Vaccinations: Bladen residents ages 75-and-up can call 910-872-6291 to schedule

ELIZABETHTOWN — The Bladen County Health Department says it is moving forward into the phase to inoculate individuals ages 75-and-up.

The Health Department said a hotline is available 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. beginning Thursday for individuals in that group to call and schedule appointments. The number to call is 910-872-6291.

On Dec. 15, Bladen County Hospital gave its initial vaccinations and was one of the first 11 in the state to do so. The following week, the Health Department received its first vaccinations and began administering on Dec. 22. The hospital was supplied by Pfizer, the Health Department by Moderna.

This next group of people getting the vaccine are referred to as Phase 1B. There is no restriction on being able to get the vaccine based on health status or living situation. Phase 1A referred to “health-care workers caring for and working directly with patients with COVID-19, including staff responsible for cleaning and maintenance in those areas, health-care workers administering vaccine, and long-term care staff and residents — people in skilled nursing facilities and in adult, family, and group homes.”

Last week, on Dec. 30, cabinet-level Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen announced changes in the state’s distribution plan. Included was offering people 75 or older the vaccine as soon as Jan. 11. Dr. Terri Duncan, director of Bladen’s Health Department, said Monday at a county commissioners meeting the timeframe would be this week or next.

Bladen County received 975 of the state’s first 84,800 doses from Pfizer. About 175,000 doses of Moderna’s vaccine arrived in the state the week of Dec. 21.

Cohen said the state expects to get about 60,000 doses weekly through the end of January.

“Vaccines will be available to everyone, but currently supplies are limited and will continue to be limited for the next few months,” Cohen said.

Following Phase 1B, the next segment of people eligible to get a vaccine would be health-care workers and frontline essential workers 50 years or older, followed by other health-care and frontline workers of all ages.

The state calls Phase 2 all adults ages 65-74 regardless of chronic conditions. They’re followed by adults with high-risk medical conditions, anyone who is incarcerated and other essential workers, including those in transportation, water, food service, public health, construction, engineering and media.

For Phase 3, college and high school students at least 16 years old will go first.

For Phase 4, anyone can get a vaccine. Cohen expects that timeframe to be “well into the spring.”

The rollout in Bladen County and North Carolina mirrors the rest of the country. Counties and hospitals have taken different approaches, leading to long lines, confusion, frustration and jammed phone lines. There are logistical concerns and financial hurdles, officials say.

Also, vaccinations have to be tracked so the dispensement of the second dose after the first can be matched. In some areas, keeping the vaccines cold complicates their distribution. Cold storage in Bladen County is not an issue.