GREENSBORO, N.C. — North Carolina is currently in Phase 1A of distributing the COVID-19 vaccine. That means health care workers and those working directly with patients with COVID-19 are being vaccinated. Long-term care staff and residents in nursing facilities and in group homes are also being vaccinated.
Governor Roy Cooper announced Wednesday the state’s Phase 1B vaccination plan, along with Phase 2-4.
Here’s a breakdown of the vaccination distribution plan.
Phase 1A: Health care workers fighting COVID-19 & long-term care staff and residents
- Health care workers caring for and working directly with patients with COVID-19, including staff responsible for cleaning and maintenance in those areas
- Health care workers administering the vaccine
- Long-term care staff and residents—people in skilled nursing facilities and in adult, family and group homes.
Phase 1B: Adults 75+ and frontline essential workers
The vaccines will go out in this phase in the following order:
Group 1: Anyone 75 years or older, regardless of health status or living situation
Group 2: Health care workers and frontline essential workers 50 years or older
- The CDC defines frontline essential workers as first responders (e.g., firefighters and police officers), corrections officers, food and agricultural workers, U.S. Postal Service workers, manufacturing workers, grocery store workers, public transit workers, and those who work in the education sector (teachers and support staff members) as well as child care workers.
Group 3: Health care workers and frontline essential workers of any age
Phase 2: Adults at high risk for exposure and at increased risk of severe illness
Vaccinations will happen by group in the following order:
Group 1: Anyone 65-74 years old, regardless of health status or living situation
Group 2: Anyone 16-64 years old with high-risk medical conditions that increase risk of severe disease from COVID such as cancer, COPD, serious heart conditions, sickle cell disease, Type 2 diabetes, among others, regardless of living situation
Group 3: Anyone who is incarcerated or living in other close group living settings who is not already vaccinated due to age, medical condition or job function.
Group 4: Essential workers not yet vaccinated.
- The CDC defines these as workers in transportation and logistics, water and wastewater, food service, shelter and housing (e.g., construction), finance (e.g., bank tellers), information technology and communications, energy, legal, media, and public safety (e.g., engineers), and public health workers.
Phase 3: Students
College and university students
- K-12 students age 16 and over. Younger children will only be vaccinated when the vaccine is approved for them.
Phase 4: Everyone who wants the vaccine
State officials believe this could be around springtime.
- North Carolina is currently in Phase 1a of vaccine distribution. Health care workers caring for COVID-19 patients, long-term care staff and residents are currently receiving the vaccine.