FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 21, 2021
In the week since the last press release, Haywood County Public Health has received notice of 321 new cases of COVID-19. As of 5 p.m. on September 20, 2021, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has recorded a total of 6,482 cases in Haywood County since the pandemic began.
According to the CDC, ALL of North Carolina is listed as an area of high community transmission. All surrounding states are also high-transmission areas. Mask-wearing indoors is now highly recommended in such areas. Masks are now required in Haywood County facilities, including the libraries, for employees and the public.
This week 84.1 percent of COVID cases were among those unvaccinated. Nearly all of those who require hospitalization are unvaccinated.
“Positive cases continue to rise and the loss in our community has been tremendous as we recorded 12 COVID-related deaths last week. The vast majority of positive cases are among our unvaccinated population. If you are unvaccinated, I urge you to reconsider. If you are on the fence, please reach out to our staff or your primary care provider for information about the vaccine so that we can address any concerns that you may have.
I want to remind the community that at this time we are awaiting further guidance from the FDA and CDC regarding the administration of boosters. Currently, we are not administering boosters but will make the community aware when information becomes available to us,” said Haywood County Public Health Director Sarah Henderson.
Walk-in first and second-dose vaccinations are available at the health department and at grocery stores and pharmacies throughout the county.
Vaccination clinic hours are available Monday through Friday during normal business hours at the Haywood County Health Department. Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson and Johnson vaccines are available now, no appointment is necessary.
For more information on this or other vaccination sites visit: www.vaccines.gov
Citizens who test positive for COVID-19 are encouraged to reach out to friends or family that meet the close contact criteria, and encourage them to self-quarantine and get tested 5-6 days after their exposure to the individual who tested positive. The end goal is to reduce community spread and keep COVID numbers on the downward trend.
Businesses need to be mindful that having quarantined employees return to work too quickly could cause a cluster of cases in the workplace. We ask that employers rely on the honor system and encourage employees who have been exposed to quarantine for the recommended time frame of 14 days from the date of exposure to help reduce potential spread.