RALEIGH, N.C. — Monday, the North Carolina Healthcare Association (NCHA) sent a letter to Gov. Roy Cooper and NCDHHS Secretary, Dr. Mandy Cohen, expressing concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
In the letter, the hospital group pointed to some major issues in sharing the vaccine with people who need it.
NCHA President and CEO, Stephen Lawler, singled out four major roadblocks for the state to address:
- An unreliable amount of vaccines
- No clear plan
- Poor computer databases, and
- An unstable supply chain/poor communication.
The letter said hospitals needed clear leadership and more resources to take care of North Carolinians, especially since major vaccination campaigns are usually spearheaded by public health authorities.
"It is fair to say that the responsibility to successfully vaccinate the state’s residents has largely fallen to our state’s hospitals without a clear and consistent plan from the state or the necessary resources for success," wrote Lawler.
The letter said moving forward without improved communications would only increase frustrations for people who were told they were eligible for the vaccine, only to face long wait times at hospitals, which were not expecting the influx of appointments.
"We can, and do, adapt on the fly, but it is time for the state to now take steps to coordinate a better plan and way forward on vaccine deployment."
You can read the entirety of the letter here:
