CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For the first time, COVID-19 vaccines are coming to long-term care facilities in the Carolinas.
The FDA approved the Moderna vaccine Friday night. Moderna shots could be available as early as Monday.
WCNC Charlotte learned about 175,000 doses are expected in North Carolina next week. More than half of those, 96,000 doses, will be going to long-term care facilities. South Carolina is expecting shipments for those facilities soon too.
WCNC Charlotte talked to a Rock Hill man whose wife tested positive at a care facility. He wants to know if his wife should be getting the vaccine, even though she already tested positive for COVID-19.
“The biggest concern, first of all, is when it's going to be available to people like myself and my wife,” said Ted Fleming.
Fleming hasn’t seen his wife in about four months, after she went to a long-term care facility for rehab in Rock Hill, and then tested positive for COVID 19.
“She has been moved out of isolation,” said Fleming. “She sounds good. She's still got a little bit of a cough.”
Next week, North Carolina is expecting 175,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine, and another 61,000 doses of Pfizer’s vaccine. The first Pfizer shipment last week went to hospitals, but state officials say 96,000 Moderna doses will be going to long-term care facilities for the first time. Walgreens and CVS will be administering the vaccines in those facilities.
“They’re expecting it to go to all 100 counties, once we start getting that shipment,” said Michelle Ries, interim director of the North Carolina Institute of Medicine who is on a state vaccine advisory committee.
Ries says Moderna’s vaccine will be more widespread because it has fewer restriction than Pfizer’s vaccine.
“It does not need the ultra-cold storage that the Pfizer vaccine needs, it is able to stay at regular refrigerated temperatures for much longer,” said Ries.
North Carolina's vaccine distribution plan
South Carolina health officials say 104,000 Moderna vaccines are dedicated to long-term care facilities by the end of the year.
“We don't know, if somebody who has had COVID, do they need to get vaccinated?,” said Fleming.
WCNC Charlotte took Fleming’s question to Ries for an answer.
The vaccine is recommended for people who have already had the coronavirus because it's a little uncertain how much immunity a previous infection gives somebody,” said Ries.
“I'm grateful they finally got something so we can slow this mess down,” said Fleming.
Ries says since it’s unlikely to get re-infected within 90 days, people who’ve had COVID 19 may decide to wait until after that time period to get the vaccine.