COVID vaccine live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on Feb. 8
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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.
NC death toll nears 10,000
At least 799,279 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus, and 9,991 have died since March, according to state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on Monday reported 3,084 new COVID-19 cases, down from 4,674 reported the day before.
Eight additional deaths were added to the total Monday, the lowest count reported in a week. Deaths don’t occur on the day the state reports them. The state health department revises its daily figures as information becomes available.
At least 2,339 people in North Carolina were reported hospitalized with the coronavirus as of Monday, down from 2,394 the day before. The count has dropped each day for about two weeks.
As of Saturday, the latest day for which data are available, 8.6% of coronavirus tests were reported positive. Health officials say the number should be about 5% or lower to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Maskless party could put some UNC players in jeopardy
Two UNC men’s basketball players appeared without masks in a video, making their availability in Monday night’s game uncertain.
Armando Bacot and Day’Ron Sharpe were seen at a gathering after their team beat Duke on Saturday, The News & Observer reported.
UNC spokesman Steve Kirschner said the players’ availability for Monday’s game against the University of Miami Hurricanes would depend on ACC protocol, which considers results from a COVID-19 test taken 48 hours after a game.
Also after the UNC victory, faculty at UNC-Chapel Hill can choose to teach remotely until Feb. 17 because some students crowded Franklin Street following the Tar Heels’ 91-87 win over Duke. Many weren’t wearing masks, and the crowd size remained steady in the hour after the game.
Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz has said there will be consequences.
“I know many Tar Heels enjoy rushing Franklin Street to celebrate a big win, but we are in the middle of a global pandemic, and COVID doesn’t take a break for the Duke game,” he tweeted Saturday night. ”We will investigate this incident and work with local authorities to pursue consequences.”
Triangle school districts announce lunch plans
Two Triangle area school districts have announced their plans for breakfast and lunch as students return to campuses during the coronavirus pandemic.
Orange County Schools said students would eat outside, unless temperatures dip below freezing or there’s nowhere to shelter from pouring rain. The announcement drew backlash from some parents, The News & Observer reported Monday.
“We do understand that eating outdoors in the winter time may be uncomfortable and is not ideal, but in the best interest of safety and health, and in light of the world experiencing this pandemic, having students eat meals within a short (15-minute) time window outdoors is ideal — if and only if students are properly clothed for the weather,” Superintendent Monique Felder wrote to parents on Jan. 25.
The school system, which reopened to kindergarten and first grade students on Jan. 25, won’t bring other grade levels back for in-person classes until April.
In nearby Wake County, students will be required to stay on campuses during lunch time. The district is also using stricter social distancing guidance when children start to return to campuses Feb. 15.
During the coronavirus pandemic, meal times pose risks because they are one of the only times during the school day that masks aren’t required.
Churches help address vaccine inequity
On Saturday, a partnership between WakeMed and Wake County Public Health delivered 1,700 COVID-19 vaccines to 16 churches and a community center in Southeast Raleigh in an attempt to overcome transportation and other equity concerns surrounding vaccination.
North Carolina, like many states, has so far struggled with equity while rolling out the vaccine.
As of Feb. 4, white people make up 80.3% of those who have received a first dose of the vaccine while accounting for 70.5% of the state’s population. Black people have received 12.6% of first doses administered but represent 23.1% of North Carolina’s population. Hispanic people account for 2.3% of those who have received first doses but make up 9.8% of the state’s population.
“We do not see that we are vaccinating our African-American, our Hispanic community, our Native American community at the same rate we are vaccinating our white community, and that means we have work to do,” Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the state health department, said last week during a fireside chat with the Rev. William Barber II.
Churches and community centers have recruited people who may not otherwise be able to access the vaccine, used trusted messengers to address fears about the vaccine and reached out directly to those who may not be able to figure out an online registration process.
This story was originally published February 8, 2021 at 6:55 AM with the headline "COVID vaccine live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on Feb. 8."
