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From YouTube: COVID-19 Community Update (Feb. 15, 2022)
Description
COVID-19 Community Update taken from the Board of Commissioners' Briefing in Buncombe County, NC on Feb. 15, 2022. Learn more at buncombeready.org
A
A
A
Deaths
unfortunately,
have
increased.
21
new
deaths
were
added
to
the
dashboard.
However,
only
nine
of
those
actually
occurred
in
the
last
week.
The
remaining
deaths
occurred
in
weeks
previous,
but
were
delayed
and
being
reported,
but
this
has
caused
our
death
rate
to
jump
to
eight
new
cases
per
100
000
per
week,
because
of
that
those
delays.
A
Hospitalization
and
our
hospitalization
indicators
are
now
both
very
favorable
regarding
what
you're
seeing
in
front
of
you
now
is
regarding
the
entire
western
north
carolina
region,
hospitalizations
and
icus
continue
to
decline
within
the
mission
health
system.
There
have
been
a
consider.
There
has
been
a
considerable
drop
in
inpatient
hospital
beds
occupied
by
covet
19
in
the
last
week.
A
A
As
of
monday,
there
were
104
total
patients
with
cova
19
within
the
mission
health
system.
This
is
down
from
almost
200
196
patients
about
three
weeks
ago,
which
appears
to
be
probably
the
peak
for
that.
For
that
indicator,
icu
utilization
continues
to
decline
and
is
now
well
below
30
percent.
We
are
around
25
mid
25
percent.
A
As
I
have
said
previously,
we
we
have
approached
2022
and
once
we
entered
into
the
new
year,
there
are
key
thresholds
that
help
us
usher
in
a
new
chapter,
new
phase
of
the
coven
19
response,
in
particular
as
vaccine,
we
have
approximately
70
percent
of
our
eligible
population
having
received
their
primary
series.
What
what
we
know
is
fully
vaccinated
and
50.
56
percent
of
those
individuals
that
have
received
full
series
have
also
received
a
third
or
booster
dose.
A
Vaccines
continue
to
demonstrate
effectiveness
in
preventing
infection,
severe
illness,
hospitalizations
and
deaths
and,
in
addition,
evolving
treatments
and
therapeutics
continue
to
grow
and
supply
and
access.
These
treatments
also
help
in
reducing
severe
illness,
hospitalizations
and
deaths
in
individuals
with
higher
risk,
as
anticipated.
A
Given
the
rapid
and
continued
and
expected
to
continue
decline
in
cases,
transmissions
and
hospitalizations
included
in
those
public
health
recommendations,
we'll
be
strongly
recommending
that
individuals
continue
to
wear,
masks
and
face
coverings
in
indoor
public
spaces
with
or
without
a
county-wide
face
covering
requirement.
Layered
approaches
continue
to
help
reduce
the
spread.
A
In
addition,
these
measures
work
best
when
working
together,
vaccine
masking
testing
and
staying
home.
When
sick
we've
learned
what
things
we
can
do
individually
to
help
protect
ourselves
and
as
the
surge
dissipates
individuals
can
continue
to
utilize,
these
effective
tools,
while
assessing
their
risk
for
exposure.
A
A
We
currently
have
72
percent
of
our
eligible
population,
having
received
at
least
one
dose
and
approaching
that
70
percent
of
that
eligible
population
receiving
their
full
series.
Vaccine
uptake
has
slowed.
I
did
mention
that
the
last
time,
but
we
do
continue
to
see
county-wide
two
to
300
net
change
in
doses
administered
each
week.
For
the
last
few
weeks,
each
dose
is
helping
to
build
a
stronger
shield
of
protection
from
covid19,
especially
against
severe
illness
and
hospitalization.
A
I
did
want
to
share
the
hospitalization
and
icu
data
that
we
have
statewide.
Vaccines
are
continuing
to
demonstrate
their
effectiveness
in
preventing
infection,
severe
illness
and
hospitalization
and
death
almost
70
percent.
If
you
look
at
the
top,
almost
70
percent
of
all
hospitalizations
are
in
unvaccinated,
while
the
risk
is
much
lower
in
those
that
are
fully
vaccinated
and
even
lower
in
those
who
are
fully
vaccinated
with
a
booster.
