News Flash

For Immediate Release

08/22/2022    

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-19 Level Shifts to High Once Again

As we continue to monitor the transmission levels of COVID-19, both the BA.4 and the BA.5 variants remain very high. Both variants can easily reinfect anyone that has previously been sick with COVID-19, as well as those individuals that are vaccinated and/or boosted.   The most common symptoms of both variants include sore throat, runny nose, cough, headache, fatigue, and/or back pain. More importantly, unvaccinated individuals remain at a higher risk of becoming sicker, which could result in being hospitalized, and/or even death.

As of this past week, North Carolina has 62 counties that are considered high for COVID-19, including Rowan County. Rowan now has 400 known cases of COVID-19 and 21 new, confirmed hospital admissions among county residents. Our positivity rate is now 29% with agency testing. 

As we strive to lower our level of transmission and reduce one’s risk of hospitalization and/or long-term effects from COVID, Rowan County Public Health continues to suggest the following things:

• Get vaccinated and/or boosted  as soon as possible. For more information on who is eligible to receive a COVID booster, visit the CDC.
• Keep at-home tests readily available to use if you are around someone positive and/or if you should start having symptoms. To learn more on how to receive FREE test kits at home, please visit NCDHHS or the USPS.
• If you have a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, please stay at home and follow the recommendations for isolation.
• Mask up whenever you go out in public, practice physical distancing, and continue to wash and/or hand sanitize your hands often. 
• Increase the ventilation of indoor spaces by opening windows and doors; or better yet, host your event outside.

Antiviral pills, like Paxlovid and Molnupiravir, continue to be available with a prescription. If you should test positive for COVID-19, you should try to begin an antiviral within the first five days that symptoms appear. For more information on treatment, please visit the NCDHHS website.

If you still need to be vaccinated/boosted against COVID-19, please call Rowan County Public Health at 704-216-8777 and choose option 3 to make an appointment. Vaccines are available for all ages and include Moderna, Pfizer, J&J, and the new Novavax vaccine. 

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

Download Media Release COVID-19 - August 22, 2022 (PDF)