COVID vaccine live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on May 9
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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.
Cases surpass 980,000
At least 980,498 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus, and 12,780 have died since March 2020, according to state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported 1,932 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, up from 1,798 reported the day before.
Forty-two additional coronavirus-related deaths were reported Friday. Deaths don’t all occur on the day the state reports them. The state health department revises its daily figures as information becomes available.
At least 1,006 people were hospitalized with the coronavirus as of Friday, down from 1,031 on Thursday.
As of Wednesday, the latest day for which data is available, 4.4% of coronavirus tests were reported positive. Health officials say 5% or lower is the target rate to slow the spread of the virus.
Roughly 50% of adults in North Carolina have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine and 43.6% were fully vaccinated as of Thursday.
The state health department did not update its COVID-19 dashboard on Saturday and will not update it Sunday. The next update will be Monday.
No ‘magic number’ for reaching herd immunity in NC: Fauci
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, told The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer that there is no “magic number” for reaching herd immunity against the coronavirus and easing restrictions in North Carolina.
Instead, he encouraged everyone to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Gov. Roy Cooper has said he would further ease the state’s mask mandate once two-thirds of residents are vaccinated. As of Thursday, about half are fully vaccinated.
“The threshold for herd immunity is a number that we don’t know what that number is,” Fauci said. “But there’s one thing that we absolutely are certain of — that the more people that get vaccinated the less and less infection you’re going to have in the community. That’s an incontrovertible fact, an absolutely slam dunk fact.”
Fauci and Dr. Cameron Webb, a member of the White House coronavirus response, said vaccinations are the key to returning to normal life. Everyone ages 16 and up is eligible to receive the vaccine.
“We all know that vaccination dramatically diminishes the risk under any circumstances that you’re at,” Fauci said.
This story was originally published May 9, 2021 at 9:58 AM.
