Locals urge marginalized communities to get vaccinated as COVID-19 cases rise
NEW HANOVER COUNTY (WWAY) — A resurgence of COVID-19 cases have health officials encouraging the unvaccinated to reconsider, especially those living in marginalized communities.
We’ve seen a steady rise in cases across all five counties we cover. Bladen, Columbus, and Pender counties are seeing cases reach the double digits on a weekly basis, while Brunswick and New Hanover Counties are now seeing more than 300 cases a week.
New Hanover County’s percent positivity rate has gone from 4 percent to nearly 17 percent in two months. Pandemic Operations Manager Jon Campbell says it’s a sign of the latest surge.
“We’re certainly having an increase in cases, and that’s what does account for the increased positivity percent,” Campbell said. ‘Thankfully though, we remain at a low community level. So the community level also looks at impact on local hospitals.”
Hospitalization rates haven’t followed the same trends. Campbell and MedNorth’s Althea Johnson believes that’s due to new treatment options and vaccines. However, Johnson says vaccine hesitancy still runs rampant in marginalized communities.
“If you’re giving something for free, maybe it’s not the best thing for me,” Johnson explained. “So that’s one of the things. The other is that because of the speed of its being approved, I think that a lot of people thought that was a problem, and they wanted to wait.”
Marginalized communities are made up of men and women who historically have experienced inequality. They often suffer from higher rates of comorbidities.
“See, I got COPD,” said Wayne Jenkins, a homeless man. “I got lung issues, I can’t get this COVID stuff.”
According to New Hanover County’s Equity Coordinator, Fawn Rhodes, “It’s going to increase your chances of possibly getting it and have a longer time that you may have COVID and or, possibly, mortality.”
Johnson said this new surge of Coronavirus could mean higher risk of hospitalizations and death for the unvaccinated. However, she says it can be avoided.
“That is the way to go. To be vaccinated now before there’s any exposure. Because the thing is, if you can be vaccinated, if you are exposed, we’re hoping that your symptoms will be lessened.”
