COVID vaccine live updates: Here’s what to know in NC on March 8
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in North Carolina. Check back for updates.
Case count tops 872,000
At least 872,176 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus and 11,502 have died since last March, according to state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported 2,027 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, down from 2,093 new cases reported the day before.
Fifty-six coronavirus-related deaths were reported Saturday. Deaths don’t all occur on the day the state reports them. The state health department revises its daily figures as information becomes available.
At least 1,179 people in North Carolina were reported hospitalized with the coronavirus as of Saturday, down from 1,226 reported the day before.
As of Thursday, the latest day for which data are available, 4.2% of coronavirus tests were reported positive. Health officials have said 5% or lower is the target rate to control the spread of the virus.
More than 1 million people in North Carolina have received both doses of the coronavirus vaccine as of Thursday. A total of 2.7 million doses have been administered statewide.
The state health department did not provide a coronavirus update Sunday. From now on, the state says, it will publish updates Mondays through Saturdays.
Crowd gathers after UNC, Duke game despite warning
Roughly 500 people gathered on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill after North Carolina’s win over Duke on Saturday.
The town of Chapel Hill’s emergency management coordinator had released a statement earlier in the week reminding residents of restrictions on gatherings because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Governor Roy Cooper’s COVID-19 crowd limits prohibit gatherings of more than 50 people outdoors due to the risk of spreading the coronavirus,” the statement said. “In fact, the Governor’s decision to stick to 50 people outdoors while loosening other restrictions should be a clear message about its importance. We must adhere to these public health guidelines to continue this important battle we’ve all been in for nearly a year.”
This was the second time this year UNC fans have rushed Franklin after a win over Duke. On Feb. 6, more than 1,000 people blocked the road in Chapel Hill, prompting the police and town to prepare for Saturday’s game. About 50 police officers were on hand Saturday.
Burr, Tillis vote against $1.9 trillion relief package
North Carolina Republican Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis voted against final passage of the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, which passed the U.S. Senate along party lines on Saturday.
The bill — which includes $1,400 stimulus checks for many Americans, an extension of federal unemployment benefits and funding for state and local governments to distribute the vaccine, among other aspects — will now go to the U.S. House of Representatives for final passage after being changed in the Senate.
Republicans have argued the package is too costly and not targeted enough.
“My Democratic colleagues pushed their partisan spending bill through the Senate and put an end to the bipartisan spirit of COVID relief that produced results over the past year. I am disappointed the Congressional Democrats and the Biden Administration chose this path,” Tillis said in a statement after the vote.
North Carolina Democratic Party chair Bobbie Richardson criticized Tillis and Burr in a statement Saturday.
“Thom Tillis and Richard Burr have once again put politics over helping North Carolinians struggling during the pandemic,” the statement said. “From putting checks in the pockets of families, to providing funding for vaccines, schools, and small businesses, the American Rescue Plan is urgently necessary and incredibly popular. It’s exactly what North Carolina needs during this crisis.”
Judge dismisses remote learning lawsuit against CMS
A Mecklenburg County judge on Friday dismissed a lawsuit against Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools by parents who wanted their students to learn in person instead of remotely during the coronavirus pandemic, The Charlotte Observer reported on Saturday.
The suit, filed by several parents in September, argued that remote learning hurts students with special needs, students from low-income households and students without computers at home. They also said it presented safety concerns for students.
Superior Court Judge Karen Eady-Williams ruled the parents failed to show how remote learning hurt their children’s education and how it presented safety issues, according to a copy of the judge’s dismissal form.
