Starting Wednesday, coronavirus vaccine appointments are open for anyone 16 and older in North Carolina.

More than a quarter of adults in North Carolina are fully vaccinated, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services. Almost 40% of people 18 and older in the state have gotten at least one shot.

"Because of the hard work of our providers and the commitment of North Carolinians to take their shot, we are getting people vaccinated more quickly than we predicted," Gov. Roy Cooper said Tuesday.

North Carolina's coronavirus numbers remain stable, Health Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen said. "This is good news because other places in the country are seeing increases," she said.

The number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 has remained below 1,000 since the middle of March, according to DHHS. The 7-day average of new coronavirus cases is under 1,500, down from a single-day high of more than 11,000 in January when numbers spiked after the holidays.

It can still be hard to get an appointment for a vaccine, but the governor said the state could soon hit a point when vaccine supply is greater than demand.

"We're all going to have to flip it over to make sure we are encouraging people to get vaccinated. And that's going to be something we're all going to play a part in --  physicians, family doctors, ministers, public figures, friends, family members, all need to play a role," he said. "We're going to have plenty of supply to get vaccinated every person who wants a vaccine."

There are three vaccines available in North Carolina. The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines both require two shots spread out over several weeks. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires a single dose.

On Wednesday, everyone 16 and older can get vaccinated for free. The Pfizer vaccine is the only one of the three approved for use on 16- and 17-year-olds.

Many people in the state have had to travel to other counties to get a shot. Each local public health department and many hospitals in the state have wait lists for vaccine appointments that anyone can sign up for.

Some Walgreens, CVS and Harris Teeter pharmacies are also giving vaccines to people who can get an appointment slot on their websites.

To find a vaccine provider in your area, DHHS set up a "vaccine finder" website, myspot.nc.gov.

The site allows people in the state to search by their city or zip code to find vaccine providers nearby. People can also sort by which vaccine is available, so they can get a Pfizer shot if they're under 18 or a Johnson & Johnson vaccine if they want to be done after one dose.