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Polk County’s vaccine distribution is slowing

POLK COUNTY—Polk County only picked up 4 new cases of COVID-19 this week with no new deaths or hospitalizations. 

The Polk County Division of Public Health released its weekly update on Friday, that includes the county has had a total of 1,533 cases of COVID-19 since last March. Last week the county had 1,529 total cases. 

Polk County remains at 31 deaths and 69 hospitalizations from the virus. As of Friday, the county estimated that 1,495 patients are presumed recovered. 

The county has completed 21,861 tests since last year for the virus. . This week the percent positive on tests was 2 percent, according to Friday’s data. 

The county has administered 17,779 vaccines so far, with 8,606 of those being complete. People are no longer getting vaccines at the same rate in the county as a few months ago with the county having administered 17,703 vaccines as of the previous Friday and 8,520 of those were complete. The percent of people fully vaccinated is 37 percent. 

Not all of the vaccines administered in the county are Polk County residents. 

Vaccines are free for anyone and are now being administered to everyone age 12 and older in North Carolina. 

Most of the county’s cases have been in females at 54.99 percent, compared to males at 45.01percent, according to the county’s latest data. 

Most cases have continued to be in people age 25-49, followed by people age 50-64; people age 75 and above; people age 65-74; people age 0-17 and people age 18-24, according to the latest report. 

Polk County has discontinued its survey to get a vaccine. The county has been taking appointments for vaccines at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring and has been doing no appointment necessary vaccines randomly throughout the county. 

Local pharmacies are also now giving vaccines. 

To schedule an appointment with the county people can call the Polk County COVID message line at 828-722-5086. More information is also available on a special COVID-19 tab located at polknc.org.