COVID-19 Mitchell

New COVID Testing Site in Spruce Pine

The Mitchell County Health Department has a new COVID Testing Site in Spruce Pine.  The site will open Monday, August 30th from 11:00 AM-4 PM. The site is at First Baptist Church, 125 Tappan St, Spruce Pine. Follow the signs for drive through testing.  There will be no cost. The test will be a PCR test that is sent to the lab. Results take 24-48 hours. All are asked to go to this site instead ...(more)

Where to Access COVID-19 Vaccinations & Testing Locally

COVID-19 cases are rising precipitously in Mitchell and Yancey counties and local clinics as well as Blue Ridge Regional Hospital are filling with COVID-positive cases.   While we enjoyed a few months with low numbers, the pandemic has come rushing back.  As a public service, SEARCH (Sustaining Essential and Rural Community Healthcare) completed a list of locations where people can be tested ...(more)

County Transmission Ratings

Since COVID-19 numbers continue to increase the CDC has designated a majority of North Carolina counties as High transmission areas. High transmission is classified as places with more than 100 cases per 100,000 in a seven-day period. Substantial transmission is defined by the CDC as areas with 50 cases per 100,000 in a seven-day period.  In our area Mitchell has the lowest numbers and is a ...(more)

Tri County COVID Numbers for Last Week of July

Definitions: New positive cases– new cases this past week Active positives– number of cases that are currently active Total contacts- number of people who are contacts to positives Total positives vaccinated– number of people who tested positive who are fully vaccinated. Avery County New Positive Cases                  11 Active ...(more)

COVID-19 Update – July 29

Today, Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. announced that state government would begin verifying vaccination status of its workers. Employees not vaccinated are required to wear a mask and be tested at least once a week. Today’s announcement comes as North Carolina’s latest upswing in COVID-19 cases and ...(more)

COVID Numbers on the Rise in the Tri-County Area

With the number of positive COVID Cases increasing in Avery, Mitchell and Yancey Counties the Toe River Health District has started reporting COVID numbers again. The latest numbers, posted Friday, by the Health Department show 18 positive cases in Yancey County last week, Avery had 15 and Mitchell with 5. According to Diane Creek of the Toe River Health District, Ages across the district are ...(more)

Vaccine Summer Card Incentive Now Available in Area

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is expanding the number of locations providing $25 Summer Cards to offset the time and transportation costs of getting vaccinated. Beginning this week, participating vaccination sites in 38 counties will offer the cards to anyone 18 and older who gets their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine — or drives someone to their ...(more)

Home COVID Testing Program to All Eligible North Carolinians

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the state is expanding availability of its at-home COVID-19 test collection. Any North Carolina resident may receive a Pixel by Labcorp® COVID-19 PCR Test Home Collection Kit that is shipped overnight directly to their homes at no cost. Tests can be used on people age 2 and up. Residents 18 and older can request a ...(more)