COVID vaccine live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on June 29
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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.
More than 300 hospitalized
At least 1,013,481 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus and 13,424 have died since March 2020, according to state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported 274 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, down from 294 on Monday.
Four additional coronavirus-related deaths were reported Tuesday. Deaths don’t necessarily occur on the day the state reports them. The state health department revises its daily figures as more information becomes available.
At least 384 people were hospitalized with the coronavirus as of Tuesday, up from 374 the day before.
As of Sunday — the most recent date available — 2.9% of coronavirus tests were reported positive. Health officials say 5% or lower is the target rate to slow the spread of the virus.
Roughly 56% of adults in North Carolina have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine and about 52% have been fully vaccinated. State health officials round vaccination numbers to the nearest whole number.
HBCU clears students’ debt
Saint Augustine’s University, a historically Black private university, said Tuesday it will clear students’ unpaid account balances from the 2021 spring, summer and fall semesters, allowing students who were financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to continue their education.
The move is expected to help about 800 students with an impact of more than $9 million, The News & Observer reported.
The funds will come from what money the university received from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act this year.
“I come from a low-income, single-parent household and I am a first-generation high school graduate and first-generation college student,” rising senior McKenzie Estep said in a statement. “This type of support brings me one step closer to reaching my dream of starting a career with less debt and becoming financially stable.”
Wake warns school test scores may not be accurate
Wake County schools issued an early warning that the state’s test scores this year might not accurately reflect how well students were taught during the pandemic.
North Carolina will release those grades on Sept. 1, The News & Observer reported. But school officials in Wake County said the accuracy of the results will likely be lower given how many students skipped the state tests this year.
“As those participation rates fall below 100%, some of those aggregations that they report — district level scores, school level scores, subgroup scores — are going to be less and less accurate, and we don’t know how that’s going to vary by different parts of the state,” Brad McMillen, Wake’s assistant superintendent for data, research and accountability, told a school board committee Monday.
Some early figures have showed more students than normal had failing grades. The majority of high school students who took state exams in the fall also didn’t pass them, according to The N&O.
Days left for families to apply for $335 checks
North Carolina families who haven’t received $335 payments from the state have a few days left to submit applications.
The deadline to apply for the Extra Credit Grant program is July 1, The News & Observer reported Tuesday.
Parents originally were eligible to receive the checks if they had a child under 17 and filed 2019 tax returns. Others were asked to fill out applications.
The program uses federal COVID-19 relief funds to help families pay for the costs of online learning and child care.
Cooper asks for extension on eviction moratorium
Gov. Roy Cooper on Tuesday said he asked state leaders to extend North Carolina’s moratorium on evictions.
The Council of State must make a decision before 5 p.m. Tuesday, one day before the order is set to expire. It protects renters if they don’t pay due to financial hardships related to COVID-19.
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pushed the national eviction moratorium to July 31. Some tenants will be protected against eviction even if the statewide order isn’t extended, The News & Observer reported.
N.C. Treasurer Dale Folwell, a member of the Council of State, last week pushed the governor to allow the statewide moratorium to expire. But advocates have said the extension gives renters more time to receive aid.
Some in-person fireworks returning to Triangle
Events to celebrate the Fourth of July are back one year after the COVID-19 pandemic forced many to be canceled.
In the Triangle, staples such as the Festival for the Eno and in-person firework shows will join new festivities on this weekend’s schedule.
Here is a list of events scheduled on and around Independence Day.
NC State players test positive for Delta variant
After the N.C. State baseball team’s season came to an abrupt end over the weekend, the school’s chancellor said some players tested positive for the Delta coronavirus variant.
“We understand the gravity of eight players testing positive and the fact that this was the Delta variant, which is a variant that’s come from India that’s super contagious and is quickly emerging in the country as another wave of infections,” Randy Woodson said.
Some have argued players on N.C. State’s baseball team should have been vaccinated prior to the NCAA tournament.
N.C. State needed one win to get to the final round of the College World Series when the team was eliminated following positive COVID tests within the Wolfpack program, The News & Observer reported.
Athletic director Boo Corrigan said in a statement Saturday some players were waiting until the season ended to get their vaccines in case of side effects, adding that N.C. State couldn’t force its students to get the vaccine.
He also said some of the players who tested positive had been vaccinated.
What to know about flying out of RDU over holiday weekend
Travelers should expect long wait times and more passenger traffic at Raleigh-Durham International Airport during the holiday weekend.
Officials said the airport could have its busiest week since before the coronavirus pandemic, The News & Observer reported.
RDU Airport is expecting roughly 224,000 passengers between July 2 and July 8 — a 200% increase from the same week last year. The busiest days will be Friday, July 2 and Monday, July 5.
Passengers should plan to arrive at least two hours early. Masks are also required at all times, according to federal guidelines.
NC announces winners of vaccine lottery
North Carolina on Monday revealed the first winners of the state’s COVID-19 vaccine lottery.
A Winston-Salem teacher scored the $1 million prize, and a Wilmington teenager snagged a $125,000 scholarship, The News & Observer reported. The winners beat odds of roughly 1 in 4 million.
“When I first got the phone call, I thought it was a total lie,” 14-year-old Vania Martinez said of her big win. “It was exciting, but at the same time crazy.”
North Carolina held its first prize drawing last week as it aims to increase vaccination rates. As of Monday, about 55% of adults had received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, behind President Joe Biden’s goal of 70%.
The next drawing is set for July 7.
This story was originally published June 29, 2021 at 7:05 AM.
