Daily Journal file photo Health care workers are among those classified as essential in Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive order. Businesses not listed as essential in the executive order can file an application with the North Carolina Department of Revenue.
ROCKINGHAM — Richmond County is now feeling the impacts of the increased gatherings during the Thanksgiving holiday in the form of heightened numbers of new COVID-19 cases, according to Health Director Tommy Jarrell.
Wednesday, Dec. 2 saw 51 new cases reported, the highest number of new cases in a single day not counting Monday numbers, which include three days (Saturday, Sunday and Monday, and four days the Monday after Thanksgiving). Last week finished with 182 new cases reported, the highest for any week yet. On Monday, Dec. 7, there were 81 new cases reported for an average of 27 cases from Saturday to Monday.
“I think definitely we’re beginning to see that trend,” Jarrell said Friday. “I don’t think we’ve reached a peak … we’re seeing what they told us to anticipate.”
He added that this week will show how bad the transfer of COVID-19 was over the Thanksgiving holiday.
Richmond County officials have not received specifics about when doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will be available locally, but some details about the rollout have taken shape.
The Food and Drug Administration will meet with Pfizer on Dec. 10 to discuss the company’s request for emergency use authorization for its vaccine, which must be administered in two doses scheduled three weeks apart from one another, according to the Associated Press. North Carolina could receive its first allotment of 84,800 doses by the following week. That amount would immunize 42,400 people, based on the Pfizer vaccine’s two-doses-per-person requirement.
Jarrell said these doses will be doled out on a weekly basis to counties, but he doesn’t yet know how much Richmond County will receive each week. Healthcare workers, those with chronic health concerns and those in long-term care are the first priority to receive the vaccine.
“While supplies are limited you’ve got to reach the group that is most vulnerable first,” Jarrell said.
Jarrell added that in a meeting last week, he was told that the new estimate was that by April everyone will be able to get the vaccine regardless of health status or whether you’re in the healthcare field.
GET TESTED FOR FREE
Free COVID-19 testing in Richmond County has been expanded to include the Cole Auditorium parking lot and the Ellerbe Middle School parking long.
• The tests will be offered at the Richmond County Health Department’s back parking lot located at 127 Caroline St. Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The free testing will be available through Dec. 31, 2020. Anyone seeking testing should enter the Greene Street entrance and follow signs to the back of building to testing center.
• At the Cole, located at 1042 W. Hamlet Ave. in Hamlet, testing will be available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Dec. 7 to Dec. 11.
• At Ellerbe Middle, located at 128 Ballard St. in Ellerbe, testing will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Dec. 14 to Dec. 18.
Both sites will be closed for a lunch break from 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.
These tests do not require a patient to be experiencing symptoms, to have a doctor’s note, nor to have insurance. The wait time for results is roughly the same as the wait following a test with FirstHealth.
Reach Gavin Stone at 910-817-2673 or gstone@www.yourdailyjournal.com. To support the Richmond County Daily Journal, subscribe at https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/subscribe.