A
So
for
our
community,
that's
listening
in!
If
you
or
someone
you
know,
wants
their
vaccine.
You
can
still
visit
us
at
the
health
department
at
40
cox,
tuesday,
through
friday,
nine
to
four
buncombe
county
hhs
will
move
forward
with
transitioning
our
40
cox.
What
would
our
smaller
mass
facts
clinic
into
the
existing
immunization
clinic
by
the
end
of
february
now
that
our
less
than
five-year-old
vaccine
authorization
looks
like
it's
going
to
be
delayed
for
a
couple
months?
A
Buncombe
county
hhs
and
buncombe
county
emergency
management
have
been
bringing
in
the
new
year
with
several
school-based
initiatives
for
vaccine.
Our
event
at
asheville
middle
was
the
most
attended
with
over
90
doses,
administered,
followed
by
tc
robertson,
where
we
administered
over
30
doses
and
we
closed
out
that
series
at
north
buncombe
high
with
vaccinating
just
under
10
individuals.
A
And
as
I
wrap
up
today,
there
are
some
key
messages
for
the
community
to
remember
again,
we
are
experiencing
a
rapid
decline
in
cases,
transmission
and
hospitalizations.
It
appears
that
we
are
seeing
that
decline
in
that
omicron
curve
and
that
omicron
surge
as
the
surge
continues
to
decline.
We
are
now
moving
into
strongly
recommending
individuals
continue
to
wear,
masks
and
indoor
public
spaces
again,
if
you
are
exposed
to
a
known,
positive,
consider
getting
tested.
A
If
you
have
symptoms,
stay
home,
seek
provider
or
community
testing.
If
you
are
infected
and
are
high
risk
for
severe
illness,
talk
to
your
provider
or
visit
the
find
treatment
website
and
vaccines
again,
just
want
to
close
out
by
saying
vaccines
are
working
to
prevent
severe
illness,
hospitalizations
and
death.
Please
consider
getting
the
dose
that
you
are
missing
today,
whether
that's
your
first,
your
second
or
your
booster,
and
I
wanted
to
thank
you
all
very
much
for
your
time
today
and
welcome
any
questions.
B
Thank
you
stacy.
I
have
a
question
or
so
the
looking
at
the
data
you
gave
us
so
only
56
percent
of
the
fully
vaccinated
have
received
their
third
boot,
the
third
booster
or
the
booster,
which
is
the
third,
and
when
I
look
at
the
hospitalizations
and
the
icu
numbers,
if
you've
had
the
booster,
I
mean
it
is
dramatically
decreasing
your
chances
of
ending
up
in
the
hospital
or
the
icu.
B
And
so,
and
it
seems
like
that
group
of
people
right,
they've,
they've
already
taken
had
vaccines,
so
it
seems
likely
to
me
that
they
would
be
open
to
having
the
third,
and
so
I'm
wondering.
Is
there
anything
that
you're,
seeing
or
you're
thinking
about
that?
We
can
really
do
with
outreach
to
that
group
to
increase
their
uptake
of
the
booster
to
because
clearly
we're
seeing
that
that
helps.
A
A
If
you,
if
you're
eligible
we've
had
you
know
not
everybody's
going
to
be
eligible
for
a
booster
yet
so
we
want
folks
to
remember
that,
as
you
approach
your
eligibility,
there
are
several
providers
in
our
community,
so
we
continue
to
and
will
continue
that
will
be
sort
of
our
goal
for
2022,
as
as
we
approached
2022
and
came
into,
it
was
really
about
our
whole
campaign.
Around
boost
give
your
new
year
a
boost.
C
You
know,
I
guess
kind
of
related
to
that
I
mean
I
realize
what
we
do
in
one
community.
We
can't
establish
the
language
for
how
we
talk
about
all
this
stuff.
As
a
country
right,
I
mean,
there's
sort
of
the
national
terminology-
that's
being
used
around
this,
but
I
mean
in
a
way
the
commissioner
wells
point.
A
Thanks
for
that
comment,
absolutely
it
is
very
important
that
if
you
are
eligible
for
your
booster,
that
we
are
seeing
time
and
time
again,
booster,
like
vaccine,
is
demonstrating
its
effectiveness
you're
right,
we
don't
get
to
control
sort
of
like
what's
called
fully
vaccinated
right
now.
