COVID vaccine live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on Oct. 18
Click here for updates for Oct. 19.
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in North Carolina. Check back for updates.
80 additional deaths reported
At least 1,453,814 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus, and at least 17,536 have died since March 2020, according to state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on Monday reported 1,599 new COVID-19 cases, down from 2,165 on Sunday and 3,169 on Saturday. The state doesn’t update case counts over the weekends.
Eighty additional coronavirus-related deaths were reported Monday. Health officials don’t specify the specific dates the newly reported deaths occurred on.
At least 1,852 people were reported hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Monday, including 522 adult patients who are being treated in intensive care units, health officials said.
On Saturday, the latest date with available information, 6.4% of coronavirus tests were reported positive. Health officials say 5% or lower is the target rate to slow the spread of the virus.
Roughly 70% of adults in North Carolina have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and about 66% have been fully vaccinated. State officials round vaccination numbers to the nearest whole number.
Metrics improve in Charlotte area as expert warns against being complacent
COVID-19 trends are improving in the Charlotte area, with new single-day infections less than half of the level reported in mid-September.
Mecklenburg County is seeing roughly 220 new cases each day, down from 517 around the same time last month. Coronavirus-related hospitalizations have also been going down, The Charlotte Observer reported Monday.
But data shows only 56% of people who live in Mecklenburg are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and an infectious disease expert at Novant Health says there could be outbreaks among people who haven’t gotten their shots.
“We’re not out of this just yet,” Dr. David Priest said last week. “We can’t be complacent.”
Triangle pharmacists vaccinate farm workers
Two Triangle pharmacists are working with volunteers to help vaccinate migrant workers and other Spanish speakers.
In 2020, Dr. Alfred Catolico and Dr. Jin Lee opened DJ’s Pharmacy in Cary. In recent months, they have gone to the Episcopal Farm Workers Ministry and surrounding businesses to administer hundreds of vaccines, The News & Observer reported.
“Without Dr. Lee, we really couldn’t reach the most vulnerable people — those people that are undocumented and don’t have cars, those people that come here with an H-2A visas (for temporary agricultural workers) and don’t have transportation to come to events like this one,” said Larissa Garzón with the Newton Grove ministry.
New tutoring program for Charlotte students impacted by pandemic
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has a new tutoring program for students who had significant learning disruptions during COVID-19.
The district said it’s looking for partners to help extend instruction beyond the classroom, The Charlotte Observer reported Monday.
“Gaps in student achievement that existed before the pandemic have grown wider, and they will not narrow without expanding learning opportunities and support beyond the time students are with our teachers and staff in classrooms during the school week,” Earnest Winston, superintendent for the school district, said in a news release.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is putting up to $50 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds toward the program, which is set to begin as early as January. The program could run until the 2023-24 school year, the Observer reported.
Durham schools using COVID relief money for teacher bonuses
Durham Public Schools plans to give bonuses to teachers and other workers who stayed with the district through the pandemic.
The school board in a unanimous vote approved a plan to use federal coronavirus relief money to offer employees about $1,000 after taxes, The News & Observer reported.
“We all we know that when we receive money, the amount that we get is not going to be the full amount that is promised,” said Mike Lee, vice-chair of the board. “But what I wanted to know is if there is a way that we can calculate what the taxes would be so that we can ensure that the $1,000 is hitting their bank accounts.”
This story was originally published October 18, 2021 at 1:00 PM.
