Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on Jan. 12
Click here for updates for Jan. 13.
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus in North Carolina. Check back for updates.
Cases surpass 635,000
At least 635,975 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus and 7,638 have died, according to state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday reported 6,851 new COVID-19 cases, up from 5,936 the day before. A record 11,581 new cases were reported Saturday.
An additional 60 deaths were reported Tuesday.
At least 3,940 people in North Carolina were reported hospitalized with the coronavirus as of Tuesday. That’s the second-highest hospitalization total reported since the start of the pandemic, trailing behind the record of 3,964 coronavirus patients on Thursday.
As of Sunday, the latest day for which data are available, the state reported 14.7% of COVID-19 tests were positive. Health officials say the number should be about 5% to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Gov. Roy Cooper on Tuesday is expected to speak about North Carolina’s distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. A live stream of the news conference will be available at ncdps.gov/news-conference.
Firefighters quarantine after COVID exposure
At least 21 firefighters in Durham are under quarantine after they were potentially exposed to the coronavirus, the fire department said.
Thirty members of the fire department’s operations staff have tested positive for the virus since March last year, The Durham Herald Sun reported, citing a news release.
NC weighs expanding vaccine eligibility
Gov. Roy Cooper said the state is considering expanding the number of people eligible to be vaccinated in North Carolina after new federal guidelines were announced Tuesday.
Those guidelines include urging states to vaccinate everyone older than 65 and anyone under 65 with underlying health conditions, The News & Observer reported.
“It’s simply much easier to manage allocating vaccines and appointments to everyone 65 and over rather than narrower, more complex categories,” Alex Azar, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, said at a news conference.
Under the current plan, North Carolina is inoculating residents ages 75 and older. But the demand for a vaccine has so far “outstripped supply,” according to The N&O.
Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services, said the state’s current vaccine distribution plan was based on recommendations from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.
“Getting this kind of advice in the middle of all of this is obviously very challenging,” she said. “But we will take a look at that and incorporate it into our work going forward.”
Scientists behind vaccine honored in hometown
Kizzmekia Corbett is a National Institutes of Health scientist who helped lead the development of the Moderna vaccine. She’s also from Hillsborough, North Carolina.
Corbett was awarded a proclamation from her hometown for her research and her position as a prominent Black scientist, The News & Observer reported. The proclamation declared Jan. 12, 2021, Dr. Kizzmekia “Kizzy” Corbett Day.
“There are so many people in this community cheering you on and proud of you,” Mayor Jenn Weaver said during the proclamation Monday.
Corbett was one of the lead scientists on the Moderna vaccine development and has garnered praise for her work helping the Black community overcome concerns about the vaccine. Leading infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said she was “at the forefront of the development of the vaccine.”
“So the first thing you might want to say to my African American brothers and sisters is that the vaccine that you’re going to be taking was developed by an African American woman. And that is just a fact,” Fauci said.
All eyes on education as legislators return
The N.C. General Assembly will have to tackle issues surrounding education during the coronavirus pandemic when legislators return to session.
Groups on both sides of the political spectrum are focused on helping students impacted by the pandemic, many of whom haven’t returned to the classroom since March last year. Education leaders have warned some are failing and many have fallen behind, The News & Observer reported.
The State Board of Education is currently working on its budget proposal, which new Republican Superintendent Catherine Truitt and board members have said should include resources to help students overcome learning challenges.
Teacher pay and bonuses will likely also be on the table again after a lengthy budget battle in 2019.
“I think both sides realize that last year on the budget was not positive,” Gov. Roy Cooper said.
Data show how holidays affected coronavirus numbers in Charlotte
Data released by the Mecklenburg County Public Health Department on Tuesday show how holiday gatherings impacted COVID-19 metrics in the area.
The positivity rate has climbed to between 15% and 16% — up from 12% just before Christmas and 8% before Thanksgiving, the Charlotte Observer reported. An average of 521 people who tested positive for the virus were hospitalized in Mecklenburg County over the last week. That figure was closer to 259 around the same time last month.
Though the testing rate has slowed, data show the seven-day average of new cases is 936.
“At the end of 2020, that number was 571,” the Observer reported. “The volume of infections has surged since late October, when the weekly average of new cases was less than 200.”
The data come as Mecklenburg County health officials issued a directive Tuesday mandating businesses, schools and individuals return to virtual operations whenever possible.
Cops tell man to leave Walmart for not wearing a mask, video shows
A man at a Mooresville Walmart was escorted out by police after he refused to wear a mask in the store, video posted on social media shows.
“Because I’m white, she asked me to leave the property,” the man tells two police officers of the Black store manager. “It is because I’m white. What else is it?”
A Walmart spokesperson told The Charlotte Observer the incident occurred on Jan. 1.
“Our mask policy is intended to keep our customers and associates safe as we continue to serve communities across the country,” the spokesperson said. “We are pleased that the vast majority of the 150 million customers who visit us each week are wearing masks since we started requiring them this summer.”
Orange County delays reopening classrooms
The Orange County school board voted Monday night to reopen the district on a Plan B hybrid schedule for K-1 students once certain safety protocols are in place.
It’s unclear how long that will take, but those protocols include a COVID-19 testing program, air purifiers and a lunch plan outside the classroom, The News & Observer reported.
Students in grades 2-12 will stay remote until March, and those in small learning groups, pre-K and exceptional children’s classes will continue in-person and online classes.
“I know we have not landed where everyone hoped we would, and for that I am really sorry,” school board Chair Hillary Mackenzie said, her voice cracking behind her mask. “I know there are kids struggling. I know there are families struggling. These are the things that are keeping us up at night, so I’m just sorry for everyone that this is not ideal for.”
