Pender County opens dedicated phone line for COVID-19 vaccine inquiries
Pender County dedicates phone line to vaccine updates By WECT Staff | January 21, 2021 at 4:54 PM EST - Updated January 21 at 7:42 PM
BURGAW, N.C. (WECT) - Pender County Health and Human Services now has a phone line dedicated to calls about COVID-19 vaccines.
Now, all inquiries about the COVID-19 vaccines and updates on the vaccination program should be directed to (910) 663-4200.
“The Pender County Health Department has taken thousands of calls,” said Pender County Health and Human Services Director Carolyn Moser. “This new telephone number will help us to better serve our residents.”
Wilmington-area residents are fired up over COVID-19 vaccination protocols.
Dr. David Priest, Novant Health’s senior vice president and chief safety, quality and epidemiology officer, said, “The reality is: We’re not vaccinating in this country fast enough.”
“There are people dying,” said Alice Brown, a Calabash resident who is part of the 75-and-older COVID-19 vaccine group. “I was on hold for almost an hour with the health department trying to get an appointment.”
Robert Doleman, an 84-year-old New Hanover resident and Vietnam veteran, said he was able to qualify at the local VA clinic to get his vaccine quicker after having no luck getting a vaccine appointment at the health department and Wilmington Health.
Wilmington StarNews
The StarNews will be updating this file with up-to-date and need-to-know COVID-19 vaccine information as it becomes available.
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COVID-19 vaccine updates for New Hanover County
Updated March 19, 2021
All appointments are booked through March 23.
Starting March 17, Group 4 will also be eligible for the vaccine, which is anyone ages 16 to 64 years old with one or more high-risk medical conditions, people living in close group settings and essential workers.
Officials with Pender County Health Department announced updated vaccine prioritization guidelines Thursday to include residents age 65 years and older
A new CDC study compared the two types of testing being used to detect COVID-19: rapid tests, which can produce results within 15 minutes, and lab-based send-out (RT-PCR) tests, which can take up to two-to-three days for results.
The CDC reported the rapid test had an 80% accuracy rate among those showing symptoms. That accuracy rate dropped to 41.2% when used to screen those who are asymptomatic compared to the PCR tests, which are nearly 100% accurate.
One in five patients with symptoms and confirmed COVID-19 received a negative rapid test result. Patients with symptoms and a negative rapid test are instructed to get a confirmation PCR test, wear a mask and stay home in a separate room, according to the CDC.