Operation FirstShot

The COVID-19 vaccine is rolling out to certain groups of people in North Carolina, and FirstHealth of the Carolinas will work with local and state health officials to help people roll up their sleeves and take their shot. 

 

FirstHealth is providing the number of COVID-19 doses we have received from the state and the number we have administered to ensure our communities are informed about the speed in which we are delivering vaccinations.

 

Below, you will find information on how many vaccines have been given along with population data for Moore, Richmond, Hoke and Montgomery counties, where FirstHealth operates its hospitals. This information provides a sense of the work to be done and the resources needed to vaccinate all who are eligible to receive one.

 

FirstHealth receives on average 1,400 doses per week and those doses are split among four hospital campuses. We do not learn how many doses we will receive for the coming week until Thursday evenings. 

 

We ask for your patience while our dedicated health care staff continues to schedule the most vulnerable in our communities. During this unprecedented time and every day, we are committed to this effort and to our core purpose - To Care for People. 

 

COVID-19 Vaccines: By the Numbers

First Doses Received 7,875

First Doses Given 7,248

First Doses Scheduled This Week 627

First Doses Remaining at End of Week 0

 

 

 

 

The data presented above is for all FirstHealth hospital locations (Moore, Richmond, Hoke and Montgomery). Updated January 21, 2021, at 1:30 p.m.

 

Population Data

Residents Age 65-74 27,135

Residents Age 75-84 15,357

Residents Age 85-94 5,487

Residents Age 95-100 790

Total Ages 65-100 48,769

 

 

 

 

The data above includes the 65 and older populations of Moore (28,395), Richmond (8,311), Hoke (6,007) and Montgomery (6,056) counties, the locations of FirstHealth's hospital campuses. 

 

Click the links below to jump to relevant topics on the page. 

• Moore County Plans
• Richmond County Plans
• Hoke County Plans
• Montgomery County Plans
• I'm 65 years old. Can I schedule a vaccine?
• When it's my turn, will the vaccine be free?
• My provider is not with FirstHealth or PMC. Can I still receive a vaccine?
• Vaccine Safety

 

Moore County

FirstHealth of the Carolinas, primary care providers, including Pinehurst Medical Clinic, and the Moore County Health Department are working together to schedule COVID-19 vaccination and hold clinics for eligible members of the public. Vaccination clinics began in mid-January and are ongoing as long as there is vaccine supply. All clinics require appointments - walk-ins cannot be accommodated. Anyone 75 and older who is an established patient at a Moore County-based primary care clinic will receive a phone call from a clinic representative to schedule. Those clinics are being held at the Fair Barn in Pinehurst weekly as vaccine supply allows. 

 

FirstHealth and area clinics will begin scheduling those 65 and older once we have exhausted patients who are 75 and older. To learn more about where Pinehurst Medical Clinic is in calling their established patients, visit their website. 

 

Individuals age 65 years or older may pre-register anytime at moorecountync.gov/shot or by calling 910-947-SHOT (7468) from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., seven days a week. Individuals can then expect a phone call from a Health Department representative to schedule a vaccination appointment for an upcoming vaccine clinic being held at the Health Department in Carthage on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, or Saturdays for the month of January and beyond.

 

Richmond County
1/22 UPDATE: FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital - Richmond and the Richmond County Health Department have temporarily suspended the COVID-19 vaccine line after reduced supply forced schedule changes to the clinics scheduled for the week of January 26, 2021. Read more about the changes in Richmond County. 

 

Hoke County
FirstHealth will work directly with primary care clinics to schedule members of the public who are 65 and older. Appointments will be required.

 

Montgomery County
FirstHealth Primary Care Providers are calling eligible patients 65 and older to schedule them for vaccine appointments. Clinics will begin Thursday, January 14 and appointments will be required. 

 

I’m 65 years old, can I schedule a vaccine?
North Carolina announced a plan to move into Group 2 (Older Adults) on January 12, 2021. Based on the variation in population in our four counties, Moore County is still scheduling those who are 75 and older. Richmond, Hoke and Montgomery counties have started scheduling patients who are 65 and older. Please be advised that we continue to experience limited vaccine supply. 

 

When it’s my turn, will the COVID-19 vaccine be free?
The federal government has pledged to cover the cost of the vaccine. Depending on your insurance plan and where you get vaccinated, administrative fees may be billed to your insurance company, but there will be no out of pocket costs for you. 

 

My provider is not with FirstHealth or PMC. Can I still receive a vaccine?
Yes, we are working with all primary care providers in Moore, Hoke and Montgomery county to schedule vaccinations for their eligible patients.  Your primary care provider will contact you as availability allows. 

 

Vaccine Safety

Great care has been taken to ensure that COVID-19 vaccines are both safe and effective. More than 70,000 people have participated in clinical trials for two vaccines to test their safety and efficacy, and to date, those vaccines are nearly 95% effective in preventing COVID-19 with no safety concerns.  

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for making sure the vaccines are safe and effective and granted an Emergency Use Authorization for both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines last month. 

 

Do you have additional vaccine questions? Visit the NC Department of Health and Human Services website for more details. Also, read this message from FirstHealth Infectious Disease Physician Gretchen Arnoczy, M.D., about why she’s excited and looking forward to rolling her sleeve up.  

 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Ways You Can Help Us
• Infectious Diseases Expert Weighs in on COVID-19 Vaccine
• Tips for Dealing with Stress from COVID-19
• FirstHealth Volunteers Pivot to Make N95 Masks
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• North Carolina Division of Public Health
• Letter from FirstHealth CEO Mickey Foster