Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

COVID-19 has claimed two more lives here in the Roanoke-Chowan area.

Albemarle Regional Health Services (ARHS) reported that both deaths occurred last week in Hertford County. One was in the 25-49 age range while the other was between the ages of 50-64. Neither death was associated with a long-term care facility.

The death toll in the Roanoke-Chowan area now stands at 218 since the pandemic began in March of last year. Seventy-three of those deaths have occurred in Northampton County followed by Hertford County (73), Bertie County (53), and Gates County (19).

Meanwhile, active cases of the virus continues to impact R-C area citizens as follows:

Northampton County: 38 active cases last week (an increase of two cases from the previous week)

Bertie County: 21 (+4)

Hertford County: 15 (a decrease of 14 cases from the previous week)

Gates County: 12 (+1)

In its weekly report, Albemarle Regional Health Services (ARHS) noted the number of residents fully vaccinated in its eight-county district rose to nearly 63 percent (62.85%). The report shows a total of 85,756 individuals fully vaccinated (an increase of 572 people since the previous week). That number is over 2,000 higher than three weeks ago.

Locally, fully vaccinated individuals in the ARHS region include 5,535 in Bertie (+10 from last week’s report); 4,921 in Hertford (unchanged from the previous week); and 3,905 in Gates unchanged).

As of Friday, Oct. 29, ARHS has also administered 4,904 booster doses (third shots of the Pfizer vaccine; an increase of 3,284 from the previous week).

With last week’s approval by the FDA and the CDC to authorize COVID-19 booster doses of Moderna and Johnson and Johnson, ARHS scheduled mass vaccination clinics, which led to the dramatic increase in last week’s number of booster doses administered.

Bertie County will host a mass vaccination clinic today (Wednesday, Nov. 10) from 9 am – 3 pm at the Bertie County Recreation Complex, located at 1538 South King Street, Windsor.

These clinics are for Moderna booster doses only and recommended for individuals who received their second dose at least six months ago and who are at high risk for severe illness or exposure based on their age, profession, living setting or health conditions.

ARHS officials say that those ages 65 and older and those ages 18 and older who reside in a long-term care setting should receive a Moderna booster six months or more after completing their primary series. The booster is also recommended for individuals, ages 50-64, with certain underlying medical conditions.

Those ages 18-49 years with underlying medical conditions and those ages 18-64 years at increased risk for exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting should consider receiving a booster shot six months or more after completing their primary series.

Please bring your vaccine card with you to the drive-thru clinic so staff can verify your previous vaccine series. In addition, please do not arrive to clinic sites prior to 8:30 am.

If you do not have your vaccine card, or would like to receive a different type of booster dose, please make an appointment at your local health department: Gates County Health Dept. (252-357-1380), the Bertie County Health Dept. (252-794-5322), or the Hertford County Health Dept. (252-862-4054). Those who have yet to receive their initial doses of any of the approved vaccines can schedule an appointment by calling those same numbers.

Northampton County residents can call 252-534-5841 to schedule an appointment for either a COVID-19 vaccine or a booster shot.

Local health officials remind parents and guardians that the FDA and CDC have authorized a lower dose of the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5 to 11. Children in this age range are given two doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Each dose is one-third the amount given to people ages 12 and older.

Those wishing to schedule an appointment to have their child vaccinated can contact the health department in their respective county of residence.