COVID cases in Mecklenburg could remain high through mid-February, county warns
COVID-19 cases in Mecklenburg have skyrocketed in recent weeks — and could remain high through mid-February, Mecklenburg County Public Health Director Gibbie Harris said in a news conference Thursday.
Harris asked residents to abide by the state’s new advisory directive, which asks North Carolinians to stay home unless they are going to work, school, to exercise, to attend to health care needs or to get groceries.
More than 2,450 Mecklenburg County residents have been vaccinated by the county public health department, county medical director Dr. Meg Sullivan told reporters. And the county expects to give out another 400 doses today, she said.
Mecklenburg’s vaccine clinic at Bojangles Coliseum gave out about 350 vaccines in the clinic’s first day open on Wednesday, Sullivan said.
“We know that our appointments filled up quickly,” she said. “We are working to open up additional appointments. We really encourage people to continue to check on our website.”
The county has received a total of 4,875 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from the state and expects to receive more doses next week, Sullivan said.
Thursday was the third news briefing this week for Harris and Sullivan, the county’s medical director, as elderly residents try to navigate the complicated distribution process while vaccine doses remain extremely limited.
The clinic is by appointment only. Anyone age 75 and up can schedule an appointment at the county clinic by calling 980-314-9400 and selecting Option 3, or online at mecknc.gov/COVID-19 or https://booknow.appointment-plus.com/83g1hcpv/.
The roll-out of Phase 1b — starting with Group 1, as two other subcategories wait to become eligible for immunizations — comes as coronavirus conditions rapidly deteriorate in the Charlotte region.
Harris told reporters that she has received her first vaccine shot, as did Mecklenburg County Commissioner Vilma Leake. County Manager Dena Diorio is expected to be immunized once her slot becomes available, Harris said.
Sullivan said it will take a “very long time” for everyone to get inoculated and see the positive impact from vaccines.
“We’re trying to get vaccine out as safely and equitably as possible,” she said. “But (with) the amount of vaccine that we have right now, the focus really needs to be on prevention for these cases.”
Worsening COVID trends
Mecklenburg added 962 new coronavirus infections Thursday, bringing the cumulative case tally since March to 68,155, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported. Local officials say 606 residents have died of coronavirus-related complications, including 40 in January so far.
The county’s positivity rate soared to an all-time high of 15.6% in the past week, officials said Tuesday.
Hospitalizations are also shattering records. The number of coronavirus patients seeking intensive-level care surpassed 500 on Sunday, the latest day public health data was available. And each of the last seven days reported set a new record.
“We are hoping, as always, for our community to work with us and to be diligent about doing the things we’re asking you to do right now, without having to enforce more or put more restrictions in place,” Harris said. “But I will say that those things are always on the table.
For now, Mecklenburg will continue to align with Gov. Roy Cooper, who on Wednesday extended his modified stay-at-home order for three weeks.
Health experts caution that it will take weeks, based on the incubation period of the virus, to see the full impact of holiday gatherings.
Yet locally, hospital leaders and officials have declined to publicly disclose when exactly Mecklenburg may hit its next coronavirus peak — and just how many ventilators, beds and healthcare workers might be needed to handle the surge.
This story was originally published January 7, 2021 at 2:00 PM.
.jpg)