WINSTON, SALEM, N.C. — As of Wednesday, April 7, everyone in the state of North Carolina ages 16 and older are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.

What You Need To Know

  • Everyone in the state of North Carolina, ages 16 and older, are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine

  • Jacob Bell, 16, felt it was important to get the vaccine as soon as it was readily available to help protect those more vulnerable to the virus

  • NCDHHS says Pfizer is the only vaccine currently available to people under the age of 18

It is a big decision for teenagers across the state, but for some it is a no brainer. Jacob Bell, 16, felt it was important to get the vaccine as soon as it was readily available.

His motive was to protect his mother, Barbara, who is immunocompromised.

“I think everybody needs to not be afraid of this. I think you can be weary about it, but I don’t think you should be too afraid of it," Bell said.

Jacob and his brother Joshua received their first doses of Pfizer at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds. According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the only vaccine available to people under the age of 18 is the Pfizer vaccine. The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are currently only available for adults.