Coronavirus omicron updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on Feb. 16
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in North Carolina. Check back for updates.
Death toll nears 22,000
At least 2,549,339 coronavirus cases have been reported in North Carolina, and at least 21,968 people have died since March 2020, according to state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday, Feb. 16, reported 6,079 new COVID-19 cases, up from 2,888 the day before. An additional 133 coronavirus-related deaths were added to the total.
At least 2,872 people were reported hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Feb. 16, including 522 adults being treated in intensive care units, health officials said. The total patient count was down from 3,041 the previous day, according to state health officials.
As of Feb. 14, the latest date with available information, 12.5% of coronavirus tests were reported positive. Health officials say 5% or lower is the target rate to slow the spread of the virus.
Roughly 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. 15, 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 23% of new COVID-19 cases in the nation were attributed to the omicron variant while others were attributed to its related “lineages” as of Feb. 12, the latest date for which data is available, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Nearly half of NC districts drop face mask requirements
At least 57 school boards in North Carolina have ended face mask mandates, marking a near-even split between districts that still require them and those where they’re optional.
A spreadsheet maintained by the N.C. School Boards Association shows face masks are still mandated in 58 of North Carolina’s 115 school districts, The News & Observer reported. The sudden influx of school boards rescinding the requirements follows an announcement from state health officials last week to ease COVID-19 contact tracing and quarantine requirements at school.
Dr. Danny Benjamin is co-chair of the ABC Science Collaborative, which was formed by Duke University to help advise schools during the pandemic. He told The N&O districts shouldn’t rush into things.
“School districts that are considering this right now have the time to take a deep breath and wait a few weeks to see what unwinds as other school districts remove some of these mitigation strategies,” Benjamin said.
Charlotte Pride will return in-person
After two years of virtual events, Charlotte Pride will return to uptown with in-person events this summer.
The festival is slated to take place Aug. 20-21 on South Tryon Street uptown with a variety of community events leading up to it, CharlotteFive reported.
“Over the past two years, it’s been heartbreaking to see social media posts from LGBTQ people — both younger and older alike — lamenting the loss of what would have been their very first Pride event. Everyone remembers their first Pride — that very first moment they were surrounded by thousands of people just like them,” said Jerry Yelton, Charlotte Pride’s programs and development director. “In 2022, Charlotte Pride will ensure this opportunity exists in the Queen City.”
Charts show how grocery store foot traffic has changed through pandemic
Foot traffic in Raleigh grocery stores experienced a sharp drop two years ago at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, but new numbers show it has since stabilized.
Looking at data from the company SafeGraph as well as numbers before the pandemic, The News & Observer examined how those figures have changed in the last year.
Walmart had the highest foot traffic across the board, according to The N&O, with Harris Teeter and Food Lion experiencing lower foot traffic in February 2022 compared to March 2020.
Cooper plans update on school masks guidance
Gov. Roy Cooper is slated to give an update on Thursday, Feb. 17, regarding the state’s recommendations for face masks in schools.
The announcement comes as an increasing number of school districts have dropped their mask mandates and Republican House Speaker Tim Moore pushes legislation that would make masks in schools optional, The News & Observer reported.
The measure will be discussed in the House K-12 Education Committee on the morning of Feb. 17 as Senate Bill 671, an unrelated bill that will be replaced with the masks legislation.
“Let me be clear: It’s parents, not politicians who should be making these decisions for their children,” Moore said in a statement Wednesday. “As other states across the country lift mask mandates and restrictions, North Carolina’s children will not be left behind.”
Charlotte-area face mask rules see little enforcement
A Charlotte-area face mask mandate could soon end, but existing rules are seeing little enforcement.
Since August, Mecklenburg County Public Health hasn’t taken actions tied to mask enforcement and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department hasn’t issued mask mandate-related violations, spokespeople told The Charlotte Observer.
While the county’s order says violating the rules could result in misdemeanors or shutdowns, the city has said business owners can request police help with non-compliant customers.
On Feb. 16, the Mecklenburg County commissioners could stop their mask requirement.
