Coronavirus omicron updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on Feb. 24
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in North Carolina. Check back for updates.
3,650 new COVID cases reported
At least 2,578,517 coronavirus cases have been reported in North Carolina, and at least 22,449 people have died since March 2020, according to state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday, Feb. 24, reported 3,650 new COVID-19 cases, compared with 3,470 reported Wednesday, Feb. 23.
An additional 59 coronavirus-related deaths were added to the total. Health officials don’t specify the dates on which newly reported deaths occurred.
At least 1,982 people were reported hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Feb. 24, including 388 adults being treated in intensive care units, health officials said.
As of Feb. 22, the latest day for which data is available, 7.9% 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. 24, 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 20.6% 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. 19, the latest date for which data is available, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Cooper vetoes school face mask bill
Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed legislation on Thursday, Feb. 24, that would have allowed parents to opt out of school face mask mandates, leaving the decision up to local school boards.
“The bipartisan law the legislature passed and I signed last year allows local boards to make these decisions for their own communities and that is still the right course,” Cooper said in a statement. “Passing laws for political purposes that encourage people to pick and choose which health rules they want to follow is dangerous and could tie the hands of public health officials in the future.”
Most of the state’s 115 school districts have already voted to make face masks optional in the coming weeks.
The bill, a committee substitute for Senate Bill 173, is titled an “Act to Provide Parental Discretion in Requirements for Face Coverings on Public School Unit Property,” The News & Observer reported. It was also known as “Free the Smiles.”
The legislation was sponsored by Republican House Speaker Tim Moore and rushed through the General Assembly before it landed on Cooper’s desk.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools to end mask mandate
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools board voted unanimously on Tuesday, Feb. 22, to lift the face mask mandate for students and staff, falling in line with dozens of other districts that have dropped the requirement over the last week.
Masks will no longer be required in school starting March 7, The Charlotte Observer reported, but they will still have to be worn on buses per federal regulations.
Superintendent Earnest Winston said the feedback from principals, teachers and students on lifting the mandate was mixed. He ultimately recommended the district move forward with the decision, saying individuals who want to wear a face mask can continue to do so.
“During almost two years of facing the impact of COVID in our schools and community, we have learned a lot about this virus,” Winston said. “To put it in simple terms, we are going to have to live with COVID. Fortunately, we have more tools in our arsenal to protect ourselves and others.”
This story was originally published February 24, 2022 at 7:11 AM.
