Holidays behind rise in virus

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  • Public Health Nursing Supervisor Clarissa Rogers explains COVID numbers.
    Public Health Nursing Supervisor Clarissa Rogers explains COVID numbers.
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Much like the rest of the state and the country, Clay County was not immune to a post-Thanksgiving spike in COVID-19 cases. Clay County Health Department reported 24 active cases on Monday, down slightly from the 26 reported on Dec. 3, but still a significant increase from the 14 active cases documented by the agency just prior to Thanksgiving.

While the spread of the virus breaks records across the state and country, the health department is urging the public to keep local numbers in perspective. “As far as recent COVID activity within the county, I know there has been a giant jump in the past two days, but it’s mostly household gatherings and social contacts,” said Clay County Public Health Nursing Supervisor Clarissa Rogers, who spoke at the Dec. 3 Clay County Board of Commissioners’ meeting.

Rogers pointed to one instance in which a group limited their gathering to 10 people, but nine of the 10 later tested positive for the virus. “Perspective is always very important because it’s often lost,” said Commission Board Chairman Rob Peck, who pointed out that Clay County’s active cases represent slightly more than 0.2 percent of the overall population.

The local numbers are a small part of a worrisome larger trend, though, as North Carolina broke its single-day record on Saturday with 6,018 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 73,468 active cases. The state also established another record of 2,240 COVID-19 hospitalizations on Monday. Nationwide, a record 101,487 COVID-19 patients were in United States hospitals on Sunday, according to the COVID Tracking Project. Beyond addressing the spike in new cases, Rogers outlined the new CDC guidelines on quarantining and touched on the health department’s plans for vaccine distribution.

New CDC recommendations stipulate, “Quarantine can end after day 10 without testing and if no symptoms have been reported during daily monitoring. With this strategy, residual post-quarantine transmission risk is estimated to be about 1 percent with an upper limit of about 10 percent.” Quarantine can end after day seven if an individual tests negative and if no symptoms were reported during daily monitoring, but should not be discontinued earlier than after day seven. Under this strategy, the residual post-quarantine transmission risk is estimated between 5-12 percent.

While Rogers aimed to calm potential fears about the recent spike in local cases, she likewise attempted to temper expectations in regards to how quickly a vaccine will be widely available to the public. “A lot of the population, they’re thinking they’re going to get this as soon as it’s released, but that’s just not the case,” she said. Phase 1a of North Carolina’s “4 Phase Prioritization Framework” states that health care workers and long-term care staff members will be the first individuals to receive the vaccine.

The good news is, Clay County Health Department has been approved as a distribution site for the vaccine. Rogers said the health department is working on reader-friendly information to better explain all phases of distribution, while also partnering with local EMS to explain the larger plan for delivery to residents who may not be able to travel to a distribution site. “The UK just started this month with the Pfizer vaccine for emergency use only, so I’m sure it’ll be trickling down here to us soon,” Rogers said. “The trials have shown 95 percent efficacy. The vaccine is going to be free to anyone regardless of insurance status.” Pfizer’s vaccine is administered in two doses, 21 days apart.

Other notes from the Clay County Board of Commissioners’ meeting:

• The board voted to limit late payment fees on water and sewer services to a flat rate of $5 per service, or $10 for both, whenever a monthly invoice is not paid in full.

• Todd Goins, Clay County Director of Social Services, provided an update on the agency in which he emphasized the need for local foster families. Clay County currently has 29 children in foster care, including six placed outside the county due to not having a family placement or foster home available locally. Social Services only has three available foster homes, as well as Truett Baptist Children’s Home. Goins also provided an update on the senior center renovations, noting that they should be completed without using any county money thanks largely to grant funds. Goins said he hopes to hold an open house for the community at some point. Goins said his agency is currently authorizing about $300,000 per month in food and nutrition service benefits using extra money from the Cares Act — about double what they are normally able to provide for Clay County — and that much of this money makes its way back into the community, supporting local businesses.

• The board approved a resolution requesting that the North Carolina state legislature allow for an amendment to a Clay County law governing fox harvesting. Current legislation, which was adopted in the 1980s, limits fox harvesting season to the first Saturday through the fourth Saturday in January, with a daily bag limit of two and a season bag limit of 10. Additionally, hunters must have tags in their possession and foxes must be tagged prior to sale. The new legislation would expand the hunting and trapping season from Nov. 1 until the last day in February each year, with no bag limit and no tagging requirements prior to or after sale. The new legislation still would not permit fox hunting at night, nor with the aid of any electronic calling device.

• Buck Shaver was reappointed to the ABC Board.

• The board approved the 2021 schedule of regular meetings.