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Vaccines and boosters are the most effective protection against the virus
Jessica Webb
editor@thesmokymountaintimes.com
While cases of Omicron have peaked in other parts of the country, spread of the virus is still going strong here in North Carolina. Last week, the statewide cases reached a 7-day average of around 29,000— four times higher than the last wave of the virus.
Statewide, there were 18,452 new daily cases Monday and a test rate of 37.8%.
North Carolina leaders requested federal support last week to support hospitals in the Charlotte region to alleviate capacity constraints due to the surge. The state is acting in partnership with Atrium Health in the request. According to NCDHHS Secretary Kody H. Kinsley, the state’s health system is above 95% capacity.
On Monday, there were 4,896 people hospitalized in North Carolina with Covid-19. Among them were 263 patients in the western part of the state (Mountain Area Healthcare Preparedness Coalition), with 51 of them in the ICU.
Fewer patients are in ICU than there were during the Delta surge in September, with about 16% statewide now. Statewide, there have been 20,289 deaths since the pandemic began.
It’s a different story for the local hospital system in Swain and neighboring Jackson County, where the number of people hospitalized with the virus was far higher last fall.
“Swain Community Hospital Emergency Department cares for COVID-19 patients until there is a bed at Harris Regional Hospital. We are currently treating five COVID-19-positive patients at Harris Regional Hospital. At the peak of the pandemic, we were treating 25 to 30 patients with COVID-19,” shared Dr. Chelsea Burrell, Wellness Manager & Health Educator.
One of the challenges for hospitals across the country has been that the virus, particularly the omicron which has led to more breakthrough cases, has increased staffing concerns.
“Swain Community Hospital, like other hospitals and health systems nationwide, continues to face staffing challenges related to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Burrell said. “We continue to monitor our staffing levels closely to help extend our hospital’s capacity and manage fluctuating patient volumes.”
Schools have also been impacted by the ongoing virus. Swain County School District has been able to continue with regular in-person class schedules, but adjustments have had to be made. A big challenge, too, is a lack of substitutes.
Mark Sale, Superintendent, said this on the current state of the staffing impact:
“It varies from week to week, day to day, and it’s the combination of quarantining with everyday impact of sickness and other elements in teacher's lives. Covid has stressed the subbing market significantly. We use a contract service provider that provides subs for several school districts and people are pulled. Some are reluctant to put themselves in such a high level of interaction. It’s not as simple as saying Covid is creating all the significant problems. It’s a combination of issues. I believe we have seen some improvement recently, but we still do not have enough subs.”
Local peak a few weeks out
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control indicates that 99% of the cases in the Southeast are the Omicron variant, which is highly contagious.
On Monday, the numbers for Swain County were as follows: 323 cases over the past 14 days; 146 over the past 7; and 8 new daily cases, according to the state dashboard at ncdhhs.gov. There have been 33 Covid deaths in the county since the pandemic began with no additional deaths over the past 7 days.
“Case numbers in recent weeks have been higher than what we experienced at our highest level in the past,” confirmed Swain County Health Department Health Director Amber Welch. “Surges seem to begin later in our area, so based on what has happened historically, our peak will likely be a couple of weeks to a month behind other parts of the state.”
“Omicron is highly contagious and easily transmitted, which is evident by the increase in cases seen locally in recent weeks. Overall, the symptoms seem to be less severe than previous variants,” she added.
Free testing
President Joe Biden Administration has made free at-home COVID-19 testing kits available to all United States households. To order a free kit, visit https://special.usps.com/testkits or call 1-800-232-0233. Limit is one order per household. Orders are said to begin shipping this week.
“Testing is important because, once you are aware you have the virus you can take steps to protect others and reduce transmission,” Welch said. “Through collaboration with Optum, we have been able to add an additional day for testing at the FREE COVID testing site at Swain Recreation Center.”
Snow last week kept the local free testing site from opening. The site is open Tuesdays and Wednesdays 8 a.m.-2 p.m. and Fridays 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Swain County Recreation Center (240 Deep Creek Road). Schedule an appointment online at lhi.care/covidtesting or call 1-877-562-4850.
You can also search for other testing sites online by visiting: https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/about-covid-19/testing/find-covid-19-tests.
Vaccinations, boosters
Only about a quarter of the United States population is fully vaccinated and received a booster shot, according to the CDC.
“As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in our community, we strongly recommend that everyone receive the COVID-19 vaccine and booster dose (for those eligible), as vaccination continues to be our first and best line of defense,” Burrell said.
In Swain County, the vaccinations are as follows: 9,165 have received at least one dose (64%), with 7,780 at least two doses or one of J&J (55%). Booster shot rates are much lower, with 3,388 people vaccinated with a booster.
“Continue to take precautions ,such as frequently washing your hands and stay at home if you're sick,” Welch said. “Vaccines are safe and effective and are available at many locations. Swain County Health Department is offering vaccines for children and adults on Thursdays.”
Beefing up on masks
When it comes to extremely transmissible Omicron variant, health officials have recommended N95 masks over cloth masks. Everyone, including those who are vaccinated and boosted, are encouraged to wear masks in public indoor spaces.
Swain County shared that it has N95 masks available for free to members of the public, which are available for pick up at both the health department and Department of Social Services in town.
Quarantining
With the CDC’s guidelines released in late December, everyone regardless of vaccination status is told to isolate at home if they test positive for the virus, with return to work and other activities after 5 days with no symptoms. Those up to date on their vaccination who have been exposed are to wear their masks for 10 days. Those who are unvaccinated or whose vaccines are not up to date are to quarantine for 5 days.