The potential change comes after the county in November said the mandate could end if the COVID-19 positivity rate stayed below 5% for a week. After the omicron coronavirus variant led to a spike in cases, officials think the county’s peak has passed.
Nurses help with EMS response amid pandemic-related burnout
Triangle-area first responders are turning to nurses as they face a shortage of workers and higher demand for services during the coronavirus pandemic.
Wake County Emergency Medical Services is partnering with Global Medical Response to “help route 911 calls to the right care at the right time at the right place,” The News & Observer reported.
Matt Calabria, a Wake County commissioner, said the program is expected to save EMS workers up to 30 hours each day.
“I think this system will help the burnout situation in the medical field right now, I think this will help alleviate stress in emergency situations ... because everybody’s short-staffed right now,” said Dr. Brian Quigley of UNC Rex Healthcare. “It’s been really hard. The pandemics (has) really taught us some lessons.”
Protesters urge Wake schools to end face mask mandate
A group of about 100 protesters called on the Wake County school system to end its face mask requirement.
While people participating in the rally hoped the district would make face coverings optional, others at a Feb. 15 school board meeting supported continuing the mask mandate, The News & Observer reported.
The comments come as some North Carolina school districts are starting to lift mask rules, though most still require face coverings.
In Wake, Superintendent Cathy Moore said a mask recommendation will be made March 1 after the district considers health guidance.
Husband, wife die of COVID minutes apart in NC
Thomas Fortenberry and his longtime partner, Diane, died from COVID-19 on the same day in side-by-side hospital beds in North Carolina.
The pair were high school sweethearts and had just celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary, McClatchy News reported.
“Tommy and Diane had such an amazing love for each other and we don’t believe their leaving their earthly home only 4 minutes apart was a coincidence,” the couple’s obituaries said.
The husband and wife, who were in their 60s, grew up in Mississippi but lived in Clayton, North Carolina. They got COVID-19 around Christmas and were admitted to the ICU at WakeMed Cary Hospital. When their daughter ultimately decided to withdraw care, they were extubated and moved to the same hospital room.
“With their daughters standing beside them, husband and wife were side by side, holding hands, their heads facing one another and, I swear Mr. Fortenberry had a smile on his face,” a WakeMed nurse said in a blog post.
Harris Teeter changes hours as COVID cases drop
Harris Teeter will return to later closing hours after shortening them last month amid a wave of new coronavirus cases.
All but 13 locations were closing at 9 p.m. to allow employees time to restock shelves and clean stores, The Charlotte Observer reported. That closing time will now be pushed back to 10 p.m.
The change comes as the number of new COVID-19 cases has been steadily declining.
Chatham schools will soon be ‘mask optional’
The Chatham County school board voted to transition to an optional masking program slated to begin around March 7.
The board also voted to stop requiring athletes to wear face masks at sporting events, The News & Observer reported.
Officials said they would delay the start of the transition to give staff and students time to get vaccinated. But the exact timeline will depend on guidance from state health officials, the Chatham County Health Department and the ABC Science Collaborative.
“Staff and students who want to continue to mask are welcome to do so,” Superintendent Anthony Jackson said. “But we recognize others in the community want the option of removing the mask, and we believe it is now time to offer that choice.”
Traffic-related deaths up during pandemic
Traffic-related deaths have gone up during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 2021 marking the deadliest year in decades, data shows.
The number of people killed on North Carolina roads last year was 1,755 — the most since 1,892 deaths were reported in 1973.
“We have seen traffic fatalities moving in the wrong direction for a couple years in North Carolina and across the country,” Governor’s Highway Safety Program Director Mark Ezzell said in a statement. “It’s going to take an all-hands-on-deck approach from communities, organizations and individual drivers to reverse this trend.”
The state has seen deaths spike since 2011, “with the largest jumps coming since the coronavirus pandemic began in early 2020,” The News & Observer reported. Though people drove less during coronavirus-related restrictions, officials think some people may have not used seat belts and that open roads could have led to speeding.
This story was originally published February 16, 2022 at 6:58 AM.