Thousands of Charlotte students opt for remote learning
More than 7,000 students in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools chose to attend the fully online academy for the second semester as case numbers in the region continue to rise.
But parents and school officials told The Charlotte Observer it’s about more than health concerns.
Thousands of those who switched to the Virtual Academy for the spring are high school students, data show. Tara Lynn Sullivan, the superintendent of the Central 2 learning community, said part of that decision stems from “a desire for consistency,” the Observer reported.
High school students are also able to take advantage of the independence associated with remote learning, said Glenn Starnes, principal of South Mecklenburg High School.
“You can still play sports, you can still be in National Honors Society, you can still do everything you’d do if you opted for in-person,” Starnes said. “I think once more people knew that was true, that had a great impact.”
Charlotte experiencing limited vaccine supply
An infectious disease doctor in the Charlotte area said limited supply is preventing COVID-19 vaccine distribution from expanding to other age groups.
Dr. David Priest of Novant Health on Tuesday said its vaccine allotments have been consistent, but his hospital system is ready to ramp up efforts if needed. While people age 75 and older are being vaccinated in the Charlotte area, the tight supply means younger adults aren’t yet included in the roll out.
“There will be the same bottleneck in terms of supply,” he said, according to The Charlotte Observer. “We’re glad they feel like they wanna move forward and get other people in the process but until we have more allotment of vaccine, we’ll be scheduling patients, but end up scheduling farther and farther out.”
Vaccine appointments fill up in the Triangle
Appointments for seniors 75 and older have filled up in in the Triangle this week as coronavirus vaccine distribution continues in North Carolina.
UNC Health and Duke Health said appointments are full through the week, and the Orange County Health Department’s two vaccination clinics on Thursday and Friday are also full, The News & Observer reported.
“We know it’s frustrating that appointments fill up quickly,” said Alan Wolf, spokesman for UNC Health. “But we’re going to keep posting them as they come available.”
North Carolina began vaccinating in mid-December starting with hospital workers and residents and staff at nursing homes and long-term care facilities. Under phase 1b, vaccinations are now going to those 75 and older, followed by frontline health care workers and essential workers 50 and older. Frontline health and essential workers of any age are the third group under phase 1b.
But the limited vaccine supply means only seniors are currently eligible to be vaccinated, according to The N&O.
Atrium opens vaccine locations
Atrium Health opened three COVID-19 vaccine clinics in Western North Carolina on Monday offering shots to seniors 75 and older.
The locations are Atrium Health Cabarrus, Atrium Health Lincoln and Atrium Health Union, the Charlotte Observer reported.
Atrium began operating vaccine clinics last week as the state moved into phase 1b of distribution. Roughly 164,000 notifications were sent out by Atrium to eligible patients.
Appointments at Atrium can be made online at MyAtriumHealth.
Mecklenburg announces partnerships to get vaccine out faster
Mecklenburg County is partnering with Mecklenburg EMS Agency this week to give second doses of the coronavirus vaccines to EMTs and paramedics who received their first doses three weeks ago, county medical director Meg Sullivan said.
The county will also partner with StarMed to give out second doses next week.
At least 3,700 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine had been given out as of Saturday night, and another 400 people were scheduled to be vaccinated at Bojangles Coliseum on Monday, the Charlotte Observer reported.
Moving the second-dose appointments to StarMed locations will help Mecklenburg County distribute the vaccines quicker, Sullivan told the Observer.
The news comes as COVID-19 metrics continue to climb in the Charlotte area. The county has recorded more than 1,000 new daily cases for four days in a row, and federal data show intensive-care beds have been filling up in area hospitals.
“Mecklenburg County is not improving,” county health director Gibbie Harris said Monday. “Our numbers continue to rise, both in terms of positivity rate, our case rate and the number of deaths we’re seeing in our community.”
Wake schools encourage employees to get tested
Wake County schools sent an email to employees Monday encouraging them to get tested for the coronavirus “as soon as possible,” regardless of whether they are showing symptoms.
Though Wake has suspended in-person instruction, the district is slated to resume face-to-face classes on Jan. 20
“Testing now could help reduce potential spread from people who may have caught the virus but don’t have symptoms,” Edward McFarland, Wake’s chief academic officer, said in the email.
The email links to free testing sites across the state and says testing is included in the state health plan.
Outbreak at Charlotte Rescue Mission
Charlotte Rescue Mission is halting admissions at a men’s center to help stop a coronavirus outbreak.
The facility offers drug and alcohol recovery, including for people who are homeless, The Charlotte Observer reported Monday.
”While we are saddened to close admissions for the time being, we believe it is necessary to keep current and future residents safe and healthy,” Trina Fullard, chief programs officer, said in a statement.
Mecklenburg County as of Friday said 21 coronavirus infections were linked to the Charlotte Rescue Mission. Residents with positive COVID-19 test results will be in quarantine at a hotel.
The outbreak comes as shelters near Charlotte have taken measures to help prevent the disease from spreading. In December, the Salvation Army Center of Hope was moved off the list of active outbreaks after experiencing 45 coronavirus cases.
Field hospital begins treating NC patients
A field hospital is treating Western North Carolina patients as the coronavirus overwhelms medical centers.
The organization Samaritan’s Purse teamed up with five hospitals to erect tents outside Caldwell UNC Health Care in Lenoir, The Charlotte Observer reported Monday.
The field hospital opened on Thursday and is designed for COVID-19 patients. Thirteen patients were in the 30-bed facility as of Friday, according to the Observer.
This story was originally published January 12, 2021 at 6:56 AM.
