Coronavirus updates for June 9: Here’s what to know in North Carolina this week
.jpg "North Carolina reported more than 24,000 new coronavirus cases and a rise in COVID-19 hospital patients.")
We’re tracking information about the coronavirus and vaccines in North Carolina. Check back every Thursday for updates.
NC adds 24,000 new coronavirus cases
At least 24,941 new coronavirus cases were reported in North Carolina last week, down from 27,552 the week before, according to preliminary data from state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services also reported 833 new weekly COVID-19 hospital patient admissions, up from 735 the week before, according to data through June 4, the most recent metrics available.
The figures were released Wednesday, June 8, the 12th week that health officials have adjusted information shared on their coronavirus dashboard and published weekly COVID-19 data. The data had previously been released almost every day.
Roughly 77% of adults in North Carolina have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and about 72% are fully vaccinated. Of the state’s total population, about 62% are fully vaccinated and about 66% have received at least one dose. State officials round vaccination numbers to the nearest whole number.
More than 3.6 million ”additional/booster” doses have been administered in North Carolina as of June 8, the health department said. Health officials have urged those who are eligible to get boosted, as data shows it offers increased protection against the omicron coronavirus variant.
Across the state, virtually all new COVID-19 cases were attributed to the omicron variant and its related “lineages” in the two weeks leading up to May 28, the latest time period for which data is available.
New Wake program needs thousands of tutors to help with learning loss
A new program designed to tackle pandemic-related learning loss will need thousands of tutors to help North Carolina students.
Wake County district leaders and YMCA of the Triangle on June 7 told the school board about a tutoring plan for second- to fifth-grade students. The HELPS program would involve assisting children in small groups and in one-on-one sessions.
“We need to be missionaries for this and find as many of the willing to join the effort,” said Chris Heagarty, vice chair of the school board, according to The News & Observer.
The plan comes after data released in May showed some North Carolina students were over a year behind where they needed to be in reading and math, the N&O reported.
Also on the education front, several Triangle schools are set to hold traditional graduation ceremonies this month for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Many eligible NC adults skip second booster shots
Most North Carolinians who are eligible to get second COVID-19 vaccine booster doses haven’t gotten them, data show.
While an additional booster dose is recommended for people older than 50, only about 12% of residents in that age group have gotten them, The News & Observer reported on June 3.
Others eligible for a second booster include people older than 12 who are immunocompromised and adults who received an initial Johnson & Johnson shot with a booster, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The extra dose can add protection as the coronavirus continues to spread. Dr. Cameron Wolfe of Duke Health said there has been an increase in older adults who haven’t gotten the second booster and end up in the hospital.
“It’s probably true to say that the second booster is very much about the convenience of not wanting a break-through infection to derail what we’re doing, or for you to go on and infect someone else,” said Wolfe, an infectious disease expert.
COVID cases rise as exposure level increases in Charlotte area
Mecklenburg County, home to Charlotte, moved to an increased level for exposure as the area sees an uptick in COVID-19 cases.
In the two weeks leading up to May 26, the county reported 6,403 coronavirus cases. That’s a 34% increase from the previous 14 days, data show.
Now, about three months after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention started a new way to classify counties, Mecklenburg for the first time has gone from the “low” to “medium” exposure category. People who live in the area and are at high risk of getting seriously sick are urged to ask their doctors about preventative measures, The Charlotte Observer reported on June 3.
“To stay safe, all individuals should consider masking, avoid large gatherings and make sure that you are up to date on COVID vaccines, including booster doses for those who are eligible,” said Raynard Washington, public health director for the county. “If you do have symptoms, please get tested or take a rapid test, and consult with your health care provider about available treatment options.”
Also in Mecklenburg, small rises in COVID-19 levels recently were reported at two wastewater treatment sites in Charlotte. A third saw levels going up “at a pretty decent rate” over the past week, according to Virginia Guidry, branch head for occupational and environmental epidemiology at the state health department.
“We’re pretty confident in our wastewater data as a way to measure what’s going on in the community,” Guidry said, according to The Observer. “And it captures both symptomatic and asymptomatic folks, regardless of whether they get tested, and that is one the real advantages of wastewater monitoring.”
Wake to reduce COVID testing before ending program
Wake County, home to Raleigh, is reducing COVID-19 testing before the program ends this summer.
“COVID-19 testing isn’t going away,” said Sig Hutchinson, chair of the county’s Board of Commissioners. “With the abundance of at-home testing kits and other testing locations throughout the community, there will be plenty of opportunities for people to keep themselves safe and healthy.”
Wake said there’s little federal COVID-19 funding left and that it is spending $2 million of its own money to keep the testing program afloat.
As of June 6, it started to limit the number of appointments on its schedule each week. Anyone wanting to sign up for a test can visit wakegov.com/testing.
The free testing program is set to end on July 29.
Some who had omicron could get it again, Duke doctors say
People who were infected with the omicron coronavirus variant could get infected with another omicron subvariant, North Carolina doctors said.
Dr. Cameron Wolfe of Duke Health said his lab found some people who had omicron cases in the winter got reinfected with the BA.2 variant.
“Earlier in the pandemic, reinfection typically happened when someone was exposed to a completely different variant,” The News & Observer reported on June 1. “Though it’s not clear why, the immunity developed from an omicron infection is less robust, Wolfe said.”
This story was originally published June 9, 2022 at 7:06 AM.
