COVID vaccine live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on July 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 3,200 new cases reported
At least 1,044,877 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus, and at least 13,618 have died since March 2020, according to state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported 3,268 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, up from 2,633 on Wednesday.
Twelve additional coronavirus-related deaths were reported Thursday. 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 1,141 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Thursday, up from 1,091 the day before.
As of Tuesday, the latest day available, 9.3% of coronavirus tests were reported positive. Health officials say 5% or lower is the target rate to slow the spread of the virus.
Roughly 61% of adults in North Carolina have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and about 57% have been fully vaccinated. State health officials round vaccination numbers to the nearest whole number.
No new mask mandate for NC
Gov. Roy Cooper announced Thursday he will not reinstate a statewide mask requirement nor require county mask mandates.
Some state employees in Cabinet agencies, however, will have to show proof of vaccination or wear a mask and subject to regular COVID-19 tests, The News & Observer reported.
“As you will see, after months of low numbers, our trends have turned sharply in the wrong direction,” Cooper said. “I want to be clear about why: Unvaccinated people are driving this resurgence and getting themselves and other people sick.”
Cooper said local governments can issue their own restrictions. He also recommended businesses ask employees to show proof of vaccination.
No such local restrictions are in place for Charlotte, which is considered an area of high COVID-19 spread, per the CDC, while some local businesses have re-instituted mask requirements, The Charlotte Observer reported.
Face masks likely to continue in Charlotte schools
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Earnest Winston sent a memo Thursday recommending the district continue requiring masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The three-page memo was sent ahead of the school board meeting Friday, in which members will be asked to extend the mask requirement, The Charlotte Observer reported.
Winston said CMS should implement “universal face covering requirements for all students, staff, volunteers and visitors inside CMS facilities for the 2021-2022 school year.”
Rise in hospitalizations expected to continue in NC
Coronavirus-related hospitalizations have jumped in North Carolina, and an infectious disease expert expects that trend to continue.
Even as some employers mandate COVID-19 vaccines and federal health officials revise face mask guidelines, it could take time for hospitalizations to come down, said Dr. Cameron Wolfe, associate professor at the Duke University School of Medicine. That’s because it can take up to two weeks before a person who contracts the virus is hospitalized, The News & Observer reported Thursday.
“It is baked into the system that that number is going to go up for at least a couple of weeks,” Wolfe said. “All of those people who have been exposed yesterday, for example, are not likely to get sick for quite a few days, and not likely to get sick enough to need the hospital for further time.”
More than 1,091 coronavirus-related hospitalizations were reported in the state as of Thursday, the highest total since May. State officials have said over 90% of those people are unvaccinated.
Dozens of cases linked to NC summer camp
At least 75 coronavirus cases have been linked to a summer camp in North Carolina, officials say.
The cases across 17 states reportedly were tied to people who worked at or attended The Wilds Christian Camp and Conference Center, near the mountain town of Brevard.
Transylvania Public Health said anyone who went to the camp is urged to get tested if they experience COVID-19 symptoms, such as fever or cough.
The faith-based camp didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday.
GalaxyCon in Raleigh updates its mask guidance
A Raleigh event has updated its coronavirus-related precautions after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed its guidance on mask wearing.
People who plan to attend GalaxyCon from July 29 to Aug. 1 are now urged to put on face coverings indoors, The News & Observer reported.
“We strongly encourage our attendees to wear masks while inside the Raleigh Convention Center,” organizers wrote in an email. “Some celebrities will require that you wear a mask before you approach their table.”
Billy Graham’s grandson out of ICU
The founder of a North Carolina ministry has left an intensive care unit after he was diagnosed with COVID-19, his family said.
Jonathan Lotz, grandson of The Rev. Billy Graham, had been in critical condition but is now starting the rehabilitation process, The News & Observer reported Wednesday.
Lotz started the Raleigh-based AnGeL Ministries and has preached throughout North Carolina.
His grandfather and uncle, evangelist Franklin Graham, have also made their marks on the state.
Mecklenburg health director says residents should wear face masks
Mecklenburg County Public Health Director Gibbie Harris said Wednesday that all residents regardless of vaccination status should wear face masks indoors again.
She didn’t issue a mask mandate but said she wants the public to follow the updated CDC recommendations, The Charlotte Observer reported.
“Masking is still important in our community,” Harris said.
Berger calls CDC recommendations ‘guidance to ignore’
Senate Leader Phil Berger said the CDC’s latest recommendations for mask-wearing is “guidance to ignore” in a fundraising email Wednesday.
Berger also said the guidelines aren’t based on science but “a method by Dr. Anthony Fauci, the media and liberals to control the American people,” The News & Observer reported.
NC GOP Senate Caucus Political Leader Dylan Watts told The N&O the email subject line, “CDC issues new guidelines to ignore,” was a mistake.
“I will say that it shouldn’t say go ignore the advice,” Watts said. “I think the headline probably should have said CDC issued new guidelines; people will ignore it.”
The updated guidance came as the delta variant gains prominence in the U.S., leading to spikes in the number of cases and deaths across the country. The variant has been found to be more transmissible than other versions of the virus, and in some rare cases, causes breakthrough infections in vaccinated people.
Triangle counties split on whether face mask is required
Guidance for face mask wearing in the Triangle is split under the latest federal commendations.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people who are vaccinated against COVID-19 wear a face mask indoors in areas with high transmission rates. That would include Wake, Chatham, Lee, Harnett and Johnston counties, which have substantial or high levels of community spread, The News & Observer reported.
Durham and Orange counties, meanwhile, are classified as having moderate spread.
Across North Carolina, all but 21 counties have high or substantial community spread, according to The N&O. But experts say transmission rates can change quickly.
“If you’re not in that high or extreme risk category according to the CDC now, you may well be within the next week,” Dr. Cameron Wolfe, an associate professor at the Duke University School of Medicine, said. “That’s the kind of acceleration that we’re seeing.”
This story was originally published July 29, 2021 at 7:08 AM.
