Macon County reported three additional COVID-19 deaths in the past seven days, bringing the county’s total number to 30 as of Wednesday.
“The friends and family of these individuals are in our prayers and thoughts, as they mourn the loss of their loved ones,” MCPH Director Kathy McGaha said. “Macon County has begun our vaccination process, and while demand has outpaced out current supply, we are continuing to vaccinate as quickly as we can. It is essential that people continue to practice the 3Ws: wash our hands, wait six feet apart, and wear a mask, to protect our fellow citizens.”
The deaths came in a week where active case numbers experience a third consecutive week of steep decline. According to Macon County Public Health statistics there were 55 active cases of COVID-19 as of Wednesday. That number is the lowest since before the 2020 Thanksgiving holiday.
COVID-19 vaccinations are ongoing and thus far 4,746 first doses of vaccine have been delivered to citizens in Macon County.
The county is receiving 500 first doses per week and had 440 first doses on hand as of Wednesday.
In order to get on the vaccination list, a person has to register via Macon County Public Health. There are three registration options – either online via the county website at maconnc.org, by phone at 828-349-2517 or by phone at 828-524-1500. Call centers are being staffed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
North Carolina is currently in “Group 2” of the vaccination process, which covers anyone age 65 and older. Vaccinations for “Group 3” phase one, which covers K-12 public school employees, were scheduled to begin on Wednesday.
Macon County Schools
Macon County Schools Superintendent Chris Baldwin informed the school board on Monday night that the COVID-19 numbers across the school district are trending the right direction.
Following a surge in cases during the holiday season, COVID-19 cases among students and staff have dropped in February.
“Right now we have 10 students who are COVID-19 positive across the county, of course there are other students who have to be quarantined as a result of those positive cases and that has led to 119 quarantines,” Bladwin said. “We have two staff members who are actively positive and eight additional staff members in quarantine.”
Baldwin also noted that the school district may have the option to return to class under “Plan A” at some point during the current semester but no timeline for that potential change is available. Plan A under North Carolina guidelines would allow all students to return to class either four or five days per week depending on the format the county board of education chooses.
“Our COVID-19 numbers are the best they’ve been in several months,” Baldwin said. “Several other districts are reporting similar trends and hopefully we can move forward with getting our staff members vaccinated so we can move to Plan A later down the road.”