ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, N.C. — Everyone over the age of 16 years old is now eligible for the coronavirus vaccine in Rockingham County.
The Rockingham County Department of Health and Human Services opened Group 5 vaccinations Monday morning after hundreds of vaccine appointments for Groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 went unfilled over the weekend.
"We decided to go ahead and open up to that group and at our last check, we had about 180 appointments still available," Rockingham County Health Director Trey Wright said.
About 120 of those appointments were still unfilled Monday evening. Rockingham County is one of only a few North Carolina counties to open vaccine eligibility to Group 5.
Wright said word is spreading slowly across the Triad and to the Raleigh area.
"I do expect some travel," Wright said, "but whatever we can do to get shots into arms of folks willing to do so, we do not want to waste any vaccine whatsoever."
Wright said even though the state recently opened eligibility to some people in Group 4, increased vaccine supply is making it easier for folks to get their shots than in weeks past.
He also said there's a third factor besides supply and demand. He calls it "option". Some people are choosing to wait for a certain vaccine even though health officials discourage it.
"I have a friend that is a teacher in another county about three hours away and she called me and was willing to drive from well east to the western part of the state because she wanted that option of that one shot and done," Wright said.
He said age appears to play a factor too.
"As we get to these larger groups, we get to a younger group but also some of these individuals, for some of the statistics I looked at, about 50 to 55% of these groups want the vaccine," Wright said.
The state said previously it plans to move into Group 5 in early May. Wright said it's possible other counties move sooner.
Health officials in Guilford, Forsyth and Alamance Counties all told WFMY News 2 they plan to wait to advance until the state moves to Group 5.
Randolph County Health Director Susan Hayes said there are no plans to advance yet as demand remains steady, but said it is something she would consider if demand stopped meeting their supply.
"I feel like the state has been a pretty good judge so far of how quickly to move from group to group," Hayes said, "So I would hope that that would be a decision I would not have to make but we certainly would make it if we need to."
Rockingham County also advanced to Group 4 ahead of schedule earlier this month.
"A few weeks ago when we decided to move to Group 4, I asked the state and they just said to communicate with the providers," Wright said, "So that’s what we did in that instance. I said 'Hey, heads up we’re moving forward in this direction because we still have these available slots'."
You can find more information about scheduling your appointments through the Rockingham County Department of Health and Human Services here.