'These are preventable deaths': Cumberland officials urge people to get COVID shot as less than 30% of population vaccinated

As fears over the new coronavirus Delta variant worsen and vaccination rates stall, Cumberland County health officials are pushing for eligible students to get vaccinated.

Local hospital leaders say they're seeing a rise in COVID cases and the vaccine could stop it.

"Almost everyone who is hospitalized in our health system, over 95%, are unvaccinated," said Chris Tart, president of Highsmith-Rainey Specialty Hospitals. "They're in ICUs. These really are preventable deaths."

According to state data, only 27% of people in the county are fully vaccinated. That's far below the state and national coronavirus vaccination rates.

Health officials say that people should be watching vaccination rates in their area, even if they already have received the shot. The newest variant of the virus could cause breakthrough cases for those who have immunity.

Cumberland County Health Director Jennifer Green says that the county would like to see two-thirds of its children vaccinated. Right now, only 12% of 12 to 17 years olds in the county have received a shot.

Cumberland County Schools, in partnership with Cape Fear Valley Health, is hosting walk-in COVID-19 vaccination clinics for students 12 years and older and their families.

Nine high schools across the county will be administering vaccines in the coming weeks.

All of the clinics run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine doled out on Wednesday.

Shirley Bolden, director of Health Services for the school system, says there are several reasons parents should make sure their children are vaccinated before school starts.

"The biggest win here for all of us is that kids won't have to be quarantined if they're exposed," she said. "Althletes won't have to be excluded from practices or the big game if they are exposed and we can limit the number of people that are testing positive in our community."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday that vaccinated teachers and students don't have to wear masks. But state health leaders still say that children should continue to wear masks inside school buildings, even if they are vaccinated.

No appointment is needed.