NORTH CAROLINA, USA — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is getting plans ready as the country waits to see what the FDA does at a meeting to discuss vaccine approval later this week.
The state health department announced 11 facilities will get early shipments of the vaccine, one of which is in the Triad:
- Bladen Healthcare LLC (Bladen County Hospital)
- Caldwell Memorial Hospital
- CarolinaEast Medical Center
- Catawba Valley Medical Center
- Cumberland County Hospital System Inc (Cape Fear Valley Health System)
- Duke University Health System
- Henderson County Hospital Corporation (Margaret R. Pardee Memorial Hospital)
- Hoke Healthcare LLC (Hoke Hospital)
- The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital Authority (CMC Enterprise)
- University of North Carolina Shared Services Agreement
- Wake Forest Baptist Health
NCDHHS said these 11 facilities are only a portion of the sites included in the first week of distribution. The state said there are several dozen other sites that will get the vaccine, but the 11 listed have "sufficient ultra-cold-storage space to get and hold vaccine pending final authorization."
If the FDA grants emergency use authorization, the CDC will then have to recommend who can receive the vaccine.
NCDHHS said if for any reason those CDC recommendations are delayed, the facilities that have the vaccine will have to continue to hold it.
Within 24 hours of the CDC recommendation, the remaining week-one sites will receive the vaccine, which will be shipped from the manufacturer or distributor, according to the state.
"All these doses of vaccine will be to vaccinate healthcare workers at high risk of exposure to COVID-19, those who are caring for or cleaning areas used by patients with COVID-19," the state said.
NCDHHS will release the remaining week-one sites shortly.
Wake Forest Baptist Health said while they expect to receive the coronavirus vaccine sometime next week, they don't know how many doses they'll get. Once the hospital receives the first shipment, they'll follow the phased approach, following federal and state guidelines to give the vaccine to frontline healthcare workers.
Although not on the list of 11 facilities, Cone Health still expects to get a shipment of vaccines next week. The healthcare provider said it expects to receive the vaccine 24-72 hours after final approval.
High Point University loaned Cone Health an ultra-low temperature freezer to help store the vaccine they're expecting next week.
A spokesperson for Cone Health said the vaccine will be shipped to them by Pfizer.
NCDHHS said more information will be released during a news briefing Tuesday.