Numbers as of March 11.
As supply of the COVID-19 vaccine gains ground on demand, Clay County Health Department is urging seniors and anyone else eligible for vaccination to schedule their appointment.
"We have almost reached the end of the 65 and older portion of our waiting list," Clay County Health Director Clarissa Rogers said. "We encourage anybody that is 65 and older within the county and still haven't gotten their vaccine or anybody in the open groups, to contact us so we can get them scheduled."
Vaccine availability is currently limited to health care workers, individuals who are age 65 and older, long-term facility staff and residents and front-line essential workers. Group 4 is scheduled to gain eligibility on March 24 — a population that includes anyone with conditions that have been identified by the CDC as being at increased risk for severe COVID-19 illness regardless of age.
More than 2.9 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered across North Carolina, while at least 1.1 million people have been given both doses. However, it is estimated that less than 20 percent of Americans have received at least one dose thus far.
Public confidence in the safety of the vaccine continues to grow, slowly but steadily. A recent Pew Research Center poll indicated that nearly 69 percent of Americans now plan to get vaccinated — up from only 60 percent in November — as more people gain first-hand experience with someone who has already received the shot.
"It's a priority to provide education about the vaccine," Rogers said. "There is a lot of population here that still questions it."
While public health officials continue to focus on getting more people vaccinated, the CDC on Monday also released guidelines for those who have already been vaccinated. Officials advised that those who have been fully vaccinated can gather with other vaccinated individuals indoors without social distancing or face masks.
The agency continues to ask those fully vaccinated to observe guidelines such as wearing a face mask in public and observing social distancing and to avoid medium- and large-sized in-person gatherings.
Evidence continues to mount that the vaccinations — coupled with the decline of the post-holiday spread in cases — are helping get the virus under control.
As of Tuesday, 1,147 North Carolinians were hospitalized due to the virus — the fewest reported in a single day since early November. The state also reported 997 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, marking the first time the number has been under 1,000 since Sept. 29.
Clay County's numbers tell a similarly encouraging story. The health department reported 34 active positive cases as of Tuesday, the lowest number since it reported 26 active cases on Dec. 29, 2020.
"Hopefully we'll see that number come down even more as more of the population is vaccinated," Rogers said.
Residents can call (828) 389-8052 to get on Clay County Health Department's vaccine waiting list.