By Jared Putnam
Staff Writer
COVID-19 cases continued to rise in Clay County during a week in which public health officials released guidance on health emergencies and booster shots.
Clay County Health Department announced 64 known current active cases of the virus within the county as of Monday, up 11 from a week earlier.
With many hospitals already pushed beyond normal capacity, CCHD issued an advisory asking residents to call EMS only during a "true" emergency.
"EMS trucks are waiting for hours at local ERs for bed availability for patients," CCHD said in a release. "Surrounding counties are working together to help provide emergency services to those who are in distress. As in-patient COVID cases in hospitals rise, it is important that we remain vigilant in applying CDC mitigation strategies, where applicable, to help prevent further spread of the virus."
Clay County also recorded its 21st COVID-19 related death since the pandemic began. The health department announced on Aug. 12 that a 64-year-old hospitalized resident had passed away due to complications from the virus.
Northeast Georgia Health System, which includes Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, Ga., updates its COVID-19 data on a daily basis. As of Tuesday, the system was caring for 202 COVID-19 inpatients. Eighty-five percent of those were unvaccinated, while 98 percent of COVID-19 patients in critical care were unvaccinated.
North Carolinians who are moderately to severely immunocompromised and received the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines can now begin receiving a third or "booster" dose to better protect themselves from COVID-19, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced on Monday. It is not recommended that immunocompromised people who were vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine get an additional dose at this time.
A full list of conditions can be found on the CDC’s website. People who are moderately to severely immunocompromised make up about three percent of the adult population in the United States.
“This additional dose will offer valuable protection to those who need it, especially as we face a surge in COVID-19 cases due to the Delta variant,” said Dr. Elizabeth Tilson, NCDHHS State Health Director and Chief Medical Officer. “I encourage those who are eligible to get this additional dose."
According to the CDC, emerging data suggest some people with moderately to severely compromised immune systems do not always build the same level of immunity after vaccination compared to people who are not immunocompromised. In addition, in small studies, fully vaccinated immunocompromised people have accounted for a large proportion of hospitalized post-vaccination cases.
North Carolina providers have now administered more than 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, with vaccinations recently trending upward. Last week, overall doses administered for COVID-19 vaccines were up more than 16 percent and first doses increased more than 30 percent compared to two weeks prior.
"Thank you to the many North Carolinians who are protecting themselves and their friends, family and neighbors by getting a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccination,” said Kody Kinsley, NCDHHS Chief Deputy Secretary for Health. “This pandemic is not over. The Delta variant is racing across the state, fueled by high rates of unvaccinated individuals. COVID-19 vaccines are our best tool to slow the spread, save lives and put this pandemic in the rearview mirror."
Five states in the United States set records for the average number of daily COVID-19 cases last weekend, including three in the south, where vaccination rates have lagged behind many other parts of the country. Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida are experiencing the most severe outbreaks on a per-capita basis.
On Tuesday, North Carolina reported 3,575 new cases of COVID-19 and 15 new deaths over a 24-hour period. There were 2,828 COVID-19 related hospitalizations in the state.
To schedule a COVID-19 vaccination, call the Clay County Health Department at (828) 389-8052.