RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — While the first round of COVID19 vaccine distribution isn’t anticipated for a few more weeks in North Carolina, state and local health departments are already practicing for distribution.

North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday they are participating with the CDC and Operation Warp Speed in an end-to-end shipping test of the Pfizer vaccine. 

Gov. Roy Cooper said he believes the state will receive Pfizer’s vaccine once it’s approved by the FDA, which require ultra-cold refrigeration. 

“We’re a big state with rural areas that stretch for hundreds of miles. Every person is important, and we’ll work hard to overcome challenges that our geography presents,” Cooper said.

Once the state receives vaccine doses from the federal government, it will allocate the doses to the counties.

“We’re prepared for it,” said Pharmacy Director for Wake County’s Department of Human Services Dr. Jason Wittes.

Dr. Wittes believes the first round of vaccine will be administered this month to health care workers, medical first responders and staff in long-term care settings.

“We anticipate anywhere from the next two to four weeks for priority group 1a,” he said.

For the past two months Wake County’s Department of Human Services has been focused on the roll out of the vaccine, according to Wittes.

He said that includes practices as the county’s drive-through flu clinics at the Sunnybrook location.

Wittes says the flu vaccine requires refrigeration, so they are prepared for the refrigeration required for a COVID-19 vaccine.

Dr. Wittes says they county is preparing for all scenarios of vaccine distribution. 

“Our plan has the gambit, so multiple vaccine candidates on the ground at the same time, multiple vaccine schedules.  So 21 days apart, 28 days apart, one dose, all paper if the power goes out we don’t have to stop that day, full digital plan. Our plan is pretty comprehensive,” he said.

Wittes says vaccine allocation to North Carolina’s counties is based on population. 

While it’s too early to say exactly when the COVID-19 vaccine will be widely available, officials say they are working hard to make sure everyone who wants to be vaccinated can be.

“Some of the populations that might be a little harder to reach, homeless, historically marginalized population, incarcerated individuals, making sure that they are all being addressed and getting the vaccine when it’s their time to be addressed,” Wittes said.