Wake cancels Thursday’s drive-thru vaccine clinic at PNC Arena due to weather
Wake County has canceled the drive-through vaccination clinic scheduled for Thursday at PNC Arena because of the approaching ice storm and the risk of hazardous driving conditions.
The county announced that all appointments scheduled for Thursday will be moved to Monday, Feb. 22, at the arena. Anyone scheduled to get the shot at the arena on Thursday who cannot make their new Monday appointment should call the county’s COVID-19 call center at 919-250-1515, the county said in a press release.
Vaccination clinics at the Wake County Commons Building and the Sunnybrook facility will continue as planned on Thursday, but if anyone needs to reschedule because of the weather, they should also call the county call center.
The county has delayed the opening of all testing sites until noon Thursday because of the weather. For a list of test sites, go to covid19.wakegov.com/testing.
Also, UNC Health has canceled its vaccination clinics at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill and at the Hillsborough campus because of the weather. UNC said all patients are being contacted to reschedule appointments for Friday or Saturday.
Franklin County has canceled its Thursday vaccine clinic at the Triangle North Executive Airport in Louisburg. Franklin County said it would try to contact everyone who had an appointment within 24 hours.
Wake County continues outreach to under-served communities
In an effort to reach marginalized communities in Wake County, county commissioner Matt Calabria spoke on Wednesday about current initiatives to offer vaccinations to minority populations in the county.
“We can’t just wait for the community to come to us. We have to go out into the community,” Calabria said at Wednesday’s press conference.
Calabria was joined at the press conference by community leaders such as Larry Johnson, pastor at Gethsemane Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Raleigh.
Johnson and his church have been working with Wake County to offer education on the vaccine to those in the Black community in southeast Raleigh.
“We want to be known as a church that is active in our community, in not only spreading the gospel, but doing those things that we should help health, education, and other areas that our community deeply and greatly needs,” Johnson said.
Lechelle Wardell, who works with the county, said that some in the Black community are hesitant to take the vaccine due to a history of systemic racism from the federal and state government.
She said it was important to hear information from people that have a shared experience with them.
“When people hear messages from people that they trust, and that they believe are providing them accurate information, then that decreases those barriers and that mistrust,” Wardell said.
Calabria said that more vaccination events are scheduled at churches in Raleigh, Garner and Fuquay-Varina on Friday and Saturday.
Those wanting to schedule a vaccination can sign up at covid19.wakegov.com/vaccine/.
DHHS updates COVID numbers
North Carolina reported 3,167 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the average of daily new cases reported over the last week to 3,373.
Wednesday’s total is an increase of 1,179 from Tuesday’s total, but the weekly average continues to decrease.
Over the last month, the seven-day average has fallen by more than half, according to data from DHHS.
Hospitalizations decreased to 1,954, the third straight day that hospitalizations have been under 2,000. Prior to Monday they were last under 2,000 on Nov. 30.
DHHS added 108 deaths to the state’s coronavirus death toll on Wednesday, bringing the total over the pandemic to 10,670.
Deaths do not all occur on the date they are reported. DHHS updates its numbers as information becomes available. According to DHHS data, the deadliest days of the pandemic were Jan. 4 and Jan. 15 when 113 people died each day.
Since the new year, 3,068 North Carolinians have died due to the virus, according to the most recent data from DHHS. Dates of deaths are missing for four deaths, as of Wednesday.
Among the tests reported on Monday, the latest day with data available, 7.7% returned positive, an increase from the 7.6% reported Sunday. Overall, the state has seen a gradual decrease since the pandemic high of 17.1% reported on Jan. 4.
State health officials have said that they want the rate at 5% or lower to control the spread of the coronavirus. The last time that North Carolina met this standard was Sept. 24.
Case and hospitalization data reported by DHHS are preliminary and subject to change. Here are additional statistics reported Wednesday, with changes from the previous day:
- Total cases: 829,507 (+3,167)
- Deaths: 10,670 (+108)
- Tests: 9,719,476 (+30,322)
- People hospitalized: 1,954 (-19)
- Available ICU beds: 474 (-55)
- Available inpatient beds: 5,255 (-441)
- Patients on ventilators: 1,051 (-6)
Inpatient and ICU beds are not all used by COVID-19 patients, according to DHHS.
Vaccine statistics reported Tuesday:
- First doses arrived: 1,112,375
- First doses administered: 1,168,336 (105%)*
- Second doses arrived: 730,725
- Second doses administered: 546,479 (75%)
Vaccine doses administered in North Carolina through the federal, long-term care program:
- First doses arrived: 150,900
- First doses administered: 109,849 (73%)
- Second doses arrived: 150,900
- Second doses administered: 57,964 (38%)
This story was originally published February 17, 2021 at 2:00 PM.