ASHEVILLE – COVID-19 is now at its highest since December in Buncombe County, and assessments at native pharmacies are working low.
As of Aug. 16, COVID-19 ranges within the Metropolitan Sewer District of Buncombe County at the moment are between the eightieth and 99th percentile relative to previous ranges measured on the identical web site, the best potential score within the North Carolina Division of Well being and Human Companies’ monitoring dashboard. That is the latest information out there.
Hospitalizations within the western a part of the state are nonetheless low, in response to NCDHHS. The seven day common for adults in intensive care models is 2. Buncombe County continues to be within the Heart for Illness Management’s “inexperienced zone” for hospital admissions, the bottom stage within the federal company’s three-tiered system.
“COVID-19 metrics together with wastewater are rising in our group. The excellent news is we’ve nice prevention instruments to cut back danger towards fall respiratory viruses together with COVID-19,” Buncombe County Public Well being Director Dr. Ellis Matheson stated to the Citizen Instances in an Aug. 23 assertion.
Matheson continued, “Public Well being encourages the group to remain updated with vaccines together with Flu and COVID-19, take a look at and search steering for therapy from their medical supplier if wanted and proceed fundamental prevention measures like handwashing, masking your cough, and staying dwelling when sick.”
Based on employees at pharmacies within the space, demand for COVID-19 assessments is now outpacing provide. Jamie Delahoze, a pharmacy technician on the CVS Westgate location, stated to the Citizen Instances that she has “undoubtedly” seen an uptick in want for COVID-19 assessments. She stated that the pharmacy obtained 120 packing containers of assessments in its final cargo and have solely 60 remaining. The following cargo is available in two weeks.
“I wouldn’t doubt that they’d be gone earlier than the tip of the week,” Delahoze stated.
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Bryce Mazur, a pharmacy technician on the Walgreens Merrimon Avenue location, stated to the Citizen Instances that his retailer is out of COVID-19 assessments as of Aug. 23. Mazur has “seen fairly a bit extra requests” for assessments over the previous month. He doesn’t know when they are going to be receiving one other cargo, saying that they simply present up on the truck, however anticipates they are going to be restocked over the subsequent few days.
Free assessments can be found to Buncombe County residents. Based on the NCDHHS web site, folks older than 14 can choose up free speedy assessments on the following Asheville areas:
- The Western North Carolina AIDS Challenge-Asheville, 554 Fairview Highway.
- Asheville Buncombe Institute for Parity Achievement, 56 Walton St.
- UNETE, 55 Adams Hill Highway.
- The Salvation Military of Buncombe County, 204 Haywood St.
- Hola Carolina, 19 Eagle St. Suite 120.
- Tranzmission Inc., 37 Montford Ave. Suite 2.
- Neighborhood Motion Alternatives, 25 Gaston St.
The state means that residents name areas earlier than choosing up assessments. Buncombe County additionally gives assessments on the County DHHS workplace positioned at 40 Coxe Ave.
Mitchell Black covers Buncombe County and healthcare for the Citizen Instances. E-mail him at mblack@citizentimes.com or comply with him on Twitter @MitchABlack. Please assist help native journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Instances.
