40% of adults in NC have now received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine

Ben Sessoms
·3 min read

Forty percent of North Carolinians age 18 and up have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, the state Department of Health and Human Services reported Friday.

Among the whole population, 31.5% have received at least one dose.

Two doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are required to be fully vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Over 2.3 million in the state are now fully vaccinated as of Friday.

UNC Health and Wake County put a temporary halt on J&J vaccinations on Thursday after several people felt dizzy and fainted at their vaccination site.

But UNC Health resumed J&J vaccinations on Friday after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there were no safety issues. Wake County was expected to announce its next steps regarding the J&J vaccine later Friday.

New cases remain steady as hospitalizations drop back under 1,000

DHHS reported over 2,500 new cases Friday, bringing the average per day over the last week to just under 1,600.

The average has floated around that number over the past few days.

Statewide hospitalizations due to the virus dropped to 977 after being over 1,000 for two days.

Among the tests reported Wednesday, the latest day with data available, 4.6% returned positive, the lowest in a week.

But over the last week of available data, DHHS has reported an average of 5.7% of cases as positive per day, higher than the 5% or lower that state health officials have said is needed to control the spread of the virus.

The seven-day average has steadily increased from the 5.2% a week ago.

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 since the previous day:

  • Total cases: 929,406 (+2,509)

  • Deaths: 12,248 (+24)

  • Tests: 11,641,898 (+43,379)

  • People hospitalized: 977 (-33)

  • COVID-19 adult ICU patients: 243 (-12)

  • Available ICU beds: 559 (-32)

  • Available inpatient beds: 5,235 (-154)

  • Patients on ventilators: 959 (no change)

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 124 people died. The state originally reported that 108 people had died on Jan. 15.

Vaccine statistics reported Friday:

  • First doses arrived: 2,870,450

  • First doses administered: 2,697,709 (94%)

  • Second doses arrived: 2,094,905

  • Second doses administered: 1,863,378 (89%)

  • Single-shot doses arrived: 315,300

  • Single-shot doses administered: 148,741 (47%)

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

  • First doses administered: 601,037

  • Second doses administered: 279,654

  • Single-shot doses administered: 34,164

  • Total doses arrived: 1,293,280

  • Total doses administered: 914,855 (71%)

Overall vaccine statistics:

  • Total doses administered: 5,624,683

  • Number of people fully vaccinated: 2,325,937

  • Percent of population who have received at least one dose: 31.5%

  • Percent of population fully vaccinated: 22.2%

  • Percent of population 18 or older who have received at least one dose: 40%

  • Percent of population 18 or older fully vaccinated: 28.4%

  • Percent of population 65 or older who have received at least one dose: 73.6%

  • Percent of population 65 or older fully vaccinated: 67.2%

Breakdown of those fully vaccinated by race vs. percentage of total population:

  • American Indian or Alaskan Native: 0.7% (1.7%)

  • Asian or Pacific Islander: 2.9% (3.5%)

  • Black or African American: 15.7% (23.1%)

  • White: 72.4% (71.7%)

By ethnicity:

  • Hispanic: 3.8% (9.8%)

  • Non-Hispanic: 88.8% (90.2%)