COVID-19 Vaccine Scheduling

StarMed is proud to partner with the State of North Carolina to bring a safe and effective vaccine to our community. We have been approved by NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) to be a COVID-19 Vaccine distributor.

COVID-19 VACCINATIONS

What you should know.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved two vaccines for COVID-19; the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna options. StarMed is currently offering the Phizer-BioNTech Vaccine.

Though StarMed has been approved by NCDHHS to be a COVID-19 Vaccine distributor, it may be some time before you are eligible to receive your vaccination. 

Please read below for answers to commonly asked questions and to view the current phased approach to vaccine rollout in the State of North Carolina.

Commonly Asked Questions.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted emergency use authorization to two vaccines. One was developed by Pfizer and the other by Moderna. Other COVID-19 vaccines may be approved in the months ahead. StarMed offers the Pfizer vaccine at this time.

The initial shipments of vaccine in the United States are being made available first to health care workers and nursing home residents and staff. See below for the full schedule phased approach in North Carolina to identify when you will be eligible to receive your vaccination.

StarMed Healthcare has been approved by NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) to be a COVID-19 Vaccine distributor. Please take steps to understand which phase North Carolina is currently in so you do not register for a time slot you will not be eligible for. State and County officials are very serious about adherence to these phases.

When vaccine supplies are sufficient to allow for the vaccination of patients and other community members, StarMed will communicate broadly about the vaccination process. No appointments are being taken now.

Yes. A vaccine earns government approval only after it has been proven to be both safe and effective. The approval process involves panels of independent experts retained by the pharmaceutical companies as well as reviews by the FDA’s own scientific staff and an independent panel of experts convened by the FDA. No serious safety concerns have been reported with either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

No. It is not possible to get COVID-19 from the vaccines.

Yes. Very effective. In clinical trials, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were shown to be more than 94% effective.

Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will require two doses to ensure full protection. The Pfizer vaccine will require a second dose 21 days after the initial shot, and the Moderna vaccine will require a second dose 28 days later. The vaccines are not interchangeable, meaning that you will need to receive the same type of vaccine for both doses..

It normally takes two to three weeks for immunity to develop and several weeks for a full antibody response.

Some people may experience side effects, including sore arms, muscle aches and fever. This is a normal sign that your body is building protection. These symptoms are not expected to last long.

Yes. Absolutely. We all will need to continue wearing masks, social distancing and washing our hands often. These precautions will be required until enough people have been vaccinated to contain the spread of the virus.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have not been tested on children. More research will be required before a vaccine can be made available to children. The Pfizer vaccine has been approved for those 16 and older.

Pregnant women should consult with their doctors about whether to get vaccinated.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has included a great deal of information on its website.

NC VACCINE GROUP SCHEDULE

Group 1: Health care workers & Long-Term Care staff and residents

  • Health care workers with in-person patient contact
  • Long-term care staff and residents—people in skilled nursing facilities, adult care homes and continuing care retirement communities
  • Learn more about Group 1

Group 2: Older adults

Group 3: Frontline essential workers

  • The CDC defines frontline essential workers as workers who are in sectors essential to the functioning of society and who are at substantially higher risk for exposure to COVID-19

Group 4: Adults at high risk for exposure and increased risk of severe illness

  • Anyone 16-64 years old with high-risk medical conditions that increase risk of severe disease from COVID-19 such as cancer, COPD, serious heart conditions, sickle cell disease, Type 2 diabetes, among others, regardless of living situation
  • Anyone who is incarcerated or living in other close group living settings who is not already vaccinated due to age, medical condition or job function
  • Essential workers not yet vaccinated. The CDC defines these as workers in transportation and logistics, water and wastewater, food service, shelter and housing (e.g., construction), finance (e.g., bank tellers), information technology and communications, energy, legal, media, public safety (e.g., engineers) and public health workers

Group 5: Everyone who wants a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccination

COVID-19 Employer Testing Information