News Flash

For Immediate Release

01/12/2022    

COVID-19 Information

Phone: 980-432-1800
Website: www.rowancountync.gov/COVID-19
Email: covid-19@rowancountync.gov

Vaccine Information

Website: www.rowancountync.gov/COVIDvaccine
Follow Us: www.facebook.com/rowancountyhealth 

Rowan County COVID-19 Case Information: https://bit.ly/rowan-covid19-hub

COVID-19 Cases Continue to Rise at a Disturbing Rate 

Rowan County is currently seeing our highest number of COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic.  In the last 14 days, Rowan has seen 3,035 active cases, with an average of 248 new cases per day. As of mid-afternoon yesterday, our percent positivity rate was 31%. As far as hospitalizations within the Triad Healthcare Preparedness Coalition, which Novant Health Rowan Medical Center is a part of, there are currently 986 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19; making our hospital region the second highest in the state out of nine regions. As far as ICU adult patients, our region currently has the highest number of critical patients within in the state, with 194 patients occupying ICU beds. 

With us definitely seeing more and more people becoming sick with COVID-19 and our regional hospitalizations being some of the highest in the state, Rowan County Public Health cannot stress to you enough about the importance of getting vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible. Getting vaccinated can lower your risk of getting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. More importantly, getting vaccinated and boosted can also help prevent serious illness and death. The current recommendations for vaccines and booster shots are as follows:  

• Anyone 5 years and older can now receive a COVID-19 vaccine, with children 5-11 years of age now eligible to receive a lower dose of the Pfizer vaccine.
• A person who is 12 years of age and older and who has received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine can now receive their booster 5 months after receiving their second vaccine.
• A person who is 18 years of age and older and who has received both doses of Moderna can now receive their booster 6 months after receiving their second vaccine. 
• A person who is 18 years of age and older and who has received the single dose of J&J can now receive their booster 2 months after receiving their single vaccine.

If you or a loved one still needs to be vaccinated or boosted, please visit our website for more information.

 As far as getting tested for COVID-19, especially if you have been exposed to a positive person and/or if you are having symptoms, please visit our website to see where testing is available. For those individuals needing to get tested later in the day, please note that Novant Health is now offering testing on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 PM – 9 PM. This testing site is located at 315 Mocksville Avenue.  

If you are found to be COVID positive or have come into contact with someone that is COVID positive, please follow the new CDC guidelines.   By following these guidelines, you can not only help stop the spread of this virus within your home, but also at your worksite and within our community. 

In closing, Rowan County Public Health cannot stress to you enough about the importance of getting vaccinated and boosted. In addition to this, everyone needs to practice the 3Ws to help stop the spread of the virus. Unless we want to see our numbers and deaths get much worse, we must all be responsible and do what needs to be done.

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PIO Contact:
Amy Smith
704-216-8859
amy.smith@rowancountync.gov

Download Media Release COVID-19 - January 12, 2022 (PDF)