COVID in Western North Carolina

I was glad to see this article and know that some people are still taking COVID seriously.

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COVID cases rise in Western North Carolina
by Kyle Perrotti, Smoky Mountain News, October 28, 2026

"Officials are reminding people that even though the coronavirus isn’t leading to as much severe illness, they should take precautions to mitigate its spread.

"Haywood County Medical Director Dr. Mark Jaben told The Smoky Mountain News that cases are on the rise throughout the region. This breaks from the typical trend seen in previous years where the largest spike occurs during late winter with a smaller spike occurring during the summer. Jaben said that this year brought a smaller summer wave than normal, adding that the rise in cases seen now may be a continuation of that surge or an earlier iteration of the winter surge.

"Making these determinations has been more difficult since the emergency declaration ended over three years ago, meaning tracking isn’t as intensive and is therefore less reliable.

“Whatever numbers you see you have to take with a grain of salt,” he said. “They could be higher or they could be lower.”

"Officials mark trends through observation of cases reported to medical professionals and wastewater testing. He said in Western North Carolina, the most reliable data comes from self-reporting hospitals, clinics, and physicians.

"While he said there has been a rise in cases, he also noted that there has been relatively little severe illness, defined as cases that lead to hospitalization or death. That may be due to a milder variant, but Jaben said it most likely has to do with what epidemiologists call a “community immunity wall.” Because the majority of people are either up to date on vaccinations or have existing immunity from prior infection, COVID has “less ability to find a foothold,” Jaben said.

“That’s not to say there isn’t some serious illness,” Jaben said. “It’s just not at the level we’ve seen before.”

"He averred that the best way for people to protect themselves is still receiving the latest vaccine, although vaccination rates are still relatively low at between 10-30%, depending on the age group, according to the CDC . Jaben said he doesn’t consider it his job to boost those numbers through public messaging, but he does aim to provide reliable information off which people can base their decisions.

"Since the virus brought the nation to a halt about six and a half years ago, the groups benefitting most from vaccination are the elderly, young children, and immunocompromised individuals. However, Jaben noted that healthy people should also consider receiving the vaccine simply to mitigate the overall spread of the virus — if fewer people become infected, there is less of a chance of high-risk people developing a severe illness.

“If you spend time around somebody who’s in a high-risk group, then you have to think about what you’re bringing to the table,” he said.

“If you’re in a high-risk group, you can’t afford to get sick, and you don’t want to get somebody else sick,” he added.

"Otherwise, Jaben said people can reduce the incidence of infections by doing “the things your mom and grandma taught you.” These are doubly important as the region is looking at the beginning of cold and flu season, as well.

"Everyone should regularly wash their hands, stay home if their feeling sick, and avoid indoor areas with poor ventilation. If you can feel air moving, he said, there is decent enough ventilation.

“If you’re in one of those high-risk groups, be careful if you’re going into a crowded indoors indoor gathering,” he said. “Maybe that’s a situation where you do want to wear a mask.”