Coronavirus updates for Dec. 1: 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.
6,000 new COVID cases reported
At least 6,431 new coronavirus cases were reported in North Carolina last week, up from 6,024 the week before, according to preliminary data from state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services also reported 529 new weekly COVID-19 hospital patient admissions, an increase from 502 the previous week, according to figures through Nov. 26, the most recent metrics available. The daily average of adult coronavirus patients in intensive care was 78, compared to 84 the week before.
The figures were released Wednesday, Nov. 30, more than eight months after health officials started adjusting information on their coronavirus dashboard and publishing weekly COVID-19 data. The figures had been updated almost every day.
Roughly 78% of adults in North Carolina have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and about 73% 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, 60% have been vaccinated with at least one booster, and 17% 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, most new COVID-19 cases were attributed to the omicron variant’s “lineages” in the two weeks leading up to Nov. 19, the latest time period for which data is available.
Booster shots ‘more important’ for older people, research suggests
The coronavirus pandemic has hit older adults hard, and now research has found that COVID-19 vaccine protection “decreases with age,” McClatchy News reported on Nov. 30.
As new variants pop up, “COVID-19 boosters and updated vaccines are more important for older adults, who are more susceptible to severe illness with the virus,” according to a news release from the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
A research team collected blood samples from people across multiple age groups who received two Pfizer vaccine doses. Vaccines are designed to cause the body to produce antibodies, but antibodies weren’t as active in older people, results show.
Click here for more information about the study, which was published in the journal Cell Reports.
Most NC nursing home workers don’t have latest vaccines, data shows
About 19% of nursing home workers in North Carolina don’t have the latest recommended doses of COVID-19 vaccines, creating a concern that staff will put residents at risk, new data shows.
At the same time, most nursing home residents aren’t up to date on their shots, according to figures from AARP.
The data was shared as only about 15% of people in North Carolina have gotten the new bivalent booster shots, which are designed to target the omicron coronavirus variant. Older people are more likely to get seriously sick after contracting COVID-19, which can easily spread through nursing homes and other congregate living settings, experts say.
Bill Lamb, who serves on the board of Friends of Residents in Long Term Care, said change could come after a push from families.
“I don’t understand why healthcare professionals, who should know better, are lagging in immunization,” he said, according to The News & Observer. “If your mother was at high risk, would you want somebody who was not vaccinated caring for her?”
Uptown Charlotte showing signs of comeback
After the coronavirus pandemic forced many people to work remotely, uptown Charlotte is showing signs of a rebound.
At One Wells Fargo Center — also called One South — landlords put $42 million toward upgrades. One floor has a new design that features a cafe, shuffleboard and a space that allows for remote workers to participate, The Charlotte Observer reported.
“We’re seeing a post-pandemic emphasis on the quality of work-life balance,” said David Pitser, property manager for the building and a Childress Klein partner. “And having things that make your work life easier.”
The changes come as uptown Charlotte has seen commercial and retail sales surpass pre-pandemic levels, records show.
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