GREENSBORO, N.C. — Governor Roy Cooper announced Tuesday a COVID-19 vaccine will be available in the coming weeks in North Carolina. The state is expected to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for distribution.
Gov. Cooper said the state is busy preparing to receive the vaccine and working on a distribution plan.
The vaccine will also be free to everyone in the state regardless of whether someone has health insurance, according to Cooper.
The first to receive the vaccine will be health care workers, people in long-term care and those at risk for severe illness.
"The key takeaways are the vaccines will initially be available in limited settings - primarily focused on our hospitals across the state and then our long-term care residents and staff," said Dr. Mandy Cohen.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said it estimates it will be sometime in January when health departments could be giving vaccines to those with two or more underlying factors.