RALEIGH, N.C. (WAVY) — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has mobilized the National Guard in his state to help speed up COVID-19 vaccinations.
Guard soldiers will support local health providers, who are starting to vaccinate people 75 and older this week. Northeast North Carolina and the Outer Banks were set to get their vaccines through Albermarle Health’s drive-thru clinics.
“Ensuring COVID-19 vaccines are administered quickly is our top priority right now. We will use all resources and personnel needed,” Cooper wrote on Twitter.
It comes a day after Rep. Billy Richardson, D-Cumberland, called on Cooper to do so. North Carolina has one of the lower rates of vaccines administered in the U.S., per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
“The numbers of North Carolinians contracting Covid daily is staggering, and the slow distribution of the vaccines is disturbing,” Richardson said. “Now is the time to act promptly and with a renewed commitment to bipartisan results.”
Vaccine rollout has been slow overall nationwide, with Virginia faces similar issues. Gov. Ralph Northam has yet to active the National Guard in Virginia at this time. He is expected to hold a coronavirus briefing Wednesday at 2 p.m. however.
This is a breaking article and will be updated.