Along with many places in the country, Graham County is once again seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases.
During her infectious diseases report at the Graham County Health Board meeting Monday, Head Nurse Lorita Eller said that the county was currently seeing between six and eight new cases of the virus daily.
The meeting was held virtually.
“We’re definitely seeing an increase,” Eller said. “We’ve got some hospitalized.”
She said most of the cases were in unvaccinated individuals, although there had been some breakthrough cases as well. Breakthrough cases are cases in individuals who have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
However, she emphasized that breakthrough cases were still rare and that the vaccine prevented serious illness, even in those who contracted the vaccine in spite of being vaccinated.
“We’ve seen very mild side effects,” she said of the vaccine.
Eller added that as the cases continued to increase, the health department planned to return to in-house testing. She also said Walgreens would soon be offering COVID tests as well.
She also emphasized that the health department was offering the COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday’s, but could offer it more days a week if demand increased.
As it currently sits, approximately 33 percent of Graham County has been vaccinated, with the number increasing to more than 50 percent of the older, at-risk population.
Eller also said that getting information on the virus out was a challenge, particularly with the changing and complex Centers for Disease Control Guidelines.
“We’ll continue getting the information out there,” Eller said. “What I’m seeing out in the community has caused a lot of confusion.
“We’ve got a hard road ahead of us to keep getting the information out there.”
County Manager Jason Marino suggested making efforts to bring the vaccine to the public, including possibly holding a clinic in the parking lot between Ingles and the Robbinsville Post Office.
As of Monday, the county had recorded 724 COVID-19 cases and 14 deaths. Eight new positive cases were reported Monday.