Henderson County COVID-19 surge: Fewer hospitalizations, still highly transmissible

As cases of COVID-19 surge once again, local health officials note that while the current dominant variant BA.5 is highly transmissible, the strain appears to be mild, and fewer people are requiring hospitalizations compared to some previous waves.

As of 8 a.m. Tuesday, July 19, there were five patients hospitalized for COVID-19 at Pardee UNC Health Care. Last week, the positivity rate of tests performed at Pardee was 37.5%, down 3% from the week prior, according to Dr. Greg McCarty, Pardee Chief Medical Officer.

He notes the importance of remembering that this statistic does not factor in at-home tests and positivity rates associated with those.

Rising COVID-19 cases in Henderson County

“Fortunately, this current trend in COVID cases in our community has not resulted in a substantial increase of hospitalized or severely ill patients at Pardee. This strain of COVID appears to be mild, but it is highly transmissible and, as such, it's important to protect yourself and others if you were to contract COVID and not know it,” McCarty said. “First, know the symptoms and when to test. The current variant of BA.5 presents with symptoms similar to that of allergies or a common cold, such as runny nose and congestion, sore throat, fatigue and body aches, and a cough. It’s always a good idea to test to be sure you’re not at risk of infecting others.”

McCarty notes that there are numerous, free testing options available, including having COVID-19 at-home tests on hand. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services also offers some options to seek testing.

In the event you do get sick from COVID, there are treatments you can take at home that may help you feel better quickly without having to go to the hospital, McCarty said.

“These oral medications are best taken within five days of onset of symptoms, taken over a course of five days, and can be prescribed by your doctor. I encourage you to ask your provider whether you’re eligible for this treatment,” he said.

McCarty continues to recommend vaccination.

“As always, vaccination remains the most effective means of preventing serious illness as a result of COVID-19. We continue to encourage vaccinations for those individuals in our community who remain unvaccinated, and boosters for eligible individuals, particularly those who are immunocompromised,” he said. “If you are over age 50, and especially over age 65, and have either not been vaccinated or have significant medical conditions, please consider wearing a mask in more crowded public spaces.”

AdventHealth Hendersonville has averaged around five COVID-19 positive patients per day in the hospital, Communications Director Victoria Dunkle said Tuesday.

“However, we have seen the COVID-19 Community Levels return to medium or yellow in Henderson County,” she said. “So, we know more people are getting sick with COVID-19. Thankfully, far fewer of them are requiring hospitalization.”

“The timing of this increase in cases across the community has some people thinking back to the start of the Delta surge in August of last year and has some people in our community concerned,” she said. “Our physicians are reminding all of us to do what we can to reduce the spread. Washing our hands is still a leading way to reduce the spread. Return to wearing masks for anyone in the high-risk category and everyone who is in a close setting with the public such as a grocery store or large gathering.”

AdventHealth Hendersonville’s chief medical officer also encourages vaccination.

“If you are eligible for the vaccine booster, go ahead and get it now,” said Dr. Tersea Herbert. “This will help boost your immunity during this current increase in the spread of COVID and you will still be able to get one of the modified boosters to protect against the newer variants this fall.”

CDC classifies Henderson County as ‘medium risk’ for COVID

Henderson County is currently classified as medium risk for COVID-19 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Transylvania and Buncombe counties are also considered medium risk, and Polk County is labeled as high risk in the COVID-19 Community Levels map. 

The CDC looks at the combination of three metrics — new COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 population in the past seven days, the percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients and total new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population in the past seven days — to determine the COVID-19 community level.

The three classification levels are low, medium and high.

For medium-risk counties, those who are at high risk for severe illness are instructed to talk to their healthcare provider about wearing a mask and other precautions. For high-risk counties, the CDC recommends wearing a mask indoors in public and on public transportation, staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, and getting tested if you have symptoms. If you are at high risk for severe illness, consider taking additional precautions.

Governor’s office provides information on COVID resources

Gov. Roy Cooper’s office released guidance on Tuesday regarding the highly-transmissible BA.5, which is now the most common variant in the state.

This variant is causing repeat infections, even in those who have recent past infections from other variants and infections in people who are vaccinated, according to information from Cooper’s office.

“While COVID variants continue to infect people, we have the tools to protect ourselves from the most serious effects of this virus,” Cooper said. “Get vaccinated and boosted, wear a mask indoors in crowds if you believe you need better protection and if you become infected, talk with a health professional quickly about effective treatments like Paxlovid. Cases are on the rise with this latest BA.5 variant so I encourage all North Carolinians to know their risk and take steps to protect themselves.”

Current information on how and where to find tests, including CAPs, in North Carolina is available at covid19.ncdhhs.gov/FindTests.

“If you do test positive for COVID-19, treatment is available, especially for high-risk people who are likely to get very sick,” according to the governor’s office. “Antiviral pills like Paxlovid and Molnupiravir should be taken within five days of symptoms beginning. The monoclonal antibody bebtelovimab is less effective against this variant, and the supply is limited.”

These treatments must be prescribed by a medical professional. More information on treatment, including Test to Treat locations, is available on the NCDHHS website.

“North Carolinians know how to batten down the hatches and get prepared when hurricanes approach. When COVID-19 case counts are rising, it’s especially important to protect yourself,” said NCDHHS Secretary Kody H. Kinsley. “We know what to do now. It’s time to make sure you are boosted, make sure you have tests on-hand at home and make sure you know where treatment options are near your home.”

For more information on COVID-19 trends in the state, visit covid19.ncdhhs.gov/dashboard.

This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Henderson County experiencing 'highly transmissible' COVID-19 surge