Coronavirus omicron updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on Feb. 10
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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.
Almost 100 additional deaths reported
At least 2,518,195 coronavirus cases have been reported in North Carolina, and at least 21,580 people have died since March 2020, according to state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday, Feb. 10, reported 8,725 new COVID-19 cases, down from 10,513 the day before. An additional 98 coronavirus-related deaths were added.
At least 3,686 people were reported hospitalized with COVID-19 on Feb. 10, including 658 adults being treated in intensive care units. The total patient count was down from 3,818 the previous day, according to state health officials.
As of Feb. 8, the latest date with available information, 16.6% of coronavirus tests were reported positive. Health officials say 5% or lower is the target rate to slow the spread of the virus.
Roughly 75% of adults in North Carolina have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and about 71% are fully vaccinated. Of the state’s total population, about 61% are fully vaccinated and about 65% have received at least one dose. State officials round vaccination numbers to the nearest whole number.
More than 3 million ”additional/booster” doses have been administered in North Carolina as of Feb. 10, the health department said. Health officials have urged those who are eligible to get boosted, as data suggests it offers increased protection against the omicron coronavirus variant.
About 96% new COVID-19 cases in the nation were attributed to the omicron variant while others were attributed to a subvariant as of Feb. 5, the latest date for which data is available, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Death penalty dropped in murder case over COVID concerns
The Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office dropped capital murder charges on Thursday, Feb. 10, against a Charlotte man accused of killing his parents in 2017.
Assistant District Attorney Jodi Anderson said the coronavirus pandemic is to blame.
Curtis Atkinson Jr. will now be tried in May on a first-degree murder charge related to the shooting and stabbing deaths of his parents, Ruby and Curtis Sr., The Charlotte Observer reported.
That’s because death-penalty trials can last months and carry an increased risk of COVID-19 exposure for judges, jurors and witnesses, Anderson told Superior Court Judge Lou Trosch.
“As the Omicron wave wanes, we once again find ourselves at the precipice of hope that courts may soon resume normal operations. But if the last two years have taught us anything, it is that ‘hope’ is often just that,” Anderson said. “The victim’s family and this community deserve more than just hope. They deserve justice. And the state believes our decision to proceed non-capitally is the best way to timely deliver justice to this family and this community. As such, we will not be seeking the death penalty in this case.”
NC eases rules on COVID absences from school
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services updated its guidelines on Thursday, Feb. 10, to let healthy students and teachers exposed to the coronavirus stay in school.
Under the new guidelines issued as part of the NC Strong Schools Toolkit, contact tracing and exclusion from school is no longer recommended for asymptomatic people in K-12 schools, The News & Observer reported.
Students and teachers will only have to stay home if they test positive for COVID-19 or show symptoms.
“This is the right approach for this point in the pandemic and includes flexibility for local schools and health departments to use data to make informed decisions and respond to local conditions,” DHHS Secretary Kody H. Kinsley said in a news release.
The new changes take effect on Feb. 21.
Wells Fargo shares return-to-office plans after COVID delays
Wells Fargo — which has a major presence in North Carolina — shared plans to bring workers back to the office after four coronavirus-related delays.
Starting March 14, the bank in an internal memo said it will adopt a “hybrid flexible” schedule. Some employees were eligible to begin in-person work on a volunteer basis on Feb. 9, according to chief operating officer Scott Powell.
The announcement comes about two years after Wells Fargo workers were first told to work from home due to COVID-19.
More districts dropping face mask requirements in NC
A growing number of North Carolina school districts are ending their face mask mandates.
There isn’t a statewide requirement, but school boards must vote each month on mask rules.
While Cumberland County and Johnston County districts recently decided to stop mandating face coverings, the four largest school systems in the state still require them. In all, a database shows 79 of the 115 districts in North Carolina have a mask rule, The News & Observer reported.
Pandemic-related worker shortage continues to impact Mecklenburg jail
A Charlotte-area jail is facing the potential for a shutdown as the coronavirus pandemic drives a staffing shortage.
More than a month ago, the Mecklenburg County jail was told to reduce its number of inmates. But now, the jail population is almost the same and there are about 150 job openings.
Per state law, the jail could be ordered to close if the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services finds conditions in the jail “jeopardize the safe custody, safety, health, or welfare of persons confined in the facility,” The Charlotte Observer reported.
Can Charlotte businesses still require face masks?
Private businesses in North Carolina can require customers to wear face masks under an executive order issued last year — even if their county does away with its mask mandate.
If someone chooses not to abide by a business’s mask requirement, it could be considered criminal trespassing, The Charlotte Observer reported.
Atrium Health said it will keep its face mask policy if Mecklenburg County opts to lift the mandate, while Blumenthal Performing Arts said it’s waiting to hear from health officials before making a decision.
“Throughout all of this, we have very carefully followed health guidance from officials, so we’re going to be watching carefully to see what the recommendation is,” Blumenthal Performing Arts CEO Tom Gabbard said. “Once we hear what their plans are, we will adjust our plans accordingly.”
NC National Guard members to help struggling hospital
At least 25 soldiers and airmen from the N.C. National Guard will be deployed to Alamance Regional Medical Center in Burlington, beginning on Thursday, Feb. 10.
Officials said they will stay there through March 4 to help staff who are struggling under the weight of COVID-19 cases. It marks the first time since the start of the pandemic that guard members have been deployed to work alongside hospital workers in North Carolina, The News & Observer reported.
Their job duties will include checking vital signs, giving COVID-19 tests and EKGs, delivering meals and entering data, allowing doctors and nurses to do more hands-on work with patients.
Raleigh isn’t ending face mask mandate for now
Raleigh won’t end its face mask mandate, but a change to the requirement could be considered in two weeks.
“I would just ask people to please be patient,” Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said. “We have another meeting in two weeks. We want to look at the numbers, make sure we’re doing the right thing.”
The city has had a mask requirement since August and now anticipates possible updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Baldwin said some people have wanted to keep the mandate while others want it gone.
COVID-related rent relief returning to Charlotte area
A program offering relief for housing costs is set to reopen in Mecklenburg County, home to Charlotte.
Mecklenburg commissioners received the update on Feb. 8 after funds almost ran out. Now, there’s an additional $22 million in funding from the state and U.S. Treasury Department allocations.
DreamKey Partners, a nonprofit, has spent an average of $700,000 each business day to provide assistance, according to chief strategy officer Erin Barbee.
Residents eligible for assistance on rent, utilities and mortgage payments are required to have “a pandemic-related income loss, illness or other financial hardship and have a household income up to 80% of the area median income,” The Charlotte Observer reported.
More information is available at rampclt.com.
Enrollment drops in Wake public schools during COVID
After seeing a drop in students during the coronavirus pandemic, the largest school district in North Carolina may not see pre-pandemic enrollment levels until 2030.
The district lost about 3,000 students as enrollment grew at “charter schools, private schools and home-schools,” The News & Observer reported on Feb. 8. Projections, which can be used for budgeting and renovation plans, show those students are expected to remain outside of traditional public schools.
“Many families have become more involved in the day-to-day education of their children during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may change their expectations of public education,” Carolina Demography wrote in a report.
This story was originally published February 10, 2022 at 7:00 AM.
