COVID-19 at eight-month high in Buncombe County, but tests are hard to find

Mitchell Black, Asheville Citizen Times
·3 min read

ASHEVILLE - COVID-19 is now at its highest since December in Buncombe County, and tests at local pharmacies are running low.

As of Aug. 16, COVID-19 levels in the Metropolitan Sewer District of Buncombe County are now between the 80th and 99th percentile relative to past levels measured at the same site, the highest possible rating in the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ monitoring dashboard. This is the most recent data available.

Hospitalizations in the western part of the state are still low, according to NCDHHS. The seven day average for adults in intensive care units is two. Buncombe County is still in the Center for Disease Control’s “green zone” for hospital admissions, the lowest level in the federal agency’s three-tiered system.

An EverlyWell COVID-19 test at a local Walgreens.
An EverlyWell COVID-19 test at a local Walgreens.

“COVID-19 metrics including wastewater are increasing in our community. The good news is we have great prevention tools to reduce risk against fall respiratory viruses including COVID-19,” Buncombe County Public Health Director Dr. Ellis Matheson said to the Citizen Times in an Aug. 23 statement.

Matheson continued, “Public Health encourages the community to stay up to date with vaccines including Flu and COVID-19, test and seek guidance for treatment from their medical provider if needed and continue basic prevention measures like handwashing, covering your cough, and staying home when sick.”

The pharmacy at a local CVS wrapped in plastic March 26, 2020.
The pharmacy at a local CVS wrapped in plastic March 26, 2020.

According to staff at pharmacies in the area, demand for COVID-19 tests is now outpacing supply. Jamie Delahoze, a pharmacy technician at the CVS Westgate location, said to the Citizen Times that she has “definitely” seen an uptick in desire for COVID-19 tests. She said that the pharmacy got 120 boxes of tests in its last shipment and have only 60 remaining. The next shipment comes in two weeks.

“I wouldn’t doubt that they would be gone before the end of the week,” Delahoze said.

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Bryce Mazur, a pharmacy technician at the Walgreens Merrimon Avenue location, said to the Citizen Times that his store is out of COVID-19 tests as of Aug. 23. Mazur has “seen quite a bit more requests” for tests over the past month. He doesn’t know when they will be receiving another shipment, saying that they just show up on the truck, but anticipates they will be restocked over the next few days.

Free tests are available to Buncombe County residents. According to the NCDHHS website, people older than 14 can pick up free rapid tests at the following Asheville locations:

  • The Western North Carolina AIDS Project-Asheville, 554 Fairview Road.

  • Asheville Buncombe Institute for Parity Achievement, 56 Walton St.

  • UNETE, 55 Adams Hill Road.

  • The Salvation Army of Buncombe County, 204 Haywood St.

  • Hola Carolina, 19 Eagle St. Suite 120.

  • Tranzmission Inc., 37 Montford Ave. Suite 2.

  • Community Action Opportunities, 25 Gaston St.

The state suggests that residents call locations before picking up tests. Buncombe County also provides tests at the County DHHS office located at 40 Coxe Ave.

Mitchell Black covers Buncombe County and healthcare for the Citizen Times. Email him at mblack@citizentimes.com or follow him on Twitter @MitchABlack. Please help support local journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: COVID-19 in Buncombe County continues to rise; tests are hard to find