higher risk for coronavirus. Wayne has a median household income that is far below the national and state median, according to the U.S. Census. Nearly 20% of people in Wayne live below the poverty line.

People who work in agriculture, food service and construction are the most wary to get vaccinated, polls show. Wilson County, a leader in agriculture, reports a vaccination rate of only 37%.

Children ages 12 to 15 just became eligible for the coronavirus vaccine in May. Doctors and health experts recommend children to get vaccinated, even if their risk for developing complications from COVID-19 is low, to limit the spread of the virus between adults.

Nearly 3% of all the state's children under 18 have gotten their first vaccine dose, according to state data. One of those children is Lillian Baker from Wake County.

Lillian Baker's first dose of the vaccine went well, even if getting the shot wasn't the 15-year-old's idea. It was Angie Baker's, her mother, idea.

"I just want her to be safe for my dad," said Angie Baker. "He is a senior citizen [and] I have to look out for my dad."

Angie Baker said a lot of people in her community are still not convinced about receiving the shot. They said they don't trust what it might do to them.

To reach people in harder to reach places in Wake County, Jury said they are offering shots where people live.

"Where you can go to get the vaccine is almost a mile away from your home," he explained.

In January, there were four places to get vaccinated in the county. Today, there are around 200.

Jury said it’s important to remember how far we have come, but to keep moving.

"This is the next great chapter of the story of how we can get back to normal and back to summer," Jury said.