Coronavirus updates for Aug. 25: 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.

More than 21,000 new COVID cases

At least 21,567 new coronavirus cases were reported in North Carolina last week, down from 26,840 the week before, according to preliminary data from state health officials.

The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services also reported 1,259 new weekly COVID-19 hospital patient admissions, a drop from 1,317 the previous week, according to figures through Aug. 20, the most recent metrics available. The daily average of adult coronavirus patients in intensive care was 152, compared to 159 the week before.

The figures were released Wednesday, Aug. 24, about five months after health officials started adjusting information on their coronavirus dashboard and publishing weekly COVID-19 data. The data had previously been released almost every day.

Roughly 77% of adults in North Carolina have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and about 73% are fully vaccinated. Of the state’s total population, about 63% are fully vaccinated and about 67% have received at least one dose. State officials round vaccination metrics to the nearest whole number.

More than 3.9 million “additional/booster” doses have been administered in North Carolina as of Aug. 24, the health department said. 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 Aug. 13, the latest time period for which data is available.

COVID relief funds could be used to avoid NC principal pay cuts

Federal COVID-19 relief funds could be used to help North Carolina school principals avoid pay cuts of up to $18,000.

State Superintendent Catherine Truitt said the proposal calls for using the money to cover pay losses that 360 principals are facing due to a new way salaries are calculated. The State Board of Education is scheduled to vote on the plan Sept. 1, The News & Observer reported on Aug. 24.

“Principals were given a monumental load during the pandemic, as they were tasked with leading our schools in the midst of ever-changing circumstances that included students and teachers shuffling in and out of quarantine while classrooms alternated between virtual and in-person,” Truitt wrote in a statement.

COVID-related waiver ends for people seeking driver’s licenses

A waiver that had allowed some North Carolinians to avoid DMV road tests is going away.

The coronavirus-related policy will come to a close on Sept. 14, The News & Observer reported.

The change comes after the state in 2020 halted road tests to help stop the spread of COVID-19. There had been exceptions for teen drivers as well as for “commercial driver’s licenses and medical evaluations,” according to the N&O.

But now that a state of emergency is over, people wanting to get a North Carolina driver’s license for the first time soon will have to take an in-car test, officials said.

COVID outbreak impacts counseling in Mecklenburg jail

A Charlotte jail has a growing wait list for counseling services, and a recent coronavirus outbreak made the delays worse.

In Mecklenburg County, “officials have been forced to pause most of the jail’s substance abuse program, contributing to the waitlist growing to 45 days — longer than many people who need the help even spend in custody,” The Charlotte Observer reported on Aug. 18.

Even if counseling is paused, the Community Support Services department can continue to do assessments for people whose jail units aren’t under quarantine, according to Evelyn McGill of the substance use unit.

COVID policies remain in some Charlotte-area districts

As students return to schools, some Charlotte-area districts will continue to have coronavirus-related policies.

While Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools won’t require students to be vaccinated against COVID-19, the district encourages anyone eligible for a COVID-19 shot to get one. Children in the district will have to stay home if they receive positive test results or have symptoms, The Charlotte Observer reported on Aug. 17.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg and several other districts across the region won’t require face masks.

Read more about Charlotte-area school districts’ guidelines here.

NC town hall reopens after closing over COVID

After shutting its doors for several days over coronavirus-related staffing worries, a North Carolina town hall reopened.

The town of Pittsboro’s shutdown also had impacted its police department, The News & Observer reported.

The town hall closed on Aug. 9 and didn’t welcome the public back until more than a week later on Aug. 18.

“We thank you for your patience as we work through these challenges and look forward to resuming our normal levels of service soon,” spokesperson Colby Sawyer said.

Pittsboro is in Chatham County, which was among dozens of places in the state recently labeled as having high transmission for COVID-19.

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