COVID-19 News
  • The CDC had extended the mask mandate for public transit until May 3, requiring travelers to mask up in airports, planes, buses, and trains and at transit hubs, but on Monday, a federal judge in Florida struck down the mandate, indicating in her ruling that it was an overreach of the authority granted to the CDC. Whether the U.S. Department of Justice will appeal the ruling is not yet clear.
  • Dr. Ashish K. Jha, the newly appointed COVID-19 response coordinator for the White House, strongly recommended that adults over 60 get a second booster shot (4th dose of a COVID-19 vaccine), citing evidence of the effectiveness of a second booster dose for that age group in particular. All adults over 50 are eligible for a second booster.
  • Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor announced the first National Emphasis Program for heat stress. As a result, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will carry out inspections at workplaces in hopes of preventing injury, illness, and fatalities due to heat stress in both indoor and outdoor settings.
  • April could be the last month of Mexico’s COVID-19 vaccination program for people over 18, according to health authorities. Anyone in Mexico who is not up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations should consider getting vaccinated before April 30. 187 health centers have been set up in Mexico City to assist with this effort.
  • The U.S. Senate has delayed a vote on the COVID-19 aid bill that would provide continued funding for testing and vaccination programs and COVID-19 related care for the uninsured. The delay is due to controversy over the CDC’s decision to rescind Title 42, a policy that allowed immigration officials to turn migrants away at the border for reasons of public health. The Senate will return from recess on April 25 and can schedule a vote on the bill thereafter.

State Level Data Overview

Vaccination rates by state

(% of population ≥ 5 years of age fully vaccinated)

  • Delaware: 72.9%
  • Maryland: 80.2%
  • Virginia: 77.5%
  • North Carolina: 64.4%
  • South Carolina: 60%
  • Georgia: 58.1%

Booster rates by state

(% of fully vaccinated population that has received at least 1 booster dose)

  • Delaware: 45.1%
  • Maryland: 50.5%
  • Virginia: 47%
  • North Carolina: 26.3%
  • South Carolina: 39.2%
  • Georgia: 36.9%

COVID-19 case rates per 100K people by state
You may notice we’ve switched our visuals to graphs of case rates instead of maps this week. We made the decision to switch because some of the states and counties where our PPP partners work are experiencing rising cases. We hope this week’s change will help inform your work!

State Snapshots

Delaware

  • The 2022 Delaware Relief Rebate Program was signed into law last week. Any Delaware resident who filed taxes in 2020 will receive a $300 check by the end of May to help with rising costs. Individuals who did not file taxes in 2020 or did not receive a check will be able to request a check by October 17, 2022.

Vaccination rates by county

(% of population ≥ 5 years of age fully vaccinated)

  • Kent: 59.6%
  • Sussex: 71.4%

Booster rates by county

(% of fully vaccinated population that has received at least 1 booster dose)

  • Kent: 42.6%
  • Sussex: 49.3%

COVID-19 case rates per 100K people by county

Maryland

  • Next Thursday, April 28, 2022, from 3 to 6 PM, many of our Protein Processing Workers Project partners will be hosting an event for Worker Memorial Day in Hurlock, MD! Graphics and flyers to promote the event are available in English, Haitian Creole, and Spanish.

Vaccination rates by county

(% of population ≥ 5 years of age fully vaccinated)

  • Dorchester: 62.8%
  • Somerset: 52.5%
  • Wicomico: 59.5%

Booster rates by county

(% of fully vaccinated population that has received at least 1 booster dose)

  • Dorchester: 51.2%
  • Somerset: 50.1%
  • Wicomico: 49.0%

COVID-19 case rates per 100K people by county

Virginia

  • Virginia, along with Washington D.C. and Maryland, has seen an uptick in COVID-19 cases in the last few weeks. Along with D.C., some Virginia counties are now classified as medium risk based on the CDC’s community levels. In areas designated as medium risk, the CDC recommends that individuals at higher risk of severe illness consider additional preventative measures, like wearing a mask in public spaces and talking with a healthcare provider about other prevention or treatment options like antiviral pills and monoclonal antibodies.

Vaccination rates by county

(% of population ≥ 5 years of age fully vaccinated)

  • Accomack: 77.5%
  • Northampton: 74.8%
  • Northumberland: 56%
  • Rockingham: 45.6%
  • Shenandoah: 52.2%

Booster rates by county

(% of fully vaccinated population that has received at least 1 booster dose)

  • Accomack: 43.9%
  • Northampton: 49%
  • Northumberland: 26.8%
  • Rockingham: 21.6%
  • Shenandoah: 39.2%

COVID-19 case rates per 100K people by county

North Carolina

  • The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services created these bilingual graphics (in English and Spanish) that summarize who is eligible for a second booster shot to protect against COVID-19. North Carolina residents looking for a booster or any vaccine dose can visit MySpot.nc.gov to find a convenient location.

Vaccination rates by county

(% of population ≥ 5 years of age fully vaccinated)

  • Alamance: 62.5%
  • Burke: 49.5%
  • Chatham: 62.5%
  • Forsyth: 66.4%
  • Guilford: 65.3%
  • Mecklenberg: 67.7%
  • Pasquotank: 58%
  • Wilkes: 49.4%

Booster rates by county

(% of fully vaccinated population that has received at least 1 booster dose)

  • Alamance: 23.7%
  • Burke: 26.2%
  • Chatham: 22.3%
  • Forsyth: 23.3%
  • Guilford: 19.2%
  • Mecklenberg: 23.5%
  • Pasquotank: 26.5%
  • Wilkes: 23.6%

COVID-19 case rates per 100K people by county

South Carolina

Vaccination rates by county

(% of population ≥ 5 years of age fully vaccinated)

  • Greenville: 58.9%
  • Greenwood: 51.1%
  • Lexington: 58.8%
  • Marlboro: 46.1%
  • Spartanburg: 46.6%
  • Sumter: 60.9%

Booster rates by county

(% of fully vaccinated population that has received at least 1 booster dose)

  • Greenville: 41.4%
  • Greenwood: 44.1%
  • Lexington: 40.4%
  • Marlboro: 34.5%
  • Spartanburg: 40%
  • Sumter: 32.8%

COVID-19 case rates per 100K people by county

Georgia

  • Fulton County is offering residents who get the first or second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine a $100 gift card. For vaccination sites across Georgia this week, check out this daily schedule shared by CORE Georgia.

Vaccination rates by county

(% of population ≥ 5 years of age fully vaccinated)

  • Carroll: 40.4%
  • Clayton: 47%
  • Cobb: 62%
  • DeKalb: 60.4%
  • Fulton: 59.7%
  • Gwinnett: 58.9%
  • Hall: 48.2%

Booster rates by county

(% of fully vaccinated population that has received at least 1 booster dose)

  • Carroll: 35.6%
  • Clayton: 34.2%
  • Cobb: 41.2%
  • DeKalb: 43.1%
  • Fulton: 44%
  • Gwinnett: 39.8%
  • Hall: 35.9%

COVID-19 case rates per 100K people by county
Data Sources: