CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A few weeks ago, Valarie Reed was stuck in the hospital. She had COVID-19 and spent nine days there.

She's better today, but what made the experience even more scary is that Reed has sickle cell anemia.

She takes about eight pills a day to fight the red blood cell disorder.

Her condition is fragile as is, so she figured she would be first in line for a COVID-19 vaccine.

“It was quite disheartening because I know that there are sickle cell patients who have been passing away,” Reed says.

People who are under 65 with increased risk of severe illness are in Group 4 in North Carolina​

That means teachers and other front-line, essential workers will get their shots before them.

“Teachers are very valuable, they really are...however at the end of the day, teachers are not dealing with the illness of sickle cell anemia,” Reed says. “I would ask them to please reconsider placing us higher on the list.”

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services provided a statement to Spectrum News 1 that says, in part...

"The vaccine prioritization is designed to save lives and prevent spread while vaccine supplies are limited. ... We are aligned with [the] CDC Advisory Committee on immunization practices in terms of priority order."