Vance County’s new COVID-19 cases dropped by half in the last week, with 24 new cases being reported in the 7-day period that ended Mar. 4, according to information from Granville Vance Public Health.
That reduction puts the county’s percent positivity rate at 5.3 percent, lowering it from high transmission to substantial transmission.
Granville County’s community transmission rate remains in the high category, with 4.7 percent positivity and 65 new cases in the same 7-day period. The state’s percent positive rate is slightly lower than either Vance or Granville at 4.3 percent.
Total cases of COVID-19 in Vance total 11,763 and Granville cases total 14,105. There have been no new deaths reported in the last week; total deaths across the health district are 223, with 112 in Vance County and 111 in Granville County.
A total of 60 percent of the population in Vance County over the age of 5 have gotten at least two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine or the single-shot J & J. In Granville County, that figure is 65 percent. Both counties fall below the statewide average of 71 percent who are fully vaccinated.
GVPH Director Lisa Harrison stated in the update that North Carolina has begun to move to monitoring weekly trends rather than daily data points.
“The NC DHHS data dashboard is shifting into a model where individuals can check in with the data track once a week and make decisions about their own risk and determine whether they need to add layers of protection, such as masking indoors or avoiding crowds,” Harrison said.
As restrictions ease and mask mandates Iifted, Harrison said it is important to remember that the risk for infection remains.
It’s important to remember that COVID-19 is still with us even though we are reaching less risky phases across our community and state. It is okay to choose to wear masks even when the risks have diminished – please remember there are those who may be especially vulnerable to illness,” she said.
Visit https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/25/health/cdc-covid-metrics-mask-guidance/index.html to learn more.