The availability of COVID-19 vaccines continues to grow across North Carolina. As the state gets more shots from the federal government and is able to allocate them to more providers, including county health departments, hospitals, pharmacies and others.
HEAR MORE SPECIFICS ON THAT. >> MORE TO COME. CULLEN, THANK YOU. >>> A BOOST IN VACCINES CAN HELP NORTH CAROLINA GET TO THOUSANDS OF PATIENTS ON WAITING LISTS. >> FEDERAL OFFICIALS SAY WE WILL SEE THIS, A 23% INCREASE IN DOSES IN THE STATE COMING IN THE NEXT WEEK. MANY OF THOSE WILL GO TO SMALLER PHARMACIES, SOME IN THE TRIANGLE. JOE FISHER HAS BEEN CLOSELY FOLLOWING NORTH CAROLINA'S VACCINE ALLOCATIONS FOR WEEKS. HE JOINS US LIVE NOW WITH A CLOSER LOOK. >> Reporter: THIS IS A REALLY BIG AND EXCITING DAY AT GARNER 5th AVENUE PHARMACY. YOU ARE LOOKING INSIDE. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE SHOWING UP FOR THEIR VACCINE. THEY RECEIVED THEIR FIRST 100 DOSES TODAY. IT REALLY IS NOT MUCH BUT THE STATE IS ALREADY PREPARING FOR PHARMACIES TO TAKE ON A MUCH BIGGER ROLE IN THE MONTHS TO COME. >> THE VACCINE IS KEPT HERE IN COLD STORAGE IN THE FREEZER HERE. >> Reporter: TOM BUNCH OPENED HIS PHARMACY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC AND HE IS NOW HELPING TO STOP THE VIRUS IN ITS TRACKS. >> PEOPLE ARE DYING. SO I FEEL LIKE EVERYONE WHO IS IN A POSITION TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION SHOULD MAKE A CONTRIBUTION. >> Reporter: GARNER 5th AVENUE PHARMACY IS ONE OF 67 PHARMACIES ACROSS THE STATE NOW RECEIVING VACCINE. JUST 100 DOSES A WEEK. BUT THE STATE SAYS 331 PHARMACIES HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED AND WILL RECEIVE DOSES ONCE SUPPLY INCREASES. >> SOME COUNTIES, WE WANT TO GIVE THE COUNTY MORE VACCINE THAN THEY'RE ABLE TO ACTUALLY DO. THOSE ARE THE COUNTIES THAT WE REALLY ARE STRATEGICALLY LOOKING AT WANTING TO BRING NEW PROVIDERS. THAT MAY BE A PHARMACY. >> Reporter: SCHULTZ IS A MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER AND SAYS PHARMACIES WILL BE MORE CONVENIENT AND ACCESSIBLE. >> I DON'T WANT TO WAIT IN LINE AT ONE OF THE FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE CLINICS. I JUST DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF TIME TO SIT AND WAIT FOR A COUPLE HOURS. >> Reporter: BUNCH PLANS TO TAKE DOSES INTO THE COMMUNITY STARTING AT TORCH LIGHT ACADEMY IN SOUTHEAST RALEIGH WHERE HE WILL VACCINATE 50 TEACHERS AND STAFF. >> COMMUNITY PHARMACIES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN OUT THERE. WE SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE WE ARE BEING OVERLOOKED. ULTIMATELY WE ARE HERE AND WE WANT TO HELP. >> Reporter: MORE HELP IN GETTING VACCINE TO ALL CORNERS OF THE COMMUNITY. A SEPARATE FEDERAL PROGRAM IS BRINGING VACCINE TO 312
