Gov. Cooper Moving Too Fast

There is an obvious need to have everybody in this country get the Covid-19 vaccine and have our nation reach herd immunity. However, it is clear that the vaccines are not being produced and sent to where they need to go fast enough to meet the demand. In some places there is not enough staff to field calls, make appointments and get people vaccinated quickly.
For example, the Forsyth County Department of Health (FCDH) was overwhelmed recently when Gov. Cooper abruptly announced that adults 75 and over would be added to the list of people eligible to get the vaccine, which included health care workers fighting Covid-19 and long-term care staff and residents. Adding 75 and over adults to the eligible list shifted the number of people eligible for the vaccine in the county to potentially about 25,000. The FCDH was understandably not ready for this, but has recovered nicely and is giving about 500 Covid-19 vaccinations a day now. Our personal observation is that the FCDH now has it act together. So far, the FCDH, now with help from the National Guard, has given about 12,000 vaccines since December.
However, the demand for the vaccine is still far greater than the supply of the vaccine, not just in Forsyth County, but the whole state. That is not likely to change soon. For example, the FCDH received 3,200 doses of the vaccine last week and isn’t sure how many they will get next week.
This lack of supply is something Gov. Cooper and Dr. Mandy K. Cohen, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, should be very aware of. That is why it is puzzling that Gov. Cooper and Dr. Cohen announced on Thursday that North Carolinians 65 and older and all health care workers are now eligible to get a Covid-19 vaccine.
Simply put, the numbers do not add up. Forsyth County still has potentially 13,000 people ages 75 and over that need the vaccine. Allowing individuals 65 and over to be eligible for the vaccine pushes the eligibility list to 50,000 people. The system isn’t ready for this, and there is not nearly enough supply of the vaccine. Adding 25,000 more people to the eligibility list could overwhelm the system, create a bit of panic and cause major difficulties.
Obviously, we want everybody to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Nevertheless, while it may be difficult to be patient at this time, it is imperative to get people 75 and over, the individuals most at risk from Covid-19, vaccinated first.
-Kernersville News Editorial