RALEIGH, N.C. — Novant Health announced that it will open six mass vaccination distribution sites across the state after a commitment by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) to increase its COVID-19 vaccine supply allocation.
The health care system has requested 95,000 doses a week in order to meet the high demand and ensure equitable and efficient distribution of the vaccine.
Locations will be added to include community and corporate partners soon.
“The people of North Carolina deserve a vaccination program that leads the nation in speed, scope and efficient distribution,” said Carl S. Armato, president and chief executive officer of Novant Health. “We appreciate the state’s support and are eager to activate our plan to immediately, and significantly, increase vaccination rates across North Carolina.”
To ensure additional populations across all communities are able to access the vaccine as soon as they become eligible, Novant Health’s mass distribution plan can accommodate up to 20,000 vaccines a day.
If Novant Health receives a weekly allocation of 95,000 doses from NCDHHS, the health care system has the capability to administer 1 million doses by the beginning of April.
“Our plan not only optimizes for speed, scale, and efficiency, but more importantly, ensures equity for all,” added Armato. “We have to work together - across health care systems and county lines - to be certain no community is at a disadvantage. At the end of the day, our collective goal is to vaccinate as many people as quickly possible, leaving no dose unused and no community behind.”