1 million North Carolinians have now received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine

After nearly three months since the state started offering vaccines, over 1 million North Carolinians have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

As of Thursday, 1,028,728 North Carolinians have received second doses, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which the state started offering in mid-December, require two doses, given a few weeks apart, to be fully effective against COVID-19.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which North Carolina received nearly 80,000 doses of this week, requires only one dose to be effective. As of Friday, 357 people have received that single dose in North Carolina.

Eligibility for the vaccine is currently limited to health care workers, those aged 65 or older, long-term facility staff and residents, and front-line essential workers.

Front-line essential workers include grocery store and restaurant workers, plus most other workers required to work in person. It also includes police officers and teachers.

Starting March 24, people with certain medical conditions that make them vulnerable to severe cases of COVID-19 will be eligible for the vaccine.

Details on who is in each vaccine group, along with other vaccine information, can be found at covid19.ncdhhs.gov/vaccines/find-your-spot-take-your-shot.

Percent positive below 5% again

Among the COVID-19 tests reported Wednesday, the day with the latest available data, 4.3% returned positive, meeting the 5% or below standard that state health officials want.

It’s the fifth time in the past nine days of available data that the state has reported a percent positive below 5%, according to data from DHHS.

Over last week of available data, DHHS has reported an average percent positive per day above the target at 5.2%. But that average has decreased significantly from the pandemic high of 15.1% reported on Jan. 15.

NC COVID metrics continue to go down

DHHS reported 2,093 new cases Friday. Over the last week, the state has reported an average of 2,035 new cases per day. That seven-day average has been decreasing for weeks.

As of Friday, 1,226 North Carolinians are in the hospital due to COVID-19. It’s the fewest reported in a day since early November.

In early January, the state reported a pandemic high of 3,990 hospitalizations statewide.

COVID-19 data of the day

Case and hospitalization data reported by DHHS are preliminary and subject to change upon further investigation. Here are additional statistics reported Friday, with changes from the previous day:

  • Total cases: 870,149 (+2,093)

  • Deaths: 11,446 (+47)*

  • Tests: 10,448,441 (+52,328)

  • People hospitalized: 1,226 (-64)

  • COVID-19 adult ICU patients: 314 (-12)

  • Available ICU beds: 609 (+62)

  • Available inpatient beds: 5,418 (+198)

  • Patients on ventilators: 934 (-7)

Inpatient and ICU beds are not all used by COVID-19 patients, according to DHHS.

*Deaths do not all occur on the date they are reported. DHHS updates its numbers as information becomes available. For example, according to the latest DHHS data, the deadliest day of the pandemic was Jan. 15 when 120 people died. The number of deaths assigned to that date has increased by 20 since the end of January.

Vaccine statistics reported Friday:

  • First doses arrived: 1,695,700

  • First doses administered: 1,568,110 (92%)

  • Second doses arrived: 1,030,825

  • Second doses administered: 938,869 (91%)

  • Single shot doses arrived: 76,700

  • Single shot doses administered: 357 (<1%)

Vaccine doses administered in North Carolina through the federal, long-term care program:

  • First doses arrived: 145,900

  • First doses administered: 123,180 (84%)

  • Second doses arrived: 145,900

  • Second doses administered: 89,859 (62%)

Across the state, a total of 2,720,375 doses have been administered. As of Tuesday, 1,029,085 North Carolinians are fully vaccinated, having received second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine or the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.