COVID-19 Case Count Surges In Davidson: Update

DAVIDSON, NC — COVID-19 hospitalizations rose to 3,493 patients in North Carolina Thursday, as the holiday surge in new cases continued in Davidson and throughout the state.

In Davidson, at least 834 cases were confirmed as of Dec. 31, along with eight COVID-19 deaths, according to North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services data. The tally represents an increase of at least 145 new cases in Davidson in the span of 15 days.

Across the state, North Carolina public health officials reported 6,715 new cases and 19 deaths Thursday. The new cases increased the state's tally of known cases to 539,545, as the death toll increased to 6,748 lives lost to the virus since March.

The rise in cases increases the percentage of positive cases in the state to 13.3 percent, according to North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services data.

Mecklenburg County Public Health reported that as of Dec. 29, the county's tally included 61,302 cases and 552 COVID-19 deaths, representing a surge of more than 7,000 new cases and 44 deaths in the county in the span of 10 days. According to county public health officials, this week 11.8 percent of those tested in the county were positive for coronavirus.

The rise in cases is putting a squeeze on hospitals in the Charlotte metro region. As of Dec. 31, 90 percent of the region's staffed intensive care unit beds and 78 percent of its staffed inpatient hospital beds will filled, according to DHHS data.

SEE ALSO: Those 75 And Older Next Up For COVID-19 Vaccine: MCPH

Mecklenburg County residents 75 years old and older will soon be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Details for when those vaccinations will begin will be unveiled the first week of January 2021, Mecklenburg County Public Health said Thursday.

"Vaccine supplies are still limited, and appointments will be made available as that supply allows. We will all work to get this vaccine out as soon as possible," MCPH said in a statement.

DHHS announced Wednesday an updated and simplified prioritization list for distribution. North Carolina is on track to receive about 120,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine each week throughout the month of January.

The state is currently vaccinating "Phase 1A," which includes healthcare workers and long-term care staff and residents who are at risk.

As of Dec. 31, at least 5,577 people had received their first dose of vaccine in Mecklenburg County, according to state public health officials.

Most healthcare providers will move into "Phase 1B" — the phase allotted for adults 75 years or older and frontline essential workers who are 50 years old or older, such as firefighters, police officers, grocery store workers and teachers — by the week of Jan. 11, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen said during a news conference Wednesday.

Phase "1B" could include up to 2 million North Carolinians, Cohen said, stressing that the process will require patience. Given the size of shipments to the state, North Carolina likely will not reach Phase 4, when vaccinations should be available for anyone who wants one, until the Spring of 2021, she said.

Here is NCDHHS' updated timeline for vaccination rollout:

Phase 1A: Health care workers fighting COVID-19 & Long-Term Care staff and residents.

• Health care workers caring for and working directly with patients with COVID-19, including staff responsible for cleaning and maintenance in those areas
• Health care workers administering vaccine
• Long-term care staff and residents—people in skilled nursing facilities and in adult, family and group homes.

Phase 1b: Adults 75 years or older and frontline essential workers.

There is not enough vaccine for everyone in this phase to be vaccinated at the same time. Vaccinations will be available to groups in the following order.

• Group 1: Anyone 75 years or older, regardless of health status or living situation
• Group 2: Health care workers and frontline essential workers 50 years or older The CDC defines frontline essential workers as first responders (e.g., firefighters and police officers), corrections officers, food and agricultural workers, U.S. Postal Service workers, manufacturing workers, grocery store workers, public transit workers, and those who work in the education sector (teachers and support staff members) as well as child care workers.
• Group 3: Health care workers and frontline essential workers of any age

Phase 2: Adults at high risk for exposure and at increased risk of severe illness.
Vaccinations will happen by group in the following order:

• Group 1: Anyone 65-74 years old, regardless of health status or living situation
• Group 2: Anyone 16-64 years old with high-risk medical conditions that increase risk of severe disease from COVID such as cancer, COPD, serious heart conditions, sickle cell disease, Type 2 diabetes, among others, regardless of living situation
• Group 3: Anyone who is incarcerated or living in other close group living settings who is not already vaccinated due to age, medical condition or job function.
• Group 4: Essential workers not yet vaccinated. The CDC defines these as workers in transportation and logistics, water and wastewater, food service, shelter and housing (e.g., construction), finance (e.g., bank tellers), information technology and communications, energy, legal, media, and public safety (e.g., engineers), and public health workers.

Phase 3: Students

• College and university students
• K-12 students age 16 and over. Younger children will only be vaccinated when the vaccine is approved for them.

Phase 4: Everyone who wants a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccination.