COVID-19 News
  • The first person to test positive for avian influenza, specifically H5N1 bird flu, in the U.S. was a person in Colorado involved in killing presumably inflected birds. The person, who has since recovered, is an inmate at a correctional facility who was performing the work as part of a pre-release employment program. While the threat to humans remains low, the CDC recommends hand washing, face masks, and gloves as preventative measures for those who are at higher risk of contracting avian flu because of close contact with wild or domestic birds.
  • Moderna asked the FDA for emergency authorization of its COVID-19 vaccine for children under 6, and the FDA will likely make a decision on the request in June.
  • Global health authorities are concerned about an 80% increase in measles cases in 2022 compared to 2021. Lower vaccination rates among children against measles worldwide are the likely cause of the outbreaks, due to a mix of factors including redirected resources and disruptions due to the pandemic and growing inequity in vaccine access. In the U.S., coverage among kindergarteners dropped to 93.6%, and 95% coverage is considered protective against measles outbreaks.
  • The CDC announced last week that almost 60% of people in the United States have had COVID-19, and the rate is even higher among children: 3 of 4 children under 11 have antibodies to the virus from previous infection.
  • As last week was Workers Memorial Week and May 1 was International Workers’ Day, we’re sharing two resources that remind us of the challenges all workers face as they defend their rights:

    • National COSH released the Dirty Dozen for 2022, a list of 12 employers nationwide whose failures to protect worker health and safety result in preventable illness, injury, and death. Many companies on the list also retaliate against workers who advocate and organize for improved working conditions.

    • The AFL-CIO recently released its annual report, Death on the Job, that reveals that 4,764 were killed on the job and an estimated 120,000 died from occupational diseases in 2020.

State Level Data Overview

Vaccination rates by state

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

  • Delaware: 73.2%
  • Maryland: 80.5%
  • Virginia: 77.8%
  • North Carolina: 64.9%
  • South Carolina: 60%
  • Georgia: 58.3%

Booster rates by state

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

  • Delaware: 45.6%
  • Maryland: 50.8%
  • Virginia: 47.3%
  • North Carolina: 26.5%
  • South Carolina: 39.2%
  • Georgia: 37.5%

COVID-19 case rates per 100K people by state

State Snapshots

Delaware

  • The Delaware Environmental Public Health Tracking Network published this visual success story highlighting the high vaccination rate among members of Delaware’s Hispanic community and detailing the challenges faced by those employed in the poultry industry early in the pandemic.

Vaccination rates by county

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

  • Kent: 59.9%
  • Sussex: 71.9%

Booster rates by county

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

  • Kent: 43%
  • Sussex: 49.9%

COVID-19 case rates per 100K people by county

Maryland

  • The Dorchester County Health Department created English & Spanish bilingual graphics that explain how to report a positive at-home COVID-19 test to the Maryland Department of Health.

  • Thanks to all our partners, including but not limited to Tri Community Mediation, UFCW Local 27, CATA, Rebirth, and the Dorchester County Health Department who participated in an event for Workers Memorial Day in Hurlock MD!

Vaccination rates by county

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

  • Dorchester: 63%
  • Somerset: 52.7%
  • Wicomico: 59.7%

Booster rates by county

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

  • Dorchester: 51.5%
  • Somerset: 50.3%
  • Wicomico: 49.4%

COVID-19 case rates per 100K people by county

Virginia

  • Two bills that would have supported Virginians with medical debt were vetoed by the Governor, and the General Assembly was not able to overcome the vetoes in their veto session this week. One bill would have created a statute of limitations for claims against those with medical debt, limiting hospitals to pursuing claims for only 3 years. The other bill would have protected victims of crime who consequently incurred medical debt from being harassed by debt collectors. Both bills initially had broad bipartisan support.

Vaccination rates by county

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

  • Accomack: 77.8%
  • Northampton: 75.1%
  • Northumberland: 56.1%
  • Rockingham: 45.7%
  • Shenandoah: 52.3%

Booster rates by county

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

  • Accomack: 44.2%
  • Northampton: 49.3%
  • Northumberland: 27.4%
  • Rockingham: 21.7%
  • Shenandoah: 39.5%

COVID-19 case rates per 100K people by county

North Carolina

  • Last week, the North Carolina Department of Health hosted a cafecito in Spanish discussing important topics related to COVID-19, including booster shots, vaccination for pregnant women, and long-term effects of COVID-19.

Vaccination rates by county

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

  • Alamance: 63%
  • Burke: 49.9%
  • Chatham: 66.7%
  • Forsyth: 66.9%
  • Guilford: 66.4%
  • Mecklenberg: 6.28%
  • Pasquotank: 58.3%
  • Wilkes: 49.7%

Booster rates by county

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

  • Alamance: 23.8%
  • Burke: 26.5%
  • Chatham: 22.4%
  • Forsyth: 23.5%
  • Guilford: 19.3%
  • Mecklenberg: 23.7%
  • Pasquotank: 26.9%
  • Wilkes: 23.9%

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: 46.2%
  • 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: 34.6%
  • Spartanburg: 40%
  • Sumter: 32.8%

COVID-19 case rates per 100K people by county

Georgia

  • Check out CORE Georgia’s vaccination schedule for the first week of May!
  • On Thursday, May 5 from 6 to 8 PM, Northside Hospital in Lawrenceville, GA is offering free skin cancer screenings! Call 404-531-4444 to make an appointment!

Vaccination rates by county

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

  • Carroll: 40.5%
  • Clayton: 47.2%
  • Cobb: 62.2%
  • DeKalb: 60.6%
  • Fulton: 59.8%
  • Gwinnett: 59.1%
  • Hall: 48.4%

Booster rates by county

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

  • Carroll: 36.1%
  • Clayton: 34.8%
  • Cobb: 41.9%
  • DeKalb: 43.9%
  • Fulton: 44.7%
  • Gwinnett: 40.4%
  • Hall: 36.6%

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