Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1349017
8 UCW MARCH 10-16, 2021 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Christian music station local your Governor Roy Cooper and N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen visited the Cumberland County COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic March 5 as individuals in Groups 1, 2 and 3 received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. e health department's clinic is located at the Crown Expo Center in Fayetteville. e health department along with other commu- nity partners have given the first dose of the vaccine to more than 39,000 residents since receiving vac- cine allocations from the state. "Local health departments around North Carolina have been on the frontlines of fighting against this pandemic and now are leading the vaccination ef- forts," said Cumberland County Health Director Dr. Jennifer Green. "We give a warm socially-distanced welcome to Governor Cooper and Dr. Cohen to our vaccination clinic today. We are proud to show them an example of the heroic efforts of public health staff and our critical team of partners that are helping us make our community safer — one shot at a time." During this visit Gov. Cooper and Dr. Cohen were able to see the County's clinic in action. "We are beginning to turn the corner," Cooper said. "Our numbers are declining and stabilizing and that is good news. But we are not yet out of the woods. We have variants that are here in North Carolina." Cooper said we will continue to see a mask man- date in the state, and he hopes community leaders will continue to promote the importance of getting vaccinations to their citizens. Dr. Cohen thanked the public health department for their efforts over the last year in fighting the pandemic. "I particularly want thank Dr. Green and the rest of the public health department and all of their staff for doing such a terrific job in getting the vaccine in arms, not just quickly, but also equitably," Cohen said. e vaccination clinic is staffed with a variety of Cumberland County professionals and volunteers that provide critical support to ensure a safe and efficient process. "I want to thank our partners in Emergency Man- agement who have also done such a terrific job. e National Guard is here, the [Civil] Air Patrol is here. It is a huge team effort," Cohen said. After touring the clinic operations, Gov. Cooper and Dr. Cohen joined Charles Evans, Chairman of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners, for a media briefing. "To overcome this enemy, we must get those needles in as many arms as possible," Chairman Evans said. "We must encourage everyone to get vac- cinated especially those at higher risk for infection, hospitalization and death." Cohen said that in the last four weeks, 20 percent of vaccinations have gone to Black North Carolin- ians. In Cumberland County, almost 34 percent of first doses have been administered to Black citizens, who make up 39 percent of the county's population. County Clinics Cumberland County continues to offer free drive-thru COVID-19 vaccination clinics for those in Groups 1, 2 and 3. An online application form now allows individuals to choose their own appointment date and time for the first dose of the vaccine. Appointments are available on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. A standby lane (first-come, first served in eligible groups) opens on Fridays, from 3 to 5 p.m., or as supplies last. Visit co.cumberland.nc.us/covid19vaccine to make an appointment. Call 910-678-7657 during normal business hours if you need assistance with the form or have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine. County begins to trend in a positive direction e Cumberland County Department of Public Health reports 280 Cumberland County residents died from the coronavirus. ere have been 24,411 cases reported since the onset of the pandemic. Cumberland County is trending in the right direc- tion of the NC County Alert System (https://covid19. ncdhhs.gov/dashboard/county-alert-system), mov- ing from Red to Orange with substantial community spread. e county's case positivity rate dropped to 7.9%. e target rate recommended by the World Health Organization is 5%. NEWS Gov. Cooper and Dr. Cohen visit County vaccination clinic a STAFF REPORT North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen, (second from left, standing) visits Cumberland County Department of Public Health workers March 5. County Health Department workers pictured from left are Dr. Jennifer Green, Carla Marrier, Torica Fuller, Jennifer House and Ann Larmond. Cumberland County Public Health Director Dr. Jennifer Green (left) gives Gov. Cooper a tour of the Public Health COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Crown Expo Center March 5. Also pictured are Chairman of the Board of Commissioners Charles Evans and Deputy Health Director Ashley Curtice (right).