Coronavirus omicron updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on Feb. 17
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in North Carolina. Check back for updates.
Death toll passes 22,000
At least 2,554,922 coronavirus cases have been reported in North Carolina, and at least 22,061 people have died since March 2020, according to state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday, Feb. 17, reported 5,583 new COVID-19 cases, down from 6,079 the day before. An additional 93 coronavirus-related deaths were added to the total.
At least 2,711 people were reported hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Feb. 17, including 501 adults being treated in intensive care units, health officials said. The total patient count was down from 2,865 the previous day, according to state health officials.
As of Feb. 15, the latest date with available information, 10.6% 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. 17, 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 23% 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. 12, the latest date for which data is available, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Which Triangle schools still have mask mandates?
School districts in North Carolina are facing a renewed call to end face mask mandates after Gov. Roy Cooper urged all schools and municipalities to reconsider the rules, citing a decline in new COVID-19 cases and higher vaccination rates statewide.
Face masks are optional in at least 60 school districts statewide, according to a spreadsheet maintained by the N.C. School Boards Association.
Several districts where face masks are still required are slated to reevaluate in the coming weeks.
Wake County Schools, for example, will vote March 1, The News & Observer reported. The school board in Durham voted Feb. 10 to continue with its mask mandate, while Chapel Hill-Carrboro plans to meet for a COVID-19 update on March 3.
Here’s a look at where other Triangle school districts stand.
Wake, Raleigh consider ending face mask mandate
Officials in Raleigh and Wake County are planning to meet to discuss ending face mask mandates in areas that still have them.
County spokesperson Dara Demi said the board of commissioners will meet with the county manager, public health officials and municipal leaders on Tuesday, Feb. 22 — but it could be sooner, The News & Observer reported.
At least five towns remain signed on to Wake County’s mask mandate, including Garner, Knightdale, Morrisville, Rolesville and Zebulon.
Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said Feb. 8 they would wait two weeks to make a decision on mask mandates. But she told The N&O things have changed since then.
“We have vaccines and boosters. The rates are going way down,” Baldwin said. “I think people are feeling a lot better about where we are.”
Cooper calls for schools, cities to end mask mandates
Gov. Roy Cooper told school districts and local municipalities during a news conference on Thursday, Feb. 17, “to end their mask mandates.”
“In the early months where there was almost no PPE or testing and precious little vaccine or effective treatment, we put protections in place like mandatory masking and gathering limits that no doubt saved lives,” Cooper said. “...This variant is clearly more contagious, yet generally causes less severe illness, particularly to people who are vaccinated and boosted, and now people know how to gauge their level of risk and decide how to best protect themselves.”
“As a result of all these factors, I encourage schools and local governments to end their mask mandates.”
The announcement comes as state legislators approved a bill that would make masks in schools optional, The News & Observer reported.
Schools can begin voluntary masking on March 7, said Kody Kinsely, Secretary of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
Mecklenburg County drops mask mandate
The Mecklenburg County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously on Wednesday, Feb. 16, to lift the countywide face mask mandate.
The requirement will end on Feb. 26, The Charlotte Observer reported. Businesses can, however, still require customers to wear masks, and county officials still recommend residents wear one.
Dozens of people who opposed the county mandate held signs at the commissioners’ meeting, and most who spoke were in favor of eliminating the mandate, with many mentioning the effect on children.
“Our children deserve normalcy,” said Michelle Connolly.
A mask mandate still remains in effect for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, the Observer reported. The school board is not expected to call a special meeting this week to discuss that policy, a district official said. But it is on the agenda at the Feb. 22 meeting.
Charlotte Pride will return in-person
After two years of virtual events, Charlotte Pride will return to uptown with in-person events this summer.
The festival is slated to take place Aug. 20-21 on South Tryon Street uptown with a variety of community events leading up to it, CharlotteFive reported.
“Over the past two years, it’s been heartbreaking to see social media posts from LGBTQ people — both younger and older alike — lamenting the loss of what would have been their very first Pride event. Everyone remembers their first Pride — that very first moment they were surrounded by thousands of people just like them,” said Jerry Yelton, Charlotte Pride’s programs and development director. “In 2022, Charlotte Pride will ensure this opportunity exists in the Queen City.”
Charts show how grocery store foot traffic has changed through pandemic
Foot traffic in Raleigh grocery stores experienced a sharp drop two years ago at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, but new numbers show it has since stabilized.
Looking at data from the company SafeGraph as well as numbers before the pandemic, The News & Observer examined how those figures have changed in the last year.
Walmart had the highest foot traffic across the board, according to The N&O, with Harris Teeter and Food Lion experiencing lower foot traffic in February 2022 compared to March 2020.
Nurses help with EMS response amid pandemic-related burnout
Triangle-area first responders are turning to nurses as they face a shortage of workers and higher demand for services during the coronavirus pandemic.
Wake County Emergency Medical Services is partnering with Global Medical Response to “help route 911 calls to the right care at the right time at the right place,” The News & Observer reported.
Matt Calabria, a Wake County commissioner, said the program is expected to save EMS workers up to 30 hours each day.
“I think this system will help the burnout situation in the medical field right now, I think this will help alleviate stress in emergency situations ... because everybody’s short-staffed right now,” said Dr. Brian Quigley of UNC Rex Healthcare. “It’s been really hard. The pandemics (has) really taught us some lessons.”
This story was originally published February 17, 2022 at 7:02 AM with the headline "Coronavirus omicron updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on Feb. 17."
