Cooper: Some in Group 4 can get COVID-19 vaccine as early as next week

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolinians with chronic conditions and those living in congregate settings will soon join the ranks of those eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Currently, people in Groups 1, 2 and 3 are eligible for the vaccine.

At a news conference on Thursday, Gov. Roy Cooper said the state will expand eligibility to some members of Group 4, starting March 17 -- one week earlier than expected.

Those included in the first part of Group 4 are people ages 16 and over with at least one underlying medical condition and residents in some congregate living settings like shelters and jails.

The rest of Group 4, which includes essential workers not yet vaccinated will become eligible April 7.

“This move to Group 4 is good news,” Cooper said. “I know there are many efforts across the state getting vaccines to people as quickly and fairly as possible and I want our providers to know that their work is making all the difference.”

Group 4 includes anyone with conditions that have been identified by the CDC as increasing risk for severe COVID-19 illness.

• Asthma (moderate to severe)
• Cancer
• Cerebrovascular disease or history of stroke
• Chronic kidney disease
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Cystic fibrosis
• Dementia or other neurologic condition
• Diabetes type 1 or 2
• Down Syndrome
• A heart condition such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy
• Hypertension or high blood pressure
• Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from: immune deficiencies, HIV, taking chronic steroids or other immune weakening medicines, history of solid organ blood or bone marrow transplant
• Liver disease, including hepatitis
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Overweight or obesity
• Pregnancy
• Sickle cell disease (not including sickle cell trait) or thalassemia
• Smoking (current or former, defined as having smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime)

People with underlying medical issues will not be required to display proof of their condition. An honor system will be in place.

“We are going to rely on people’s good judgment and their knowledge of their own medical conditions to tell what their condition is,” Cooper said.

The news of a pushed-up timeline was exciting for Michael Merenstein. He has a heart condition and said he is eager to get a shot.

“It is great to be moved up,” Merenstein said. “Getting vaccines is just part of getting back to life as normal.”

People with underlying health conditions are encouraged to talk to their doctor or medical provider about getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

Charlotte resident Tera Long also praised the moved-up timeline and plans to talk to her doctor before getting a shot. She battles a rare disease and is worried about a potential allergic reaction. Once she gets the green light, she will get a shot.

“We must try to get our shots but we must do it safely,” Long said. “We owe each other to get this vaccine if we safely can.”

State health officials said they were able to speed up their timeline based on provider feedback about their vaccine capacity and expected supply.

“We are continuing to talk to our vaccine providers all the time to make sure we are appropriately moving forward with due haste to make sure we’re getting to all our priority groups as quickly as possible,” Secretary of Health and Human Services Dr. Mandy Cohen said.

As with previous eligibility changes, the state said some vaccine providers may not be ready to open to Group 4 on March 17 if they are still experiencing high demand for vaccines in Groups 1 through 3.

“We are very fortunate to now have three tested, safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines that keep people out of the hospital and prevent death from this virus,” Cohen said. “With improving supplies, North Carolina can get more people vaccinated sooner and meet our goals to provide equitable access to vaccinations in every community in the state.”

According to health officials, more than 1.1 million North Carolinians have been fully vaccinated as the state works with local health departments and providers to distribute this vaccine quickly and equitably. State officials said while supply is still limited, the increased federal allocation of doses is helping providers administer vaccines to more people.

Last week, North Carolina received more than 300,000 first doses of vaccines, including 83,000 doses of the newly authorized Johnson & Johnson vaccine. This week, however, the state received no new doses of the one-shot vaccine, and NCDHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen said the state will not see a significant amount until April.

Earlier this month, the state also exceeded expectations and opened vaccinations to all frontline essential workers a week earlier than expected on March 3.

North Carolina has continued to emphasize equity in its vaccine distribution process. In the last four weeks, more than 20% of the state’s first doses have been administered to Black North Carolinians.

On Wednesday, Cooper attended the opening of a federally supported community vaccination center opened in Greensboro. The site -- one of just 18 sites nationally -- will help the state continue its effort to reach more marginalized and underserved communities.

The federal government will provide the center’s vaccine supply, which is in addition to North Carolina’s weekly allotment from the Centers for Disease Control. The site will operate seven days a week with the capacity to provide up to 3,000 vaccinations per day, with options for drive-thru service in the parking lot and walk-in service.

Cooper and Cohen remain confident that vaccinations will continue at current pace, with approximately 225,000 first doses of Moderna and Pfizer vaccines sent to providers statewide each week. That’s in addition to the FEMA vaccination site in Greensboro and the state’s partnership with the federal retail pharmacy program, neither of which use vaccines from the state’s allocation.

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