For Immediate Release

06/13/2022    

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

Rowan’s COVID Numbers are Creeping Up!

As of this past Friday, Rowan County has moved from the Low/Green COVID-19 Community Level to the   Medium/Yellow COVID-19 Community Level. Communities reporting at least 200 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in the last seven days, automatically qualify for the medium risk designation. This all comes as less people are wearing masks, more people are congregating with others, and more people are traveling. 

The COVID-19 Community Level tool helps people decide what preventative steps they should take, based on the latest COVID-19 data in their community. As a reminder, levels are either low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at the number of hospital beds being used, the number of hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area. This recent change from low to medium in Rowan County reflects a significant increase in positive cases. In the past two weeks, we have had 555 positive cases reported to us. However, with more people administering at-home tests, there are most likely more positive cases in Rowan County than we are currently aware of. 

In counties that are designated as Medium/Yellow, the CDC recommends the following:

• If you are at high risk for severe illness, talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other safety precautions
• Stay up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines and boosters
• Get tested if you have symptoms 

In addition to this, below are a few reminders of how you can continue to protect yourself and others from COVID-19, while supporting the efforts of our #RowanSTRONGER campaign: 

S - Shots - Vaccinations are the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Please call 980-432-1800 to schedule your vaccine appointment with the health department, or email Covid-19@rowancountync.gov.  For more information on who is now eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters, please visit.

T - Testing – Our community partners continue to offer testing for COVID-19. For more information on where to get tested in Rowan County, please visit our website.  

R - Readiness - You can easily arrange to pick up COVID-19 at-home test kits and N95 masks before your upcoming vacation or any other summer get-togethers. These items are available at no cost to you by calling 980-432-1800 or emailing Covid-19@rowancountync.gov. 

O - Outreach - We continue to work to improve our outreach efforts throughout the entire county, including rural communities. RCPH has been working diligently to set up events throughout the county that provide N95 masks, hand sanitizer, at-home test kits and much more. Call us at 980-432-1800 or email Covid-19@rowancountync.gov to have us at your next event! 

N - New Normal - COVID-19 is here to stay, and we are currently making the transition from "pandemic" to "endemic". Group efforts to work together will ensure everyone is able to safely move forward. 

G - Goals - We want vaccine rates to increase among appropriate age groups. Our goal is to ensure that we provide the proper resources to our community. Please call us at 980-432-1800 to obtain N95 face masks, at-home test kits, or to schedule a vaccination/booster appointment at your convenience. 

E - Education - We strive to inform our community with the most accurate information. Please call us at 980-432-1800 or email Covid-19@rowancountync.gov for any questions or concerns that you may have. 

R - Responsibility/Resilience - We are committed to improving the overall  baseline health of our local residents by implementing programs such as "Healthy Rowan" and "Rowan Moves". Please call us at 980-432-1800 for more information on how to join our wellness community! 

In closing, Rowan County Public Health cannot stress to you enough about the importance of getting vaccinated and boosted. In addition to this and as we see our numbers increasing, everyone needs to practice the 3Ws if they are in large crowds, traveling to other areas where the risk is medium or high, inside buildings where the ventilation may not be as good, and/or around high-risk individuals. If we want to keep our numbers down and to keep our community healthy, we must all do our part. 

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

Download Media Release COVID-19 - June 13, 2022 (PDF)