COVID vaccine live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on March 18
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We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in North Carolina. Check back for updates.
Case count exceeds 891,000
At least 891,314 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus and 11,783 have died since last March, according to state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported 2,004 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, up slightly from 1,999 the day before.
Twenty-six coronavirus-related deaths were reported Thursday, bringing the statewide toll above 500 deaths this month. Deaths don’t all occur on the day the state reports them, and the state health department revises its daily figures as information becomes available.
At least 995 people in North Carolina were reported hospitalized with the coronavirus as of Thursday, down from 1,010 the day before.
As of Tuesday, the latest day for which data is available, 3.9% of coronavirus tests were reported positive. Health officials have said 5% or lower is the target rate to control the spread of the virus.
More than 3.5 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in North Carolina, and more than 1.3 million people in the state have been fully vaccinated as of Thursday. That includes 16.5% of adults in the state.
UNC Charlotte will return in-person in fall
UNC Charlotte announced Thursday it will return to in-person classes in the fall.
Chancellor Sharon Gaber said the university is planning “full operations,” which includes face-to-face instruction, full occupancy in residence halls and in-person campus services, the Charlotte Observer reported.
Employees will also be able to return to their offices and all campus buildings will operate at regular capacity.
Capacity at sporting events has not yet been determined.
“We will continue to monitor all local and state data as we move forward with our plans, and we will follow all guidance we receive from health officials and the UNC System to ensure our return is done safely,” Gaber said in the statement.
Caseload is stable in Charlotte
The daily coronavirus caseload in Mecklenburg County appears to have stabilized with an average of more than 170 new cases each day over the last week.
But public health officials warn the pandemic is not over.
“We cannot afford to keep having this many cases because the longer we have this steady rate, the more time we are giving the virus to come up with new mutations for which our vaccines might not be effective,” said Melinda Forthofer, a UNC Charlotte public health professor.
Mecklenburg Public Health Director Gibbie Harris said case numbers have improved significantly since hitting a peak in January, the Charlotte Observer reported.
But they are still higher than mid-October, when Mecklenburg experienced a brief period of stability with a 7-day moving average of roughly 130 cases.
Mecklenburg hits COVID vaccine milestone
More than 100,000 residents in Mecklenburg County have now been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.
The county passed the benchmark Wednesday morning with 9.2% of residents — or 101,651 people — fully vaccinated, the Charlotte Observer reported. Close to 15% of the population has been partially vaccinated.
Mecklenburg County is the second county in the state to pass the 100,000 threshold after Wake County, which has fully vaccinated 138,268 residents, or 12.4% of the county’s population.
Still, County Health Director Gibbie Harris said Mecklenburg’s vaccine rate is still lagging behind others in North Carolina.
“We are not where we’d want to be,” she said. “We’d like to be further along. We’d like to see more people vaccinated.”
Charlotte housing demand continues during COVID
There’s a shortage of homes for sale in the Charlotte area as higher prices bring affordability concerns, experts say.
The area is seeing its lowest supply of homes on the market in more than a decade, and housing demand has continued during the coronavirus pandemic.
Low costs of living and remote work options have drawn people to the region, The Charlotte Observer reported.
“They’re looking at what they can get for the money and they are gladly and willingly paying top dollar and outbidding local bidders here in Charlotte,” said David Kennedy, president of Canopy Realtor Association/Canopy MLS.
More vaccines to arrive at Charlotte area pharmacies
CVS is opening more appointment slots in the Mecklenburg County as its pharmacies receive additional COVID-19 vaccines.
Vaccines will be offered at three stores near Charlotte, though the exact locations haven’t been released to the public, The Charlotte Observer reported. Appointments must be made in advance.
Under North Carolina’s vaccine rollout plan, those eligible to receive shots include residents 65 and older, residents of long-term care facilities, “front-line essential workers” and those with chronic medical conditions.
Anyone eligible for a vaccine who is interested in registering can use the CVS Pharmacy app, visit cvs.com or call 800-746-7287.
Cooper optimistic about vaccine eligibility by May 1
Gov. Roy Cooper said he was optimistic that every North Carolina adult would be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine by the start of May.
The remark comes after President Joe Biden said last week that each state should have the vaccinations available to adult residents by May 1, The News & Observer reported. Weekly vaccine shipments are expected to increase, helping the state reach Biden’s goal, according to Dr. Mandy Cohen, Secretary of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
On Wednesday, North Carolina transitioned to Group 4 in its vaccine plan, meaning people who live in group settings and those with conditions that put them at higher risk of getting seriously sick from a COVID-19 infection are now eligible to receive shots.
With more vaccine available to more people, Cooper said it’s important to contact people who are worried about getting their doses.
“We’re going to be working extraordinarily hard to convince people that this is important to do,” Cooper said. “We’re going to really be working to try to get a greater percentage of the population vaccinated.”
NC biotech industry hoping to hire laid-off workers
North Carolina’s biotechnology industry hopes to hire some workers who were laid off during the coronavirus pandemic.
The sector, which has a strong presence in the Triangle, had a top year as tens of thousands of people in the state lost their jobs, The News & Observer reported Tuesday.
The North Carolina Biotechnology Center used money from the federal CARES Act to start the Bio Jobs Hub, an online resource that helps to recruit people who held jobs in fields hit hard by the pandemic or who had left the military.
“It is a hard thing to go from an industry you know into something where you don’t know anyone,” said Robin Deacle, head of corporate communications at N.C. Biotech. “We want to persuade folks that even if you weren’t good at science and math ... these jobs can still be for you.”
This story was originally published March 18, 2021 at 7:57 AM.
