State plans to make COVID-19 vaccine available for free, prioritized first to health care workers, residents and workers at long-term care facilities.
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State plans to make COVID-19 vaccine available for free, prioritized first to health care workers, residents and workers at long-term care facilities.
On Nov. 22, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported 4,514 new cases of COVID-19 across the state, marking the latest record for the most cases recorded in a single day.
The system uses per-capita case rates, the percent of positive tests and a composite hospital score to pinpoint viral hot spots. State health officials also released additional health recommendations for individuals, business owners and public officials residing in high-risk counties.
Gov. Roy Cooper said the order would clear up legal confusion about whether an existing moratorium, issued by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, covered tenants who live outside of federally subsidized housing.
Instead of reimposing additional statewide restrictions — something Gov. Roy Cooper has repeatedly said he wants to avoid unless absolutely necessary — the governor asked local law enforcement agencies to “enhance prevention efforts.”
The 2,532 new COVID-19 cases reported Oct. 15 marked the state’s highest one-day increase since the pandemic began in March. With worsening metrics, North Carolina residents need to step up and do their part to slow the viral spread, Gov. Roy Cooper said.
According to Western Carolina University’s COVID-19 dashboard, 17 students tested positive for the coronavirus on Oct. 12. Brevard College announced Oct. 10 that all classes would shift to remote learning for the week of Oct. 12 after three COVID-19 cases were confirmed on one athletic team.
Five staff members at Oakley Elementary School have tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the school district’s first coronavirus cluster. Plus, North Carolina’s COVID-19 metrics are moving in the wrong direction, says Gov. Roy Cooper.
Under Gov. Roy Cooper’s new executive order, bars, movie theaters, small outdoor entertainment venues, conference centers and amusement parks can operate at 30% of capacity or 100 seated guests, whichever is less.
The free SlowCOVIDNC app uses Bluetooth technology to let users know if they’ve been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, speeding up notifications of potential exposure.
Beginning Monday, Oct. 5, elementary schools will have the option to return to the classroom at full capacity. According to the state’s Plan A guidelines, classrooms will have no restrictions on the number of K-5 students allowed, but safety measures including mandatory face coverings, COVID-19 symptom screening and social distancing will still be required.
Despite the state reporting some of the lowest COVID-19 case counts in the Southeast, the White House Coronavirus Task Force continues to place North Carolina in the “red zone.” The designation means state health officials reported more than 100 new cases per 100,000 people in the last week.
Under the new order, gyms and other fitness facilities will be allowed to open at 30% capacity, museums and aquariums will open at 50% capacity and playgrounds will open with no capacity limits.
By the numbers, the 2,5855 COVID-19 cases reported Aug. 29 marked North Carolina’s highest daily increase to date. But the figure was inflated by approximately 1,000 cases, tested over the first half of August, that had previously gone unreported to NCDHHS by LabCorp.
COVID-19 testing rates have slowly dropped over the past several weeks, both in North Carolina and across the country, said Dr. Mandy Cohen. But for those who do get tested, she emphasized, state labs have the capacity to quickly process results.
President Donald Trump, accompanied by his daughter, Ivanka, and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, toured Flavor 1st Growers and Packers in Mills River on Aug. 24 to see firsthand how local farmers are working to feed individuals in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While Asheville and Buncombe County K-12 schools are planning to start the academic year with heavy reliance on remote learning due to COVID-19, the area’s colleges and universities are taking a more aggressive approach in returning to campus. Western North Carolina’s higher learning institutions are bringing back students from across the state and around the country.
Saunders, who has served as the health director for Alamance County since 2014, will replace Dr. Jennifer Mullendore, Buncombe’s interim public health director since March 9. Mullendore will continue her duties as the county’s medical director.
Teachers fear for their health under some NC school district plans, with other districts moving toward online-only instruction to begin school year.
According to preliminary results from surveys sent to families with children in the younger grades, roughly 40% of those attending Buncombe County Schools and 38% of those attending Asheville City Schools are opting for all-virtual classes.
With more numbers than ever, it can be hard to understand the magnitude of the pandemic in North Carolina. N.C. Health News created three charts to help make sense of coronavirus in the state.