COVID vaccine live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on July 28

We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in North Carolina. Check back for updates.

More than 1,000 hospitalizations reported

At least 1,038,976 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus, and at least 13,590 have died since March 2020, according to state health officials.

The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported 1,603 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, up from 1,401 on Monday.

Ten additional coronavirus-related deaths were reported Tuesday. Deaths don’t necessarily occur on the day the state reports them. The state health department revises its daily figures as more information becomes available.

At least 1,031 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Tuesday, up from 954 the day before.

As of Sunday, the latest day available, 10.4% of coronavirus tests were reported positive. Health officials say 5% or lower is the target rate to slow the spread of the virus.

Roughly 60% of adults in North Carolina have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and about 57% have been fully vaccinated. State health officials round vaccination numbers to the nearest whole number.

What the CDC’s updated mask guidelines mean for NC

Health officials in North Carolina will likely issue new mask guidance after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Tuesday that some individuals vaccinated against COVID-19 wear masks indoors, including schools.

“Most all of the people getting sick and dying now are unvaccinated,” Gov. Roy Cooper’s spokesperson Ford Porter said Tuesday. “The Governor and state health officials will review changes to CDC guidance and he strongly encourages schools and businesses to enact important safety precautions and unvaccinated people to wear masks until they get their shots.”

Some medical experts in the Charlotte area have said they agree with the new guidelines, which urge people to wear masks in areas with high COVID-19 transmission rates. Mecklenburg County is one such area, The Charlotte Observer reported.

Mecklenburg County is considered an area with high transmission rates, according to the CDC’s COVID-19 tracker.

“I would feel that we firmly fit in the moderate- to high-transmission rate right now,” Atrium Health infectious disease expert Dr. Katie Passaretti said. “And I would encourage people to wear masks in indoor settings to protect themselves and to protect those around them for right now.”

CDC’s K-12 mask guidelines are stricter than Cooper’s guidance

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that schools should reopen but everyone should wear a mask — regardless of whether they have been vaccinated.

The new guidelines follow recommendations from Gov. Roy Cooper and state health officials last week urging school districts to require masks indoors for elementary and middle school students.

A spokesperson for the governor said he will be reviewing the CDC’s changes, which align with recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics, The News & Observer reported.

Call for renters to seek assistance as eviction moratorium set to end

Renters behind on payments in Charlotte are urged to seek assistance as a federal moratorium on evictions is set to expire this weekend.

The order, which runs through July 31, had stopped evictions for people struggling to pay rent due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Now, the city of Charlotte and the nonprofit DreamKey Partners are preparing to receive more applications for rental relief, The Charlotte Observer reported Tuesday. Information for tenants is available on the RAMPCLT website.

“Our goal is always to get the funding out as quickly as possible to those who need it the most,” said Julie Porter, president of DreamKey Partners.