Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on Sept. 15
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We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus in North Carolina. Check back for updates.
Cases top 186,000
At least 186,887 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus and 3,111 have died, according to state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday reported 1,106 new COVID-19 cases, up from 845 reported the day before.
Fifty-one coronavirus-related deaths were reported Tuesday, a new single-day record for the state. The previous high had been 50 deaths reported Sept. 5.
About 5% of tests were reported positive as of Sunday, the latest day for which data is available, in line with health officials’ goal of 5% or lower. The percentage has been about 5% since Sept. 9.
But Pia MacDonald, senior epidemiologist at RTI International, told The News & Observer on Monday that the 5% goal is arbitrary.
“What we really want to see is that percentage go lower and lower and lower over time and the number of tests increase over time,” she said during an interview.
New cases decreased by about 12% in the first two weeks of September compared to the last two weeks of August, when cases spiked as college students returned to campuses, The N&O reported.
At least 916 people in North Carolina were reportedly hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Tuesday, up from 895 the day before.
The health department estimates that 167,250 people in North Carolina are presumed recovered from the virus. Data on presumed recoveries is released once a week, on Mondays.
Wake considers in-person instruction
The Wake County School system is considering having every student come in for daily classes among four options for returning to in-person instruction.
The school board previously approved a plan to split students into three groups that rotate for one week of in-person classes. But so many students have opted for the Virtual Academy program that rotation may not be necessary. The county might switch to one week of in-person classes followed by a week of remote learning or to no rotation with daily in-person classes.
Wake County high schools sports teams are set to return to campus Oct. 1. High school sports in the county have been suspended since mid-March due to the pandemic but on Tuesday, officials presented a plan for a “soft rollout and cautious return to play for student athletes,” The N&O reports.
Cross country and volleyball would be the first sports back, with a maximum of two workout days a week. There would then be a “live period,” when workouts can be five days a week before the season starts. Other sports would start at later dates if the plan goes well.
The plans come as parents in nearby Orange County push for students to be allowed to return to schools. They join some parents across the state unhappy with remote learning because children sit at a computer all day.
A Facebook group, Re-Open Orange County Schools, had 268 members as of Tuesday morning.
Air quality concerns in Charlotte schools
Concerns about the air quality inside school buildings continue as Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools consider whether to allow some students to return for in-person learning after months of virtual learning due to the coronavirus pandemic.
School and health leaders have outlined reopening metrics such as the positive test rate, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) availability and the readiness of buildings. But some are concerned aging heating and cooling systems in school buildings increase the risk of spreading the virus.
The district says it’s working to improve the air quality ahead of students returning, but The Charlotte Observer reports that some of the measures fall short of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
District officials told The Observer that school HVAC systems cannot accommodate the CDC’s prescribed filters and that CDC recommended portable filtration systems are too expensive. Additionally, 39 schools have systems that can’t bring in outside air, which are recommended by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. Of those, 26 enroll predominantly Black and Hispanic students.
“I am angry about this. I’m watching where they are intending to bring people back, into those buildings on that list,” Erlene Lyde, a teacher at West Charlotte High School, told The Observer. “They need to be transparent with communities of color. These buildings are not safe.”
Cohen supports vaccine development
Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the state health department, said during a news conference Tuesday that she supports the steps being taken to develop and test a potential COVID-19 vaccine.
She said she’s heard from “career regulators” at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about the safety and efficacy measures they’ll use and that she feels “very comfortable.”
“There’s still a lot more science to do, but we know that vaccines are going to be such an important tool to us combating this crisis, so I am pleased that the federal government has worked as hard as they can to move as fast as they can,” she said. “I think we all need to watch for the data, let the regulators do their job at the FDA, and be ready to take the vaccine when it is safe and it is available for everyone to have it.”
Her comments came the day after Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Cal Cunningham said during a debate that he would be “hesitant” to get a coronavirus vaccine if one is available by the end of the year due to concerns about “political and financial corruption” surrounding it in Washington, D.C.
“I’m going to ask a lot of questions,” he said, according to The News & Observer. “I think that’s incumbent on all of us right now with the way we’ve seen politics intervening in Washington.”
Republican incumbent Sen. Thom Tillis called his response during the debate “irresponsible.”
“That statement puts lives at risk and it makes it more difficult to manage a crisis that he presents to say he’s up to the task to manage,” Tillis said. “We just heard a candidate for the U.S. Senate look into the camera and tell 10 million North Carolinians he would be hesitant to take a vaccine. I think that that’s irresponsible.”
After the debate, Cunningham clarified that if public health professionals “sign off” on the vaccine he would not hesitate to get it and would encourage others to do the same.
Thousands mistakenly told of positive COVID-19 tests
Thousands of people in Mecklenburg County, home to Charlotte, were mistakenly told in text messages and emails they tested positive for the coronavirus.
The county originally blamed a scam but later said the messages were due to a software glitch.
More than 6,700 texts and 500 emails went out, though the county doesn’t share testing results in those ways. It’s unknown how many of the people who received the messages tested positive for COVID-19, The Charlotte Observer reported Monday.
Panthers fans bring business to Charlotte restaurants
Carolina Panthers fans weren’t allowed in the stadium for Sunday’s game, but some still went to Charlotte restaurants to watch on big-screen TVs.
Lissa Miller, who was waiting outside a restaurant ahead of kickoff, told The Charlotte Observer she was disappointed she couldn’t tailgate but was glad there was still a game.
“We’re supporters,” she said. “We’re fans — we’re going to be here regardless. But COVID has taken it all away.”
Angelo Tsepelis, manager at The French Quarter Restaurant, told The Observer he’s thankful for the customers.
“We’ll take whatever business we can get right now,” Tsepelis said Sunday.
Customers are starting to return to restaurants after business plummeted due to the coronavirus pandemic. Spending at restaurants and hotels in Charlotte was down 37.1% at the end of August compared to January. In mid-April it was down 70.3%, according to Opportunity Insights’ COVID-19 economic tracker.
Chuck McShane, Charlotte Regional Business Alliance senior vice president, told The Observer that restaurants are benefiting from the return of business on the weekends.
“Growth and employment has been in rebound in food services since April,” McShane said. “So that’s been a positive trend — there’s still a ways to go. Certainly, events like (Panthers home games) will definitely help.”
Grant program to help Charlotte food, drink businesses
Charlotte is launching a grant program to help local food and beverage businesses hurt by the pandemic.
Restaurants, bars, food trucks and caterers are eligible for the grants, and amounts are based on the number of employees. Businesses with fewer than six employees are eligible for $10,000 while those with six or more employees are eligible for $25,000. Roughly 350 businesses will receive grants.
Applications will be open Sept. 21 through Oct. 19. Funding will be awarded on a first come, first served basis. Businesses must be located within the city limits, been in business before Jan. 1 and earned more than $30,000 last year. Liquor stores, adult entertainment businesses and nonprofits are not eligible.
More information is available here.
This story was originally published September 15, 2020 at 7:09 AM.
