COVID vaccine live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on Oct. 28
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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.
Death toll nears 18,000
At least 1,475,148 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus, and at least 17,977 have died since March 2020, according to state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday reported 2,493 new COVID-19 cases, up from 2,160 on Wednesday.
There were 42 additional coronavirus-related deaths reported Thursday. Health officials don’t specify the specific dates for the newly reported deaths.
At least 1,364 people were reported hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Thursday, including 391 adults who are patients in intensive care units, health officials said.
On Tuesday, the latest date with available information, 4.5% of coronavirus tests were reported positive. Health officials say 5% or lower is the target rate to slow the spread of the virus.
Roughly 71% of adults in North Carolina have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and about 67% have been fully vaccinated. State officials round vaccination numbers to the nearest whole number.
Duke doctor talks vaccines for children 5-11
Dr. Emmanuel “Chip” Walter Jr., a pediatrician and chief medical officer at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute, said children ages 5 to 11 should be vaccinated against the coronavirus both for their own immunity and for their parents’ protection.
“We have to be able to afford children the same protection from COVID through vaccination that we afford to adults. I think that is the right thing to do,” Walter said. “My advice to parents is this is the best way to protect your child from serious illness and potentially death from COVID.”
An FDA advisory panel recommended earlier this week that children ages 5 to 11 receive child-size doses of the Pfizer vaccine under emergency-use authorization, finding the benefits outweighed the risks.
Walter — who led a clinical trial at Duke with 3,000 kids who received the Pfizer vaccine and another 1,500 who received a placebo — agreed with the panel’s finding, The News & Observer reported. He said testing under the emergency use process is done quickly but still meets all the same safety standards.
“What may be slightly different is how long the follow-up is. .... But ultimately all of these children are being followed for the same period of time that you would normally do.”
What parts of the Triangle are keeping mask mandates?
The town of Cary will end its mask mandate at 12:01 a.m. on Friday as COVID-19 metrics continue to fall.
The mandate has been in effect since Aug. 18, The News & Observer reported. Cary is the first in the Triangle to discontinue its mask requirement. Wake County, meanwhile, is expected to extend its current mandate when it expires Nov. 1.
Raleigh has its own mandate and has refrained from relaxing it until Wake does. Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin told The N&O that’s to “be consistent in our message.”
Mask mandates in Durham and Orange counties are in effect indefinitely. Officials there said they won’t end the requirements until community spread and the strain on hospitals decreases.
Downtown Raleigh showing some improvement
Downtown Raleigh has seen economic recovery in recent months, but there’s room for improvement if the city wants to have the momentum it saw before COVID-19, a new third-quarter report shows.
“We’re headed in really good direction and the outlook is good,” said Will Gaskins, economic development and planning director at the Downtown Raleigh Alliance. “But we’re just not quite there as far as being back to fully pre-pandemic levels.”
Compared with difficult periods in 2020, sectors such as retail and housing are seeing improvement. Also, with widely available vaccines, eased coronavirus-related restrictions and more downtown options, pedestrian traffic is up 126% from last year, The News & Observer reported Thursday.
How COVID changed the Triangle job market
After the pandemic forced some Triangle businesses to make layoffs, some have struggled to find workers as coronavirus-related restrictions ease.
While many companies have open positions, some workers hoping for better conditions on the job, The News & Observer reported Thursday.
At Locals Oyster Bar, head chef and part-owner Eric Montagne said it has only a few vacancies after making changes to the way the business compensates employees.
“We had wanted to do these things, but the pandemic really gave us a sense of urgency that it needed to happen now,” Montagne said. “It couldn’t wait any longer.”
NC school district cancels Thanksgiving week classes
The Johnston County school board voted to cancel classes on Nov. 12, Nov. 22 and Nov. 23 to give families and teachers time to “decompress.”
The move comes amid intense pressure and staffing shortages amid an already tumultuous school year.
“Tensions are high,” said school board member Kay Carroll. “Nerves are frayed. We’ve seen a lot has been going on with short tempers and I think it would be good idea for us to give everybody some down time.”
Cooper declares ‘good news’ as cases taper off
Gov. Roy Cooper called COVID-19 trends in the state “good news” during a news conference on Wednesday.
He said new coronavirus case numbers and hospitalizations have gone down while the number of vaccinations has improved, all while more children have returned for in-person learning, The News & Observer reported.
“It’s good news,” the governor said. “Although every death is painful and now often avoidable, we’ve felt a renewed sense of hope as our COVID numbers have continued their steady improvement. People are eating at restaurants and going to concerts and ballgames again. People are traveling again. And most people are back at work, although many are doing it in a different way, or at a different job.”
Cooper also said the state is preparing to be able to vaccinate children ages 5 to 11 against the coronavirus as soon as next week.
NC officials no longer recommending mandate masks in all school districts
North Carolina health officials have stopped recommending all school districts in the state have mask requirements for workers and students in schools.
Instead, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services in updated guidance recommends face masks only be required in counties that have high or substantial coronavirus spread. As of Tuesday, 98 of the state’s 100 counties were in those categories, The News & Observer reported.
“Given that our student population is largely not yet vaccinated, face (coverings) remain a critical tool for protecting children and keeping them safely in the classroom,” the state health department said. “NCDHHS recommends that schools base their mask requirements on levels of community transmission, as defined by the CDC.”
The decision comes as one Triangle-area district this week removed an outdoor mask requirement for high schoolers and eased its limit on spectators at sporting events.
The school board on Monday voted unanimously to lift the 50% capacity at athletic events and allow for concessions. Face coverings and social distancing will still be required when watching sports teams.
The district has started easing restrictions after mandating that students wear masks, except for 15 minutes at lunchtime. Almost 80% of high schoolers are vaccinated, and Pfizer vaccines are expected to be approved soon for kids ages 5-11.
Meanwhile, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools likely won’t drop its indoor mask mandate soon. Mecklenburg County has a case rate almost 12 times higher than the level that would prompt school district leaders to consider a change, The Charlotte Observer reported.
This story was originally published October 28, 2021 at 7:04 AM.
