RALEIGH, N.C. — A third coronavirus vaccine option coming to our state means all essential workers are eligible to receive the vaccine.
Gov. Roy Cooper announced Tuesday that Group 3, all essential workers, can sign up for the vaccine. This is a week ahead of what he and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services anticipated.
"The third vaccine, and improving vaccine supply for the two we are already getting, will help us get more people vaccinated more quickly," Cooper said during a news conference.
The state will receive 80,000 Johnson and Johnson vaccines Wednesday and will be distributed to 33 different counties.
All essential workers now include police officers, firefighters, food and agriculture workers, elected officials, and public transit workers.
"Our essential front line workers have remained on the job throughout this pandemic, and I'm grateful for their work," Cooper says.
Additionally, the federal government is opening a FEMA supported vaccination site in Greensboro. It's one of the few in the nation starting on March 10, and it will give 3,000 vaccines daily for eight weeks straight.
"But as I've said before, we still don't have enough vaccines," Cooper explains. "You may have to wait for an appointment even if today's action means that you're eligible to get vaccinated."
Group 4, which includes adults at high risk for exposure and increased risk of severe illness, will start to be eligible on March 24.
You can find your spot in line at the NCDHHS website.