‘My Aunt Chippy smokes that in a day.’ NC mocked over 100 cigarettes vaccine rule
North Carolina was following federal guidelines when state health officials announced this week they would expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to anyone who has smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime.
But that hasn’t stopped late-night talk show hosts and Twitter users from ridiculing the so-called Tobacco state.
“So that’s like, what, everyone?” late night host Jimmy Kimmel said Tuesday on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” “That’s five packs of cigarettes, 100. My Aunt Chippy smokes that in a day.”
Officials said Tuesday that North Carolina residents with high-risk medical conditions — including current and former smokers — will be eligible for the vaccine starting March 24. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services uses guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to define a smoker.
According to the CDC, anyone who has smoked at least 100 cigarettes qualifies, regardless of whether they are a current smoker or already quit.
Ironically, North Carolina is the largest producer of tobacco in the United States — a fact Steven Colbert couldn’t ignore on his show Tuesday.
“North Carolina just announced that on March 24, the state will open eligibility to people living in group settings, additional front-line workers — and people who have ever smoked 100 cigarettes,” he said on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” “Of course North Carolina is the tobacco state. In Wisconsin you have to chug 100 gallons of milk. In Detroit you have to eat 100 cars.”
The joke started in part with a tweet on Tuesday from Joe Bruno, a television reporter with WSOC in Charlotte, which said anyone who smokes or has previously smoked 100 cigarettes would qualify under the new eligibility requirements.
The message has been retweeted and liked thousands of times — and some of the responses have been savage.
I see that North Carolina will give you the vaccine by the end of the month if you’ve smoked at least 100 cigarettes, which sounds like a fun challenge, frankly.
— Matt Dinan (@second_sailing) March 3, 2021
North Carolina’s COVID-19 vaccination groups
1) 65 and older
2) Anti-Vaxers
3) Smoked 100 cigarettes or more
4) Ever got diarrhea from eating at Cookout
5) Plays Lottery— Tomme O'Neil (@TommeONeil) March 3, 2021
im a smoker im a smoker im a midnight smoker https://t.co/k8t0lbGTEv
— jeff brain of clouthub (@jacob__posts) March 2, 2021
I used to smoke cigarettes when I had a little too much to drink. I am 37. Doing the math in my head...I've probably smoked about 93 cigarettes. So close. https://t.co/UEBEMIspP6
— Christopher Crawford (@Crawford_MILB) March 2, 2021
Isn’t that basically everyone who lived through the 1990s? https://t.co/zoxRu7pNGG
— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) March 2, 2021
Health officials warn the vaccine supply is still limited. But people from out of town hoping to cross a few state lines to get the vaccine should think again — North Carolina doesn’t allow it.
NC DHHS said in February that health providers have the right to turn away anyone who doesn’t live, work or receive “on-going health care” in the state, The Rock Hill Herald reported.
“This could include persons briefly passing or traveling through North Carolina or coming to North Carolina for the main purpose of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine and then returning to another state,” the statement said.
