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Cumberland County still has a long way to go before collective immunity to COVID-19 is reached, the county health director said.
Health director Jennifer Green said the Department of Health wants at least two-thirds of the county to be fully immunized.
“If you are not vaccinated, we still want you to wear the mask,” she said.
The county is following the lead of President Joe Biden, who wants at least two-thirds of the US population to be fully immunized, and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, who wants the state to reach the same level.
Green said 26.3% of county residents have at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 23.4% are fully vaccinated. These percentages do not include vaccines administered by Fort Bragg or the Department of Veterans Affairs, she said.
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The highest percentages of unvaccinated residents are found in two groups, ages 18 to 24 and 12 to 17, Green said.
“We have work to do here in Cumberland,” she said. “We want that number to increase dramatically. We have seen a sharp drop in demand for vaccines. “
For herd immunity to be achieved, about 75% of the population would need to be vaccinated, Green said.
“When was the last time we had a case of polio in this country? Not often because we have reached this level where most people are vaccinated, ”she said. “We have, by no stretch of the imagination, achieved collective immunity against influenza, as we have with polio.”
Higher vaccination rates mean fewer cases, Green said.
“We know that vaccinations are the best step we have to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases in our community,” she said. “Wearing a mask is always very important. “
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There are over 30 different COVID-19 vaccine clinics in the county that offer three different vaccine options approved by the FDA, Green said.
For a list of county-run vaccination clinics, visit www.co.cumberland.nc.us/departments/public-health-group/public-health/covid-19-vaccine.
Health and Education Editor Ariana-Jasmine Castrellon can be reached at [email protected] or 910-486-3561.
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