NC passes 1 million vaccine doses, as COVID hospitalizations, deaths decline
North Carolina has now administered over 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, the state reported Monday.
As of Sunday, 795,929 first doses of the vaccine and 159,196 second doses have been administered in North Carolina.
The COVID-19 vaccine requires two doses, given weeks apart, in order to be effective.
All of the first doses that have arrived from the federal government in North Carolina have been administered. Overall, including second doses, 81% of doses have been administered.
Vaccines at long-term care facilities are administered in partnership among the federal government, Walgreen’s and CVS. Through that partnership, another 106,183 doses have been administered in North Carolina at long-term care facilities, as of Sunday.
Of all the doses that have arrived in North Carolina for long-term care facilities, 56% of first doses have been administered. When second doses are included, 36% have been administered.
Combining doses administered through the federal long-term facility program and through the state, 1,061,308 doses have been administered in North Carolina.
Vaccine supply is low throughout the state and wait times for shots are to be expected, according to a press release from the state Department of Health and Human Services.
“It is incumbent on all of us to use the limited supply of vaccine we have as quickly and equitably as possible, finding new ways to meet people where they are,” DHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen said in the release.
Cohen said North Carolina was able to pass the 1 million mark because of health care providers across the state helping to administer the vaccine.
DHHS has guaranteed a set amount of doses each week to these providers for at least the next three weeks. The state will also set aside doses for undeserved and rural communities, according to the news release.
The state and health care providers are currently only offering doses to health care workers and those age 65 and older, groups 1 and 2 of North Carolina’s current vaccination plan.
DHHS has created an online portal at findmygroup.nc.gov for those trying to find out what vaccination group they are in.
Starting Monday, the state will update its vaccination numbers every week day, according to DHHS.
NC COVID metrics decreasing
North Carolina reported 2,781 hospitalizations due to COVID-19 on Monday, the third straight day the state has reported under 3,000 hospitalizations.
Before Saturday, hospitalizations had been over 3,000 since Dec. 21, according to DHHS.
Overall, it’s the lowest daily hospitalizations have been since Dec. 15.
DHHS reported 3,776 new coronavirus cases Monday, the second time since the new year that the daily new case count has been below 4,000.
Over the last week, the state has reported an average of 5,408 new cases per day.
That average has decreased over the last few weeks after the pandemic high of 8,654 on Jan. 12.
Among coronavirus tests reported Saturday, the latest day with data available, 9.7% returned positive.
It’s an increase of one percentage point from Friday, but it’s the fifth straight day that the rate has been under 10%.
State health officials have said that they want the rate at 5% or less. The percent positive rate hasn’t been that low since Sept. 24.
DHHS reported seven deaths due to COVID-19 across the state on Monday. It’s the first time since Nov. 28 that the DHHS has reported fewer than 10 deaths in its daily update.
January was the deadliest month of the pandemic as DHHS reported 2,587 deaths across the state, over 27% of all COVID-19 deaths in the pandemic.
As of Monday, 9,342 North Carolinians have died due to the virus.
The deaths reported each day do not necessarily occur on the date reported, but are typically reported within hours up to a few days, according to DHHS. Reported dates of death can change upon further investigation.
Case and hospitalization data reported by DHHS are preliminary and subject to change upon further investigation.
ICU and hospital capacity
DHHS reported 524 available intensive care unit beds on Monday, the most since Nov. 30.
Of the 1,921 ICU beds in use, 636 are adult COVID-19 patients, down steadily since the 880 reported Jan. 16.
Available inpatient beds across the state are now at 5,935, up 339 from Sunday and the most available since Dec. 27.
The inpatient beds in use are not all being used by COVID-19 patients, and the fluctuation in available beds does not indicate a surge in patients, according to DHHS.
As of Monday, 79% of ICU beds and 72% of inpatient beds are in use statewide.
This story was originally published February 1, 2021 at 12:58 PM.