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Vaccine clinic
There’s encouraging news on the COVID front: Active cases are down, health officials have ramped up their ability to dispense vaccinations infrastructure, and Western Carolina University is set to open a clinic to serve the region.
But even with those advancements, the continuing shortage of vaccines is hampering efforts to control the pandemic in Macon County.
“Macon County is seeing a decrease in the number of COVID-19 daily cases, and we are also seeing a decrease in the number of individuals tested,” said Kathy McGaha. “However, our percent positive remains at approximately 17.3%, which is much higher than the state, which averages at about 7.5%.
“Because we are testing fewer people, and most of those who are being tested are experiencing some symptom which may be associated with COVID-19, our percent positive is particularly high.”
There are currently more than 6,000 people on the MCPH vaccine waiting list, but McGaha notes that not all are from Macon.
“No COVID-19 vaccine providers can limit vaccine based on residence,” McGaha said. “There are individuals who live outside of Macon County on Macon County’s waitlist.”
The declining number of hospitalizations is evidence of the apparent easing of the COVID crisis in Western North Carolina.
As of Monday, Feb. 15, there were 76 total active positive cases within the Mission system, compared to a high of 175 patients on Jan. 16, according to HCA/Mission spokeswoman Nancy Lindell.
Regional clinic at WCU
Western Carolina University is set to begin administering vaccines as early as Wednesday, Feb. 17.
“Things are moving fast,” said Courtnee Lingerfelt, director of WCU’s regional COVID-19 vaccine clinic. I think that we will be ready to roll by Feb. 18. That’s our target date.”
The clinic will operate out of WCU’s Health and Human Sciences building. Initially, WCU is partnering with the Jackson County Department of Public Health to reduce its backlog of residents seeking to get vaccines. Once that backlog is cleared, the clinic will begin adding appointments in compliance with North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services guidelines. The clinic, which will serve all residents of Western North Carolina, will operate by appointment only.
The clinic initially plans to be open Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The clinic also is partnering with Southwestern Community College as a clinical site for its nursing and health care students.
Teachers elevated
Following Gov. Roy Cooper’s decision to elevate teachers and school staff to Group 3 in the vaccine priority list, teachers could start receiving vaccinations on Wednesday, Feb. 24, but supplies could hamper that effort, McGaha said. Other essential frontline workers would be eligible beginning March 10.
Macon County leaders, meanwhile, urged residents to register to receive the vaccine regardless of eligibility criteria. The county has opened registration to all individuals regardless of what eligibility criteria they fall within.
“We urge Macon County residents to get registered now so when we receive vaccine and other eligibility groups open, appointments can be made quickly,” said county manager Derek Roland. “We appreciate your patience as we await vaccine from NC DHHS.”
Macon County residents are free to register for vaccinations in any other county.
In Macon, individuals can call 828-524-1500 to begin the registration process and get added to the waitlist.
Highlands Clinic
McGaha addressed persistent questions regarding recent vaccinations in Highlands that some local residents fear have taken vaccines of others in the county.
“Macon County Public Health is a lead partner with the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau Vaccine Initiative,” she said. “Macon County Public Health’s goal is to get as many vaccine doses in the community as possible. After the HCPVI held their first mass vaccination clinic with doses they were able to secure from regional hospitals, the organization was able to qualify for a “special event.” MCPH submitted a special event application in conjunction with HCPVI.
The special event status also provided vaccines to Macon County’s Latinx population and homebound individuals.
“Approximately 300 individuals that received vaccines at the event were removed from Macon County’s waitlist,” McGaha said.
MCPH has submitted a special event application to administer 1,000 doses in the Franklin area, she added.
The first two Highlands clinics in January vaccinated a total of 917 people, according to Highlands-Cashiers Health Foundation CEO Robin Tindall. Another clinic was slated to do 1,000 more this past weekend, but those numbers were not available at press time. The clinic expected to begin administering second doses to people on Wednesday, Feb. 17.
Lindell credited Tom Neal, CEO of Highlands-Cashiers Hospital, with organizing the Highlands clinic.
According to the NCDHHS, the six far-western counties had administered these vaccinations as of Feb. 15:
• Jackson, 5,700
• Macon, 5,127
• Cherokee, 4,293
• Swain, 2,153
• Graham, 1,558
• Clay, 1,454