Three million fully vaccinated against coronavirus in NC, state reports

Ben Sessoms

Over three million North Carolinians are now fully vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, the virus the causes COVID-19, the state Department of Health and Human Services reported Thursday.

Of the state’s population, 28.9% are fully vaccinated. Among those age 18 or older, 36.8% are fully vaccinated.

North Carolina first began offering vaccines in mid-December of last year.

To be fully vaccinated requires two doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or one dose of the single-shot vaccine from Johnson & Johnson.

Use of the J&J vaccine is currently suspended as the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention review extremely rare cases of blood clots as a potential side effect of the shot.

Of the 6.8 million doses administered nationwide, as of last week, there were six cases of blood clots in women age 18 to 48.

Gov. Cooper expects to lift restrictions as COVID-19 metrics stabilize

Gov. Cooper announced at a press conference Wednesday that he expects to lift most COVID-19 safety restrictions by June 1 as new cases and hospitalizations stabilize.

DHHS reported over 2,200 new cases and 1,149 hospitalizations due to the virus on Thursday.

Over the last week, the state has reported an average of 1,935 new cases per day.

Weekly new cases averages and hospitalizations have hovered around 2,000 and 1,100 respectively over the past several days, though they have increased steadily since late March.

COVID-19 metrics across the board, though, have decreased substantially since early to mid-January when new case averages peaked at over 8,600 per day and hospitalizations reached a high of 3,990.

Over the last week of percent positive test data, DHHS has reported 6.2% of tests as positive per day.

State health officials have said that they prefer that number to be at 5% or lower, which it hasn’t been since late March.

But the percent positive data is only one metric that the state examines, according to health officials. They also account for new cases and hospitalizations, among others, when gauging COVID-19 spread in the state.

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 Thursday with changes from the day before:

  • Total cases: 954,765 (+2,236)

  • Deaths: 12,505 (+25)

  • Tests: 12,063,572 (+41,747)

  • People hospitalized due to the virus: 1,149 (-19)

  • COVID-19 adult ICU patients: 278 (-7)

  • Available ICU beds: 478 (-19)

  • Available inpatient beds: 4,820 (-76)

  • Patients on ventilators: 888 (-36)

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

Vaccine doses administered through North Carolina health providers:

  • First doses arrived: 3,365,680

  • First doses administered: 2,978,498 (88%)

  • Second doses arrived: 2,600,745

  • Second doses administered: 2,319,768 (89%)

  • Single-shot doses arrived: 333,000

  • Single-shot doses administered: 200,775 (60%)

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

  • First doses administered: 705,263

  • Second doses administered: 455,285

  • Single-shot doses administered: 52,318

  • Total doses arrived: 1,761,800

  • Total doses administered: 1,212,866 (69%)

Overall vaccine statistics reported Thursday:

  • Total doses administered: 6,711,907

  • Number of people fully vaccinated: 3,028,146

  • Percent of population who have received at least one dose: 37.5%

  • Percent of population fully vaccinated: 28.9%

  • Percent of population 18 or older who have received at least one dose: 47.5%

  • Percent of population 18 or older fully vaccinated: 36.8%

  • Percent of population 65 or older who have received at least one dose: 77%

  • Percent of population 65 or older fully vaccinated: 71.4%

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: 3.5% (3.5%)

  • Black or African American: 15.9% (23.1%)

  • White: 71.2% (71.7%)

  • Other: 5.5%

  • Missing or undisclosed: 3.1%

By ethnicity:

  • Hispanic: 5% (9.8%)

  • Non-Hispanic: 87.2% (90.2%)

  • Missing or undisclosed: 7.8%