FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE COVID-19 Information Contacts
January 4, 2021 Public Information Line: 828-764-9150
COVID-19 Burke County Media Briefing Website: www.burkenc.org/COVID-19
Burke County’s Response to COVID-19
• Burke County is currently at 6617 positive cases. These are cumulative cases for the county. If you want to see a breakdown of the cases, please go visit the https://www.burkenc.org/dashboard webpage
• Para español llame al 764-9150 y presione el número dos. Si nadie contesta deje un corto mensaje con su nombre y numero de teléfono.
The numbers have increased so much due to the back log of cases being reported from outside testing sites including new testing sites and cases reported through the State Electronic Disease Surveillance System. The case increases are also due to the increased testing encouraged by the State over the last several weeks.
For your information: Both vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna, require individuals to receive two shots. Pfizer will be two shots given 28 days apart and Moderna will be two shots given 21 days apart and you have to get both shots to get the maximum protection.
As of December 30, the COVID vaccination prioritization changed. As soon as additional COVID-19 vaccine is available and all of the eligible people in Phase 1A are vaccinated, the Burke County Vaccination Team will begin to vaccinate the next group of individuals. We have received limited amounts of the vaccine to date. We will be pushing out information about the next group of vaccinations as son as Phase 1A is finished and we receive additional vaccine.
When we move to the next phase of vaccinations, we will push out information throughout the county through public service announcements, social media posts, employers, etc to notify those eligible who to contact and how to register for an appointment. We hope to be able to move into the next phase within the next couple of weeks.
We appreciate your patience as we try to vaccinate those eligible and interested as fast as possible.
As of December 30, the COVID vaccination prioritization schedule changed to the groups below and we will be following these groups for vaccination not by households. So, if members of a household fall into different vaccination groups, you will be registered by your groups, not necessarily by your household members.
Phase 1B:
Group 1: Anyone 75 years and older
Group 2: Healthcare workers and frontline essential workers 50 years and older not vaccinated in Phase 1A:
• Frontline workers are defined as those whose job is essential for the COVID-19 response and work in a setting that puts them at risk for exposure to COVID-19:
- First responders (firefighters, police officers, etc.)
- Correction officers
- Food and agricultural workers
- US postal service workers
- Manufacturing workers
- Grocery store workers
- Public transit workers
- Education and childcare workers (teachers, support staff, daycare)
Group 3: Healthcare workers and frontline essential workers (at any age) as defined above that was not vaccinated in Phase 1A.
If you want more information or to be added to the COVID vaccine list for your prioritized group, please call 828-764-9168, choose option 5. You will leave a message and you will be added to the list but will not receive a call back until vaccine is made available for your prioritized group. Please be patient as we move as quickly as possible through this vaccination process.
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