Sanford, NC – Demand for coronavirus vaccine overwhelmed phone lines in Lee County Monday morning after the county began accepting registrations from people with health conditions that put them at greater risk from the virus.
Lee County is the first district district where people in grade 4 of the state’s vaccine priority list can register for vaccinations.
At about 10 a.m., county IT staff had to close the vaccine call center and set up a new number. Less than three hours later, provincial officials suspended registrations altogether due to the limited supply of vaccines.
“The health department has a vaccine stockpile available to complete all currently planned vaccine clinics. New registrations will not be accepted until additional vaccines are obtained,” officials said in a press release.
Other counties in central North Carolina, including Wake County, are vaccinating Groups 1-3, and state officials have said people in Group 4 will be eligible for vaccination on March 24.
Once registered, people will be assigned a vaccination appointment based on availability. People in Group 4 will receive their vaccines as early as March 17, officials said, but it may take several days for a registered person to receive a call from the county to make an appointment.
According to the state, people do not need to be vaccinated in the same province in which they live.