Over 1.2 million people in NC now fully vaccinated against COVID-19
North Carolina reported Friday that over 1.2 million people in the state are now fully vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID0-19.
All of the vaccinations have occurred since the state first started offering them in mid-December.
Two doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are required to be fully vaccinated.
Just under 1.2 million in North Carolina have received second doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Over 30,000 have now received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The state has only received about 80,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, but state officials expect to start receiving 160,000 a week beginning either the last week of March or the first week of April, The News & Observer reported.
In a speech Thursday night, President Joe Biden directed all states to have the COVID-19 vaccine made available to all adults by May 1.
Currently, North Carolina offers vaccines to health care workers, long-term care residents and staff, those aged 65 and older and front-line essential workers.
Starting March 17, those with certain medical conditions that make them vulnerable to severe COVID cases will be eligible.
New cases and hospitalizations continue to drop
The state Department of Health and Human Services reported 1,998 new coronavirus cases on Friday, a slight decrease from Thursday’s count.
Over the last week, DHHS has reported an average of 1,668 new cases per day.
That seven-day average has been decreasing for several weeks.
Statewide hospitalizations due to COVID-19 fell slightly to 1,037, the fewest reported since early October.
DHHS reported a pandemic high of 3,990 in mid-January.
Among the tests reported Wednesday, the latest day with available data, 3.7% returned positive.
Over the last week of available data, DHHS has reported an average percent positive rate of 4.5% per day.
State health officials have wanted the rate below 5% for months, and Wednesday marks the fifth straight day that North Carolina has met that target.
Saturday was the first day since DHHS started measuring percent positive rates that the state had a seven-day average below 5%.
COVID-19 data of the day
Case and hospitalization data reported by DHHS are preliminary and subject to change upon further investigation. Here are additional statistics reported Friday, with changes from the previous day:
- Total cases: 881,823 (+1,998)
- Deaths: 11,663 (+41)
- Tests: 10,703,559 (+50,671)
- People hospitalized: 1,037 (-2)
- COVID-19 adult ICU patients: 273 (-14)
- Available ICU beds: 566 (-25)
- Available inpatient beds: 5,513 (-116)
- Patients on ventilators: 917 (+29)
Inpatient and ICU beds are not all used by COVID-19 patients, according to DHHS.
Deaths do not all occur on the date they are reported. DHHS updates its numbers as information becomes available. For example, according to the latest DHHS data, the deadliest day of the pandemic was Jan. 15 when 123 people died.
Vaccine statistics reported Friday:
- First doses arrived: 1,918,820
- First doses administered: 1,825,922 (95%)
- Second doses arrived: 1,213,775
- Second doses administered: 1,081,799 (89%)
- Single shot doses arrived: 83,700
- Single shot doses administered: 31,410 (38%)
Vaccine doses administered in North Carolina through the federal, long-term care program:
- First doses arrived: 145,900
- First doses administered: 125,903 (86%)
- Second doses arrived: 145,900
- Second doses administered: 97,601 (67%)
Overall vaccine statistics:
- Total doses administered: 3,162,635
- Number of people fully vaccinated: 1,210,810
- Percent of population partially vaccinated: 18.6%
- Percent of population fully vaccinated: 11.5%
Breakdown of those vaccinated by race vs. percentage of total population:
- American Indian or Alaskan Native: 0.7% (1.7%)
- Asian or Pacific Islander: 2.5% (3.5%)
- Black or African-American: 14.1% (23.1%)
- White: 78.5% (71.7%)
By ethnicity:
- Hispanic: 2.5% (9.8%)
- Non-Hispanic: 97% (90.2%)