CHARLOTTE, NC (FOX 46) — Two months is how long the state of North Carolina says you’re guaranteed protection against COVID-19 when you get the shot.

“My best estimate at this point is to say it’s going to be well into the spring before vaccine is going to be widely available to folks,” said Dr. Mandy Cohen, NC DHHS Secretary, at a news conference Tuesday.

Don’t expect to get a COVID-19 vaccine any time soon, and when and if you do get the shot, your protection against the virus may only be good for two months under the Pfizer vaccine, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, which says on its website they’ll know more about long-term immunity the longer people are vaccinated.

“We’re still learning, figuring out the process, how many vaccines can we give out in a day and how many folks are going to say yes to vaccine?” said Dr. Cohen.

North Carolina will also use what’s called the “COVID-19 Vaccine Management System” to make sure you are safe and that you get your second shot at the right time.

When you get the first shot, you’ll be asked to make an appointment for the second shot and be given a card with information on which vaccine, Phizer or Moderna, that you received, so that you get the second dose of that same shot.

The state says your private information will not be shared.

“This is going to get complex because we’ll be sending out first doses and second doses as soon as a couple weeks from now,” said Dr. Cohen.

The Moderna vaccine could get approval by an FDA panel Thursday. If that happens, Governor Roy Cooper says 175,000 doses of that vaccine are set to arrive in North Carolina next week.

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