Coronavirus updates for Feb. 2: Here’s what to know in North Carolina this week

We’re tracking information about the coronavirus and vaccines in North Carolina. Check back every Thursday for updates.

12,000 new COVID cases

At least 12,225 new coronavirus cases were reported in North Carolina last week, down from 13,443 the week before, according to preliminary data from state health officials.

The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services also reported 1,001 new weekly COVID-19 hospital patient admissions, a drop from 1,114 the previous week, according to figures through Jan. 28, the most recent metrics available. The daily average of adult coronavirus patients in intensive care was 145, compared with 168 the week before.

The figures — which were released Wednesday, Feb. 1 — show roughly 78% of adults in North Carolina have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and about 74% have finished an initial round of vaccine doses. Of the state’s total population, about 63% finished their initial round and about 67% have received at least one dose. State officials round vaccination metrics to the nearest whole number.

“Out of all people who have finished their initial vaccines in North Carolina, 59% have been vaccinated with at least one booster, and 21% with an updated omicron booster,” the health department wrote on its website.

Health officials have urged those who are eligible to get boosted, as data shows it offers increased protection against the omicron coronavirus variant. Across the state, virtually all new COVID-19 cases were attributed to the omicron variant’s “lineages” in the two weeks leading up to Jan. 21, the latest time period for which data is available.

What to know about COVID vaccine side effects

Though people in online videos have reported experiencing “severe side effects” after getting COVID-19 vaccines, serious shot-related heath problems are rare.

An allergic reaction called anaphylaxis occurred at a rate of about five per 1 million doses, and the rate of a blood clot event called thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome was at four per 1 million, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Over 667 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered since December 2020, and 18,769 people who received a shot died, preliminary data shows.

“However, those reports don’t necessarily mean the vaccines were the cause of death,” The Charlotte Observer reported on Jan. 26 after unconfirmed social media reports of serious vaccine-related side effects.

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