COVID vaccine live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on Nov. 19
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in North Carolina. Check back for updates.
More than 2,400 new cases reported
At least 1,514,879 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus, and at least 18,597 have died since March 2020, according to state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on Friday, Nov. 19, reported 2,401 new COVID-19 cases, up from 2,392 on Thursday.
There were 35 coronavirus-related deaths added Nov. 19. Health officials don’t specify the dates on which newly reported deaths occurred.
At least 1,052 people were reported hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Nov. 19, including 293 adults being treated in intensive care units, health officials said.
On Wednesday, Nov. 17, the most recent date with available information, 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 72% of adults in North Carolina have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and about 68% have been fully vaccinated. State officials round vaccination numbers to the nearest whole number.
No public indication that COVID vaccines will be required in schools
There hasn’t been a public indication that state leaders in North Carolina will make the COVID-19 vaccine among the required immunizations for students.
Catie Armstrong of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services said the Commission for Public Health makes rules and would be responsible for proposing new vaccinations in the state, The Charlotte Observer reported Nov. 19.
“We are aware of no discussions about making COVID vaccines mandatory for students,” said Patrick Smith, assistant superintendent of communications the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district.
Currently, kids across the state are required to have vaccines to help protect them against 12 diseases.
“Children are not allowed to attend school (whether public, private or religious) or a child care facility unless they have received all required immunizations appropriate for their age,” DHHS said on its website.
What does booster shot authorization mean in Charlotte area?
Booster shots of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines have been authorized for adults across the country, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.
That opens the door for a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory committee to discuss the topic and possibly recommend all adults get additional vaccine doses, McClatchy News reported.
That recommendation could expand those eligible for receive booster shots, currently limited to people ages 65 and older and adults with medical conditions or who are around “high-risk settings.”
While many places in the Charlotte area already offer COVID vaccine booster shoots, medical providers haven’t yet said when they will expand them to all adults after a potential CDC recommendation, The Charlotte Observer reported.
Charlotte-area company delays return to office
A company with its headquarters in North Carolina is pushing its return to the office until the new year.
Home improvement company Lowe’s said it will start phasing workers back into its Mooresville office at the end of January due to the coronavirus pandemic and “out of caution for the health and safety of workers,” The Charlotte Observer reported Nov. 19.
The company had planned to have workers return to offices in October before coronavirus cases surged this summer.
Steve Salazar, a Lowe’s spokesperson, said there will be a combination of remote and in-person work once employees start to come back into the office.
Wake to require COVID test appointments
Wake County plans to require appointments at its drive-thru COVID-19 test sites.
The change will go into effect Dec. 1, allowing the Triangle-area county to give priority to people who have shown coronavirus symptoms and reserving spaces for people required to get tested for their jobs, officials said in a Nov. 18 news release.
“Wake County wants to ensure that those who may have had an exposure or are at-risk of the virus have a way to get tested quickly and efficiently,” said José Cabañas, chief medical officer. “This new system will allow them to select a time convenient for them and get in and out without waiting in long lines.”
Starting Nov. 29, anyone who wants to make an appointment can visit wakegov.com/testing or call 888-675-4567.
Red Ventures announces COVID vaccine requirements
Fort Mill-based media company Red Ventures will require all of its employees to be vaccinated by March 1, the company’s CEO said in an email to staff Thursday, Nov 18.
The announcement makes Red Ventures one of the first private companies in the Charlotte area to announce a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, The Charlotte Observer reported.
Under the requirement, medical and religious exemptions will be accepted but employees who do not wish to be vaccinated will not be allowed to opt into regular testing instead.
“We believe in leaving the woodpile higher than we found it,” CEO Ric Elias said in the email. “We believe in being the change we wish to see in the world. If we truly believe in both of those statements, then we should be doing everything within our power to make not just our offices but our communities safe places for people and business to return to.”
Cooper signs NC budget
Gov. Roy Cooper signed the state budget into law after months of negotiations with Republican leaders in the legislature.
The new budget will bring average raises of 5% over two years to teachers and other state employees, lowers individual income taxes and begins the process of phasing out the state’s corporate income tax, The News & Observer reported.
“Funding for high speed internet, our universities and community colleges, clean air and drinking water and desperately needed pay increases for teachers and state employees are all critical for our state to emerge from this pandemic stronger than ever,” Cooper said in a statement. “I will continue to fight for progress where this budget falls short but believe that, on balance, it is an important step in the right direction.”
American Airlines drops some routes
American Airlines is dropping 27 routes nationwide after canceling thousands of flights in late October and early November, citing staffing shortages and bad weather.
Passenger numbers plummeted last year amid the coronavirus pandemic but air travel has largely recovered since then, The Charlotte Observer reported. Travel over the Thanksgiving holiday is expected to resume to pre-pandemic numbers.
Still, American plans to drop routes to Toledo, Ohio, and Champaign, Illinois, from the Charlotte airport. It’s also eliminating routes from LaGuardia Airport in New York City to three cities in the Carolinas — Asheville, Charleston and Myrtle Beach.
American will additionally drop its route from Boston to Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
Several North Carolina Award honorees recognized for pandemic work
Nine people were recognized Nov. 18 with the highest civilian honor in North Carolina.
All three recipients of the 2020 North Carolina Award contributed to developing COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, The News & Observer reported. They were honored with 2021 recipients after the coronavirus pandemic stopped last year’s ceremony.
Dr. Ralph S. Baric, Dr. Francis S. Collins and Dr. Kizzmekia S. Corbett were among those honored.
The award is given to residents who made “significant contributions to the state and nation in the fields of fine arts, literature, public service and science,” according to the N.C. Department of Cultural and Natural Resources.
NC college grant program expands
A grant program has expanded, allowing more North Carolina students to have money to go to community colleges.
Longleaf Commitment Grants are now available to give better access to education to 2020 and 2021 high school graduates, particularly those who were affected by the pandemic.
“Education translates into opportunity, and with this grant expansion, we are excited to provide more opportunity to our diverse student populations across the state,” wrote Thomas Stith III, president of the N.C. Community College System.
The system started the program this year after it “received $25 million through the Governor’s Pandemic Relief Office,” The News & Observer reported Thursday, Nov. 18.
This story was originally published November 19, 2021 at 7:08 AM.
