The Sampson County Health Department has scheduled another drive-thru vaccination event for Feb. 10, with morning hours specifically dedicated to administering second doses to those 75 and older who were vaccinated earlier this month.

The drive-thru is set for Wednesday, Feb. 10, at the Sampson County Agri-Exposition Center, located at 414 Warsaw Road in Clinton. The morning hours are specifically reserved for those individuals who received their first dose of the vaccine at the drive-thru event previously held on Jan. 13 (which was for those 75 and up).

According to local health officials, those persons are guaranteed a second dose, and in order to reduce wait times, should arrive as follows:

• Last names begin with A‐H – arrive at 8 a.m.

• Last names begin with I‐P – arrive at 9 a.m.

• Last names begin with Q‐Z – arrive at 10 a.m.

Those attending are asked to bring the vaccination card they were provided upon receiving their first dose, in order to expedite the registration process.

If vaccine supply allows, the Health Department will then offer first dose vaccinations from 1-4 p.m. to currently eligible groups, which include healthcare workers and those persons aged 65 and older who have not received any vaccination within 14 days of the event. Vaccinations will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis during the afternoon and as available vaccine supply allows.

Those wishing to go to the drive‐thru event, but lack transportation, should call Sampson Area Transportation at 910-299‐0127. COVID precautions limit the number of riders allowed on vehicles, so transportation assistance is dependent upon availability of vehicles and seats during the event. The ride is free, but limited to the vaccine event location and return trip. All passengers must comply with the COVID protocols established by Sampson Area Transportation, which includes wearing a face covering all at times.

County officials reminded the public that vaccinations will be dependent on available supply, and an appointment does not guarantee vaccine will be available at that time.

Local officials said that additional vaccination clinics are being scheduled for the coming weeks in Sampson County. The county’s vaccine information page, at https://bit.ly/3iLk33i, and its social media will have details about those upcoming events and transportation assistance.

In Sampson, there were 16,263 COVID-19 tests performed as of Wednesday (up 78 from Tuesday). From that total, 10,089 have been negative (up 36) to go along with 6,174 positives (up 42 from Tuesday). Deaths in Sampson attributed to COVID-19 total 78. A recovery figure is no longer being made available by local health officials.

Statewide as of noon Wednesday, laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases to date totaled 733,010, with 5,587 newly-reported cases. The state tallied 8,915 deaths due to COVID-19, up 139 from Tuesday, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

According to the agency’s numbers, 3,305 people were hospitalized as of Wednesday, down 63 since Tuesday. There have been nearly 8.6 million people tested for COVID to date, according to the state’s numbers.

North Carolina’s goal is to vaccinate as many people as quickly and equitably as possible. Local vaccine providers have worked tirelessly to ramp up and vaccinate people under difficult circumstances. This past week, in response to indications that the federal government might base future allocations on the supply states have on hand, providers worked to rapidly administer vaccinations and exhaust North Carolina’s current supply of first doses.

Vaccines will be administered based on the current active groups designated by the NCDHHS. North Carolina is currently vaccinating people in Groups 1 and 2, which include health care workers, long-term care staff and residents, and people 65 and older. Group 3 will include frontline essential workers; Group 4 will include adults at high risk for exposure and increased risk of severe illness; and Group 5 will include everyone.

Information on the vaccine plan and current active group are available at https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/vaccines. A searchable list of health departments and hospitals administering the vaccination is available on the state’s COVID-19 vaccination website, yourspotyourshot.nc.gov. COVID-19 vaccinations are free of charge, regardless of whether or not people have insurance.

Future updates will include a vaccine finder and other interactive features so that every North Carolinian has a spot for information and is able to take their shot. For more information and to find your vaccine group, visit findmygroup.nc.gov.