Politics

Cooper visits plant that makes super-cold freezers that store Covid vax

By Bill Moss, Published: July 2, 2021

Gov. Roy Cooper visited Thermo Fisher Scientific in Asheville Friday, where the company set up an on-site vaccine clinic for employees to receive their ovid-19 shot in partnership with the Buncombe County Department of Health and Human Services.

“It takes all of us working together to beat this pandemic and I’m grateful for employers like Thermo Fisher that are stepping up to make it easier for their employees to get vaccinated,” Cooper said.
The Asheville Thermo Fisher site helped manufacture ultra-cold storage refrigerators and freezers to store vaccine doses. In addition to helping providers across North Carolina administer vaccines, their products were shipped and distributed worldwide. Pardee UNC Health Care bought one early on and used it store the first Covid vaccines to reach Henderson County last December.
“We are proud of our Asheville site’s contribution to support the critical need for ultra-low temperature freezers that are helping to protect and store Covid-19 vaccines around the world,” said Michael Meguiar, vice president of operations, lab products at Thermo Fisher Scientific. “Today’s clinic, organized in partnership with Buncombe County Health and Human Services, underscores our commitment to provide access to the vaccine, our effort to promote heightened immunity in our local community and support the health of our workforce in North Carolina.”
“Over 53 percent of our total population in Buncombe County has received at least one dose of vaccine and over 50% are now fully vaccinated,” said Stacie Saunders, Buncombe County Public Health Director. “Please continue to honor the work of those helping with the response, our essential workers, first responders, and public health by getting one of the safe and effective Covid-19 vaccines if you haven’t already.”
On Monday, Governor Cooper announced the first winners of the Your Shot at a Million Summer Cash and College Tuition drawings. The next drawing will take place on Wednesday, July 7. North Carolinians who have received at least one dose of the vaccine are automatically entered to win the $1 million prize.
As the highly contagious Delta variant of Covid-19 continues to spread across the country, Cooper is urging people to get their vaccine. To date, North Carolina has administered nearly 8.9 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, with 53 percent of the adult population fully vaccinated. Fifty-six percent of adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine, including 82 percent of people 65 and over.