Majority of COVID hospitalizations in Mecklenburg County are people who are not vaccinated, health officials say

MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. (FOX 46 CHARLOTTE) – Almost every single person in the hospital with COVID isn’t vaccinated, Mecklenburg County Health officials said Friday.

In a media conference, they said the virus is getting worse and if the county continues down the path, they may have to consider new restrictions.

Their biggest concern is the Delta variant and those people who haven’t gotten vaccinated yet, said Gibbie Harris, the Public Health director with Mecklenburg County. 

Harris said the Delta variant spreads faster and can infect more people. She pointed to an outbreak at a homeless shelter three weeks ago, where five out of eight people tested had the Delta variant.

Officials said they only tested for the Delta variant in a handful of the 30 people who caught COVID. All have recovered from the virus.

Harris said, they’re focusing on vaccinations because that’s the way they can slow the Delta variant down. She said they aren’t considering any new restrictions but they are paying attention to the numbers.

“We want to encourage people to get vaccinated, that’s the answer. Nobody wants to put that mask back on,” said Harris. “But at the same time, if you get vaccinated it’s less of an issue.

VACCINES:

There were no changes in North Carolina’s vaccine rates — 59 percent of adults have received at least one dose and 56 percent are fully vaccinated.

DOSE COUNT:

17,675 first doses
862 one-shot J&J doses
37,878 total doses