FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – November 23, 2021
In the week since the last press release, Haywood County Public Health has received notice of 92 new cases of COVID-19. As of 5 p.m. on November 22, 2021, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has recorded a total of 7,752 cases in Haywood County since the pandemic began.
According to the CDC, most of North Carolina is listed as an area of high community transmission. All surrounding states are also high-transmission areas. Mask-wearing indoors is highly recommended. Masks are required in Haywood County facilities, including the libraries, for employees and the public.
This week 93.1 percent of new COVID cases were unvaccinated. Nearly all of those who require hospitalization are unvaccinated.
Vaccination appointments are available on a walk-in basis at the health department. Initial doses of Pfizer are available for anyone 5+, Moderna is available for anyone 12+, and all three vaccines are available for anyone 18+. Vaccine clinic hours are Monday-Friday 8-11 a.m. and 1 - 4 p.m. (The Health Department is closed on Thursday and Friday this week in observance of Thanksgiving.)
Adults are eligible for a booster when they are:
6 months past the initial doses of Pfizer or Moderna, or
2 months past the initial dose of Johnson & Johnson
If you prefer scheduling an appointment, please call 828-356-2019.
“As we move into the holiday season, we can be thankful for all the progress we have made in learning to manage COVID-19. Vaccinations are safe, effective, and widely available. Our children can now be vaccinated, which will go far toward helping to slow transmission rates. Boosters are now available for all adults, and effective treatments for those who contract COVID are becoming more available. With all this progress, we are coming closer to ending the pandemic, but we’re just not there yet. Now is not the time to let our guard down. Keeping simple safety measures like masks, hand washing, and good ventilation in place will help keep us safer until the time this pandemic fully ends,” said Public Health Director Sarah Henderson.
Multiple options for vaccination exist, including community partners like pharmacies and health clinics that are also providing walk-in first and second-dose vaccinations and boosters.
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.
