Covid spread still high in community
Jessica Webb
editor@thesmokymountaintimes.com
After Labor Day weekend, every doctor’s office and urgent care in the area was packed full of people seeking a Covid-19 test. Some relief is on the way to address long wait times and other hassles of testing. Beginning Friday, Oct. 1 a rapid and PCR testing site will open at the Swain County Recreation Center (Old Pepsi plant at 30 Recreation Park Drive).
The testing center will be open Tuesdays 8 a.m.-2 p.m. and Fridays 11 a.m.-6 p.m., and anyone can receive a test—no insurance necessary. Walk-ins will be accepted, but appointments are encouraged.
"Testing is a core element of North Carolina’s response to this pandemic, and that means making sure cost and access challenges never act as a barrier to a needed test. As we continue expanding free community testing options, we’re helping North Carolinians to stay informed about their health and help slow the spread of COVID-19," said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen, M.D.
The new site is part of the state’s ongoing work to increase community-based testing sites and curb the virus. It’s being made possible through a partnership of the Swain County Health Department and N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and OptumServe.
Testing site locations are determined based on epidemiological trends and reports from state and local public health. Key considerations include the acceleration and overall rate of case growth, the share of new cases among historically marginalized populations and current levels of testing access.
If you are interested in getting a virus test, you may register and make an appointment by visiting https://lhi.care/covidtesting or by calling (877) 562-4850. Curbside testing will be available for those who are unable to leave their vehicle.
Community spread still high
The spread of COVID-19 is still high in Swain County, although statewide and nationally, the Delta variant seems to be slowing.
For the past month, we continue to average 100 active cases. Statewide cases have started to decline. We hope to see this trend in our county in the following weeks,” said Alison Cochran, Swain County health director by email. “Individuals should continue to wear their masks indoors and socially distance when possible.”
Swain County’s 14-day case number was 133, with 27 new daily cases on Tuesday.
According to the CDC’s tracker (covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker), the county had 73 cases over a 7-day period and a test positive rate of 22.88%.
Also according to the site, 53.5% of the county’s eligible population is fully vaccinated— including residents of the Qualla Boundary. There were no Swain County residents newly hospitalized over the past 7 days. s
Statewide, there were 2,469 new cases of Covid on Tuesday— a 10.6% daily percent positive compared to nearly 15% in previous weeks. There are still over 3,000 people hospitalized with the virus in North Carolina.
More than 1,200 people have died from the virus in North Carolina this September, making it the third deadliest month behind January and December.
Swain County has had a total of 22 deaths from COVID-19, with the number of cases this past month reaching close to the same number as there were in January.
Booster shots
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends booster shots of the Pfizer vaccine for those fully vaccinated after six months who are 65 and older or 18+ and have underlying medical conditions or work in a high-risk environment, like healthcare, education and the service industry.
Those seeking a Pfizer booster shot can reach out to Walgreens, Bryson City Pharmacy, CVS in Jackson County, Jackson County Health Department, and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Hospital.
The easiest place to look is: https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/vaccines. This site has a list of all providers for vaccines.
The company has also submitted information toward an effort to get emergency authorization for the vaccine for children aged 5 and up, with some indication it could be as early as December.
Swain County Health Department continues to provide Moderna booster shots to those who are who have compromised immune systems.
Immunocompromised includes people with different health conditions that can weaken the immune system, Cochran said. These include those who have received organ or stem cell transplants, people with advanced or untreated HIV infection, those currently being treated for cancer, taking medications that weaken the immune system and those with other conditions.
“A person who has a weakened immune system may not get high enough immunity with just two doses, so they need a third dose,” explained Cochran.