That
language
is
still,
as
is,
for
the
two
series,
although
there
has
been
a
shift
in
that
language,
at
least
at
the
federal
level,
with
the
cdc
that
now
to
more
talk
about
up
to
date,
are
you
up
to
date
with
your
coven
19
vaccine?
D
D
I
guess,
as
I
think
we
all
know,
the
federal
government
has
provided
some
free
n95
masks
through
various
pharmacies
in
those
kinds
of
locations.
Someone
was
asking
me
if
there's
a
way
without
calling
every
pharmacy
in
asheville
and
asking
them.
Is
there
a
way
to
like
look
up
what
locations
people
can
go
to
get
those
those
federally
funded,
free
masks.
A
D
I
think
when
we
thought
it
was
coming,
someone
was
asking
me
about
you
know
where,
where
people
can
go
to
get
those
shots-
and
I
guess
I
just
wanted
to
ask-
is
like-
is
it
your
expectation
that
most
people
would
go
to
a
pediatrician's
office
to
get
that
vaccine?
Would
our
health
department
be
involved
in
giving
out
those
vaccines?
What's
kind
of
the
general
plan
for
when
that
does
come.
A
But
the
prep
act
doesn't
allow
for
the
pharmacist
to
vaccinate
anyone
younger
than
three
or
three
younger.
So
we're
going
to
miss
a
chunk
of
that
population.
And
so
we
do
anticipate
that
local
health
departments
around
the
state
are
going
to
are
going
to
act
as
a
safety
net.
When
the
zero
to
four
are
are
eligible.
A
And
for
us
we
had
delayed
our
transition
of
the
40
cox,
smaller
mass
facts,
clinic
in
anticipation
of
the
zero
to
four
and
now
that
we're
hearing
that
delay
and
then
it's
likely
probably
april.
We
will
go
ahead
and
transition
that
and
then,
as
we
approach
that
eligibility
likely
plan
either,
you
know
a
special
event
or
some
type
of
special
setup
to
help
meet
that
need.
E
E
A
C
C
C
So
as
part
of
that,
we
should
also
discuss
the
local
emergency
order
that
was
put
into
place.
It
doesn't
cover
just
the
indoor
mass
policy,
it's
sort
of
larger
than
that,
but
we
should,
if
there's
consensus,
to
agree
to
that,
we
should
have
a
discussion
about
that
as
part
of
our
discussion
of
the
indoor
mass
policy
too,
because
they're
kind
of
kind
of
related
and
available
do
the
staff
have
any
language
that
you
would
have
ready
or
prepared.
Mr
frew
related
to
that.
F
I
didn't
get
this
to
you,
mr
chairman,
before
the
meeting,
but
if
the
board
does
decide
to
let
the
local
mandate
expire
at
noon
tomorrow,
then
it
would
be
in
order
to
add
an
agenda
item
to
specifically
rescind
the
local
state
of
emergency.
That
was
just
activating
the
emergency
action
plan.
So
it'd
just
simply
be
a
motion
to
if
the
board
decides
to
rescind
the
emergency
action
plan
in
the
local
state
of
emergency.
C
Okay,
so
we
could
adopt
that
that
language
that
would
rescind
the
local
emergency
declaration.
Yes,
sir
okay,
is
there
consensus
to
include
that
in
the
discussion
this
evening?
Great
thank
you
and
well.
I
had
there
was
one
other
question
that
someone
asked
me
so
assuming
that
the
indoor
mass
policy
expires
on
february
16th,
the
that
still
allows
individual
businesses
and
organizations
who
wish
to
continue
to
have
an
indoor
mask
requirement
for
their
own
facilities
to
make
that
choice.
Is
that
correct.
C
C
So
they
feel
like
it's
important
for
the
time
being,
to
keep
that
policy
in
place
and
wanted
us
to
just
share
that.
That's
their
intent
and
I
want
to
make
sure
we're
not
going
to
adopt
anything
that
would
be
inconsistent
with
allowing
them
to
make
that
choice.
Just
as
any
individual
business
owner
could
continue
to
do
so
within
their
own
private
property.
If
they
choose
to
do
so,.