‘Remarkable achievement:’ NC receives first doses of COVID-19 vaccine

NORTH CAROLINA (WWAY) — On Monday, Gov. Roy Cooper confirmed the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have landed in North Carolina, calling it “a remarkable achievement for science and health.”

The first doses of COVID-19 vaccine have arrived in North Carolina. It’s a limited supply for now, but this is a remarkable achievement for science and health. We all need to keep wearing a mask and acting responsibly while we get as many people vaccinated as fast as we can.

The first doses of COVID-19 vaccine have arrived in North Carolina. It’s a limited supply for now, but this is a remarkable achievement for science and health. We all need to keep wearing a mask and acting responsibly while we get as many people vaccinated as fast as we can.

— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) December 14, 2020

On Monday, the vaccine has arrived at Atrium Health.

“We are excited to be among the 1st in the nation to receive the first doses of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine,” Atrium wrote on Twitter.

Atrium Health’s Medical Director of Infection Prevention Dr. Katie Passaretti became the first person in North Carolina to be vaccinated for COVID-19.

UPDATE: Atrium Health’s Medical Director of Infection Prevention Dr. Katie Passaretti just became the first person in North Carolina to be vaccinated for COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/Le2D1iqFR2

— Atrium Health (@AtriumHealth) December 14, 2020

Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center received its initial shipment of 2,925 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine around 7:30 a.m. Monday.

The vaccine will be stored in an ultra-low temperature (-80° C) freezer until they begin offering the vaccine to our front-line health care workers.

“We will follow a phased vaccine approach, aligned with federal and state guidance, to prioritize health care workers based on their likelihood of exposure,” the hospital wrote in a release.
Bladen County Hospital is among the first 11 in the state to get the Pfizer vaccine.