HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — North Carolina’s current vaccine rollout plan is leaving some feeling left out, especially those who are at high risk.
Some people argue that because of their medical limitations they should be given access to the COVID-19 vaccine before the healthy individuals in Group 3.
Maura Wozniak of Huntersville is a wife, mom, and recipient of two double lung transplants. She was born with cystic fibrosis, which is a genetic lung disease. She’s spent countless times in and out of the hospital and is continuing to recover from the transplants and other surgeries that have left her current lung function at about 60%.
Wozniak said she now takes several immune suppression drugs day-to-day to help get by.
“Some of these drugs can be harsh on your body, but you need them to survive,” Wozniak said.
Her hope was that by now she would be one of the ones receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, but state guidelines say otherwise. Right now, she and all other high-risk patients across the state are in Group 4 still waiting to become eligible.
“It seems to me they just don’t care,” Wozniak said. “We’re clearly not a high priority.”
She adds for herself and others like her the vaccine is truly a matter of life or death.
“I don’t have the privilege of contracting this virus and being able to live through it,” Wozniak said. “I’ve fought through so much already and I need the vaccine. I want it, why am I not getting it.”
A petition recently created has already received more than 1,5000 signatures so far. The plan is to present the support to Governor Cooper in hopes he may reconsider the state’s current vaccine guidelines.
Have a relative or friend in another state and want to know when they can get vaccinated? Visit NBC News' Plan Your Vaccine site to find out about each state's vaccine rollout plan.