Coronavirus omicron updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on March 3
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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.
More than 2,300 new cases
At least 2,595,368 coronavirus cases have been reported in North Carolina, and at least 22,725 people have died since March 2020, according to state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday, March 3, reported 2,377 new COVID-19 cases, up from 2,243 the day before. An additional 54 coronavirus-related deaths were added to the total.
At least 1,401 people were reported hospitalized with COVID-19 as of March 3, including 278 adults being treated in intensive care units, health officials said. The total number of patients was down from 1,465 the day before.
As of March 1, the latest date with available information, 4.9% of coronavirus tests were reported positive. Health officials say 5% or lower is the target rate to slow the spread of the virus.
Roughly 76% 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 3.1 million ”additional/booster” doses have been administered in North Carolina as of March 3, the health department said. Health officials have urged those who are eligible to get booster shots, as data suggests they offer increased protection against the omicron coronavirus variant.
Across the nation, virtually all new COVID-19 cases were attributed to the omicron variant and its related “lineages” as of Feb. 26, the latest date for which data is available, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Parents say Charlotte bus driver gave students COVID tests
A Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools bus driver has been suspended after parents said the driver paid $5 to swab students’ cheeks for COVID-19 while on the bus.
Officials with the school district said the tests were not authorized.
Mecklenburg County Health Director Dr. Reynard Washington said he was alarmed after hearing the reports from parents, saying the cheek swab tests aren’t always effective.
“It’s not what we have been encouraging advising or recommending, there are not providers that we, I guess, refer people to that are doing those kinds of tests,” Washington said.
He also said it wasn’t clear why the bus driver was offering to pay students to take the test.
“I can’t tell you why somebody would pay someone to do a COVID-19 test,” Washington said. “Certainly, that’s not something that we have engaged in as a department and would not encourage, I’m not sure why you would do that.”
Teacher turnover rose early in pandemic
Though teacher turnover went up in North Carolina last school year, a state education leader says a report about the figures doesn’t reflect anecdotal information that educators were leaving their jobs in droves early in the COVID-19 pandemic.
“To be sure, attrition from the state’s teacher corps remains a concern and a challenge that we must address more aggressively, but the numbers for the 2020-21 school year show that the state didn’t see a big surge in teachers leaving the classroom, at least in the first 12 months of the pandemic,” State Superintendent Catherine Truitt said in a news release.
“We’ll be assessing the impact of the second year of the pandemic when we’re able to analyze data from the 2021-22 school year.”
Using data from last school year, the report shows the percentage of teachers who retired or left their jobs was 8.2%, an increase from 7.5% the year before, The News & Observer reported.
Report shows pandemic learning loss for students
A preliminary report from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction shows learning for all students in the state took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, putting everyone behind where they should be academically.
“A week ago when we first got a look at this material, I think we both felt like crying,” said State Board of Education member Jill Camnitz, who chairs the board’s student learning and achievement committee. “It sort of confirms what you knew was coming, but seeing the reality is very painful.”
The report compared test scores on state exams from the 2017-18 and 2020-2021 school years, The News & Observer reported. It found a “negative impact for all students, for all grades, for almost every subject.”
While students did see progress, the report said, it was at a slower pace. Gaps also widened among economically disadvantaged students, and even academically gifted students struggled.
Most state agencies making face masks optional
The majority of state agencies in North Carolina are making it optional for visitors and workers to wear face masks, Gov. Roy Cooper said in an announcement.
But the updated rules will allow some supervisors to impose mandates “in settings that they determine to be high-risk to employees, the public, or others.” Also, visitors are required to follow all mask-related signs, The News & Observer reported.
“COVID-19 levels are declining rapidly, and we have vaccinations, boosters and effective treatments that are making this step possible,” Cooper said in a March 1 statement. “This virus is still causing serious illness and death mostly in unvaccinated people, and the best way to protect yourself is to get vaccinated and boosted.”
This story was originally published March 3, 2022 at 7:06 AM.
