Governor Cooper Visits Vaccine Site in Fayetteville as State Continues To Expand Vaccine Distribution | Eastern North Carolina Now

    RALEIGH: Today, Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen visited the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville to see North Carolinians receive the vaccine and tour the clinic. The Cumberland County Public Health Department has partnered with community organizations to operate the Coliseum's drive-thru vaccine clinic, which vaccinates up to 1,200 people a day.

    "North Carolina has made remarkable progress in getting this vaccine into more people's arms thanks to the tireless work of our Department of Health and Human Services and providers," Gov. Cooper said. "We'll continue working to make sure our vaccine distribution is fast and fair across all 100 counties."

    Frontline essential workers in Group 3 are now eligible to get their vaccine. While supply is still limited, an increased federal allocation of doses and a third authorized vaccine will help providers administer vaccines to more people. Some members of Group 4 will become eligible on March 24th starting with people with health conditions that make them at high-risk for severe COVID-19 illness and people in some congregate living settings.

    "Communities are coming together in fantastic ways to make sure that everyone can get their vaccine," said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen. "With a third vaccine in the state, we will able to get more people vaccinated sooner and save lives."

    North Carolina has been working with providers to ensure that vaccines are distributed quickly and equitably. The Kaiser Family Foundation ranked North Carolina first in the nation for vaccinating people 65 and older and North Carolina has received national recognition for tracking race and ethnicity data to ensure communities across the state have access to vaccines.

    "Change starts with rolling up our sleeves, sticking out our arms, and taking our shot. The impact will be felt by our entire community and beyond," Cumberland County Board of Commissioners Chairman Charles Evans said.

    "Like Cumberland County, local health departments around North Carolina have been on the frontlines of fighting against this pandemic and now are leading the vaccination efforts. We give a warm socially-distanced welcome to Governor Cooper and Dr. Cohen to our vaccination clinic today. We are proud to show them an example of the heroic efforts of public health staff and our critical team of partners that are helping us make our community safer — one shot at a time," said Cumberland County Health Director Dr. Jennifer Green.

    North Carolinians can find nearby vaccine providers using NCDHHS' online tool, Find a Vaccine Location and get answers to their vaccine questions by calling the COVID-19 vaccine help center at (888) 675-4567. Learn more about the state's vaccine distribution HERE.

    To allow for proper distancing and safety protocols, coverage of this event was pooled.

    Video footage of this event will be available for media use HERE and HERE.

    Still photos are available HERE, credit to Andrew Craft of The Fayetteville Observer.