BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Health care workers and nursing home residents are first in line to receive the coronavirus vaccination when it becomes available.
The North Dakota Health Department says vaccine distribution could begin by mid-month to those priority groups.
Health officials said Friday they do not know yet the vaccination timeline for other critical workers, such as law enforcement, emergency workers and teachers.
Officials say vaccinations for the general public could be available in the spring.
Officials on Friday reported a dozen new deaths in North Dakota due to complications from COVID-19, bringing the statewide death toll from the virus to 989.
The state’s death count is the 40th highest in the country and the eighth highest per capita at 129 deaths per 100,000 people, according to figures compiled by The COVID Tracking Project.
The state said there were 324 people hospitalized with COVID-19 on Friday, an increase of 18. The most recent data shows only 17 staffed intensive care unit beds and 244 staffed inpatient beds available statewide.
There have been nearly 62,000 positive tests since the start of the pandemic, including 852 reported on Friday.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.