The state, however, did enter what may become known as the personal responsibility phase.
Cooper and state Health Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen acknowledged as much when asked why the 54% of North Carolinians, or about 6.6 million, who arenât fully vaccinated should act now with most restrictions ending.
âThe CDC has affirmed that getting vaccinated is the way out of this pandemic,â Cooper said.
For herd immunity to kick in, at least 65% to 75% of the population would need to be vaccinated or have recovered from the coronavirus, according to most infectious diseases experts.
âCertainly, we donât know whether people are vaccinated or not,â Cooper said. âWeâre going to expect people to do the right thing, particularly since these new variants are even more contagious.â
The first round of vaccinating youths ages 12 to 15 is taking place at local mass-vaccination sites, although there are plans to potentially have doses available in pediatric offices by early fall.
Novant Health Inc. and Forsyth County Department of Public Health began providing first doses to that age group Thursday at their respective mass-vaccination sites at Hanes Mall and 799 Highland Ave.
Wake Forest Baptist Healthâs Brenner Childrenâs Hospital will hold a vaccination clinic for teens Saturday at Winston-Salem State Universityâs Anderson Center, 1545 Reynolds Park Road. Appointments can be made by calling (336) 702-6843.
Novant offers walk-in vaccinations at Hanes Mall from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, although making an appointment is preferable. The number of walk-in slots is subject to change based on supply.
Hannah Bovender, 14, speaks about being one of the first in her age group to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
Ruth Santiago squeezed her eyes shut and looked away as a syringe loaded with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine plunged into her right arm.
Did it hurt?
âAt first,â Ruth said.
But that millisecond of pain was worth it for the seventh-grader at Philo-Hill Middle School. Her grandparents in Mexico got sick a few days ago, and Ruth is worried that they may have contracted the coronavirus. Helping to keep older folks, such as her grandparents, safe from COVID-19 convinced Ruth to be among the first in the 12-15 age group to get the Pfizer vaccine.
Teens ages 12 to 15 can receive their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine beginning Thursday afternoon.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended Wednesday the use of the Pfizer vaccine under the same Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorization as for those ages 16 and older.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services was required to sign off on the federal recommendations before vaccine providers in North Carolina could proceed. Having a vaccine for our younger teens brings us that much closer to being able to end the pandemic, Dr. Mandy Cohen, the state s health secretary, said in a statement.
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Wilma J. Brown-Foreman, Education Specialist Honored as a Top Educator for 2021 by Strathmore s Who s Who Worldwide Publication Chesterfield, VA, May 11, 2021 (PR.com) Wilma J. Brown-Foreman, Education Specialist of Chesterfield, Virginia has been honored as a Top Educator for 2021 by Strathmore’s Who’s Who Worldwide for her outstanding contributions and achievements in the fields of education and ministry.
About Wilma J. Brown-Foreman, Education Specialist
Dr. Wilma J. Brown-Foreman is a retired English teacher with almost 45 years of experience in secondary education. Currently, she serves as a minister in her church in Virginia and as an educational consultant at her business, Academic Initiatives for Biblical Literacy (AIBL) in Secondary Public Education. Dr. Brown-Foreman is the founder and pastor of the Sanctuary of God Pentecostal Church in Prince George, Virginia. She has served as a pastor there for more than 27 years.