COVID vaccine live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on Sept. 2
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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 3,700 hospitalized patients
At least 1,228,803 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus, and at least 14,625 have died since March 2020, according to state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday reported 7,901 new COVID-19 cases, up from 7,248 on Wednesday.
Ninety-six new coronavirus-related deaths were added on Thursday. The state health department doesn’t specify the dates on which newly reported deaths occurred.
The latest count comes after August saw the most deaths reported in North Carolina since February, The News & Observer reported.
At least 3,789 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Thursday, health officials said, including 914 adult patients being treated in intensive care units.
As of Tuesday, the latest date with available information, 12.6% of coronavirus tests were reported positive. Health officials say 5% or lower is the target rate to slow the spread of the virus.
Roughly 66% of adults in North Carolina have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and about 61% have been fully vaccinated. State officials round vaccination numbers to the nearest whole number.
COVID patients cost dying wife a hospital bed, TikTok video says
A man from North Carolina whose wife died of Stage IV breast cancer filmed a TikTok video blasting people who aren’t vaccinated against the coronavirus for filling up needed hospital beds.
Jason Arena said his wife, Marilyn Arena, had to be discharged early for COVID-19 patients. She has since died.
“If you really (expletive) believe that COVID is not real, and you really believe that’s not a big deal, and you really believe you don’t need to get the vaccine, that is your (expletive) right, OK? I’m not going to argue with you about that. What I am going to argue with you about is you running to the hospital once you get the virus,” he said in the video. “If you don’t trust the medical field to prevent you from getting it, why do you trust them to cure you from it?”
More than 5 million people have watched the video since it was posted in early August, The Charlotte Observer reported.
Wake requires athletes to wear masks on sidelines
Wake County Schools will require athletes to wear face masks while on the sidelines if they aren’t playing or practicing, according to an email sent Wednesday to principals.
Officials attributed the decision to an increase in cluster outbreaks and other exposures in high school sports.
“Face coverings will now be required for students unless they are directly participating in games, practices and performances,” Wake told schools. “This applies to all sports teams, marching bands and other student groups including, but not limited to, cheerleading and JROTC activities.”
Most NC school districts require masks
Face masks are now required in almost all North Carolina school districts as the coronavirus continues to spread.
Several districts have made changes since early August, when the majority of the 115 school systems statewide had planned to start the academic year without mandating face coverings.
As of Thursday morning, “106 of the 115 school districts have moved to masking requirements, and that covers about 94% of our children in our public school system,” state health director Dr. Betsey Tilson said Thursday.
“There has been a lot of movement as we have gone forward, with about 46% of districts changing their policies within the past couple of weeks,” Tilson said at a State Board of Education Meeting, according to The News & Observer.
Charlotte-area doctors warn of ‘incredibly full’ hospitals
Doctors in the Charlotte area said hospitals are getting “incredibly full” as they issued a plea for people to get COVID-19 vaccines.
”Quite frankly, beds are scarce,” said Dr. Sid Fletcher, chief clinical officer for Novant Health. “We are running short on resources.”
The hospital system joined Atrium Health and CaroMont Health on Thursday to warn about rising coronavirus metrics near Charlotte. The health care providers said most recent coronavirus-related deaths and hospitalizations have been among the unvaccinated, The Charlotte Observer reported.
Doctors also urged people who haven’t gotten a COVID-19 shot to rethink trips or big gatherings planned for the upcoming Labor Day weekend. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday issued a similar recommendation, saying unvaccinated people shouldn’t travel around the holiday.
Some colleges report majority of students vaccinated as COVID spreads
As students return to college campuses, some North Carolina schools report that more than 90% of students have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
But other schools report lower vaccination rates, with about half of students getting their shots, The News & Observer reported Thursday.
Here’s a list of the rates at several universities, including some private schools that are requiring students get vaccinated.
About 62% of Charlotte government workers have gotten a vaccine
About 62% of people who work for the city of Charlotte have gotten at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, data show.
That metric is based on a survey that received responses from 95% of employees, according to city spokesperson Cory Burkarth.
The vaccination rates vary among departments, with the Charlotte Fire Department having the lowest at 49%. But the rates in the internal audit department and city manager’s office were 100%, The Charlotte Observer reported Wednesday.
Charlotte is offering $250 incentives to workers who have gotten fully vaccinated by Sept. 30.
Vaccinated workers will receive another $250 if 75% get their shots by the end of the month. Reaching that goal requires about 1,100 additional employees to get vaccinated, Burkarth said.
NC DMV suspends Saturday hours to curb spread
The North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles is temporarily suspending its Saturday hours to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
At least 16 DMV offices, including two in Charlotte and one each in Durham, Raleigh and Huntersville, are affected by the change, The News & Observer reported. Those offices typically see walk-in customers from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays and can get crowded.
Questions remain about COVID vaccine booster shot
An infectious disease expert at Duke University said there is still some confusion among scientists about the timing and urgency surrounding booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine.
There is still more data needed to see when people who have already been vaccinated and don’t have underlying health conditions should get the shot, Dr. Cameron Wolfe told The News & Observer.
“So when we talk about boosting for individuals in the general community, I want to be very clear that that is far less important than still reaching those individuals who are not yet vaccinated at all,” Wolfe said. “We need to continue to talk to those individuals about safety data and how robust it is and about the profound difference in their risk of hospitalization and death by the single act of getting vaccinated.”
NC school test results are in
State test results released at Wednesday’s State Board of Education meeting show just 45.4% of public school students in grades K-12 passed state reading, math and science exams last year.
In the 2018-19 school year, about 58.8% of students passed their state exams, The News & Observer reported.
Education leaders, however, have urged against comparing students’ learning experience last year given the limited amount of in-person instruction most received because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’re still in a pandemic and these results allow the board and DPI and local districts and charter schools to determine the extent of learning in the prior year and to plan appropriately for student learning this school year,” state board chair Eric Davis said Wednesday. “These results show the resilience of our students and the dedication of our teachers and others to persevere despite many disruptions to learning.”
In Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, test scores were slightly below state levels — about 44.6% of K-12 students in all subjects passed the exams, The Charlotte Observer reported.
Pandemic delays opening of new NC hospital
The opening of a new Triangle-area hospital has been pushed back due to COVID-19.
UNC Rex Holly Springs, previously set to open its doors this month, is now scheduled to do so in November. The delay allows the health care provider to keep its staff at the main Raleigh campus.
“This was a difficult decision, but we need all hands on deck to respond to the rapid surge of COVID patients,” Ernie Bovio, president of UNC Rex, said in a statement.
Roughly 40% of the more than 400 people set to work at the Holly Springs facility will come from the Raleigh hospital.
NC bill could slow COVID-related rent relief, official says
A bill that calls for allowing North Carolina landlords to seek rent relief for their tenants could make the process go slower, a state official said.
If it becomes law, HB110 would allow landlords who lost money during COVID-19 to apply for assistance from the North Carolina’s Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Eviction (HOPE) program. Laura Hogshead, who leads the program, said the proposed law would create delays because the applications would go from landlord to tenant, instead of just one person.
“This will slow the process down,” Hogshead said.
The bill is set to go to the Senate Rules Committee before it could head to the full Senate, The News & Observer reported Wednesday.
This story was originally published September 2, 2021 at 7:12 AM.
