NC tops 1 million vaccinations, but supply is lacking

Nearly 890,000 first doses of the two-dose regimen have been provided so far to health care workers, people age 65 or older and residents and staff of long-term care facilities. That means about 8.5 percent of all residents statewide have had at least one dose.

More than 171,000 people have gotten both doses, meaning 1.6 percent of the state is fully vaccinated.

More doses of the vaccine are being shipped into the state this week as the federal government increases allotments to accelerate the mass vaccination effort.

Still, the supply lags far behind the demand.

Wake County, for example, will receive 3,900 doses of the Pfizer vaccine on Tuesday and for each of the next two weeks. Statewide, North Carolina is expected to receive about 145,000 doses each week during that period.

Wake County had requested 10,000 doses for this week to vaccinate people at its two clinics. Last week, the county received only 1,000 doses.

State officials have reworked their vaccine distribution plan, and all 100 county health departments will receive doses in each of the next couple of weeks after some received zero doses multiple weeks in a row.

The state is divvying up about 90,000 doses a week among health departments and hospitals, providing each with a base amount. The remaining 55,000 doses a week will be sent to communities with high numbers of people 65 and older who are low income or live in rural or marginalized communities, officials said.

Some doses also will be directed to high-capacity vaccination clinics, such as one held Saturday and Sunday at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, where more than 20,000 people got shots – about 800 an hour.

Locations, phone numbers to get your COVID shot in central NC

Officials in Wake and Durham counties are finalizing plans for similar high-capacity vaccination events, in Research Triangle Park and possibly at PNC Arena in Raleigh. State officials would have to approve the plan and allocate doses to make it possible.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has awarded a $103 million grant to North Carolina to assist with vaccine distribution, according to U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis.

Once someone is registered, they will be called when an appointment and vaccine is available. Appointments are required to get a vaccine in Wake County.

“I think appointments are a lot better. Even with the mass vaccine drive-thru, they can still do appointments," said Robert Hess, who has received one of the two required vaccine doses.

Barbara Broughton said she would appreciate a drive-thru clinic rather than the 20-minute wait in line she endured at the Wake County Health Center.

“I had to do a lot of walking. That’s really hard," Broughton said. "I’ll be glad when everybody gets it.”