Coronavirus updates for Dec. 15: 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.
Over 12,000 new COVID cases reported
At least 12,955 new coronavirus cases were reported in North Carolina last week, up from 11,418 the week before, according to preliminary data from state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services also reported 709 new weekly COVID-19 hospital patient admissions, an increase from 657 the previous week, according to figures through Dec. 10, the most recent metrics available. The daily average of adult coronavirus patients in intensive care was 81, compared to 80 the week before.
The figures were released Wednesday, Dec. 14, 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, 59% 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 Dec. 3, the latest time period for which data is available.
NC launches free virtual appointment program for COVID patients
A new North Carolina program is offering free virtual medical appointments for COVID-19 patients.
The telehealth program is available for those who test positive for COVID-19, regardless of insurance coverage. Through a partnership with StarMed Healthcare, state health officials say they aim to reach residents before they get too sick.
“People who test positive for COVID-19, particularly those who are uninsured or don’t have a primary care doctor, will have better access to treatments,” the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services said, according to The News & Observer.
Those interested in scheduling appointments can call 704-941-6000 or visit starmed.care/nc.
Another round of at-home COVID tests available
With coronavirus cases on the rise nationwide, another round of free at-home COVID-19 tests is now available.
Starting Dec. 15, each U.S. household can request a batch of four rapid antigen tests. The test kits are being sent in the mail through the U.S. Postal Service, McClatchy News reported.
“Orders for this round of testing will begin to ship starting the week of December 19th and continue in the weeks ahead,” the White House said in a news release.
Those interested in ordering the free test kits can visit covidtests.gov or call 800-232-0233.
Health experts urge people to get tested after exposure to someone who has tested positive, before gathering with others and while experiencing symptoms.
COVID, flu and RSV cases impacting NC child care
Younger kids became eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines just before North Carolina entered a difficult season for respiratory viruses.
“We were all so hopeful — the kids finally got vaccinated two and a half years into the pandemic so now we can all live a little,” said Beth Branciforte of Branches Community School in Durham. “In fact, it’s been the opposite.”
The spread of COVID-19, flu and RSV — sometimes called the “tripledemic” — has put strain on families and child care providers that spent more than two years navigating the pandemic. The situation has left several young kids home from day care, leading their parents to struggle to find alternatives, The News & Observer reported on Dec. 12.
The trends come after many children wore face masks and spent time apart from their peers earlier in the pandemic. But experts aren’t sure why this respiratory virus season has been so harsh.
“I don’t think we have any well-controlled studies to prove that one way or the other,” said Dr. Mike Smith, a pediatric infectious disease expert at Duke.
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shares face mask guidance based on individual communities, you don’t need to wait for its recommendations to take precautions as viruses spread, The Charlotte Observer reported.
COVID infection may increase risk of heart condition, study finds
Those who have been infected with COVID-19 may have an increased risk of developing a heart condition that can cause people to faint and be lightheaded, a new study finds.
Researchers studied 12,460 coronavirus patients and more than 284,000 people who had been vaccinated at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in California. They found that people who got COVID-19 could have a higher chance of getting the condition postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), which can cause a person’s heart to race after standing.
The study also found being vaccinated against COVID-19 may lead to a higher risk of developing POTS, “but to a ‘lesser extent,’” McClatchy News reported on Dec. 14.
“The main message here is that while we see a potential link between COVID-19 vaccination and POTS, preventing COVID-19 through vaccination is still the best way to reduce your risk of developing POTS,” Dr. Alan C. Kwan, an author on the study, said in a statement, adding that the prospective link is “relatively slim.”
Read more about the study’s findings here.
Updated COVID vaccines authorized for younger kids
Younger kids are now eligible to get the latest vaccines to help protect against COVID-19.
Children 6 months to 4 years old can be vaccinated with Pfizer’s bivalent booster shots after Pfizer received emergency use authorization. Also, kids up to 5 years old are able to get an updated dose from Moderna.
The extra doses were designed to target strains of the omicron coronavirus variant, McClatchy News reported on Dec. 8.
“With the high level of respiratory illnesses currently circulating among children under 5 years of age, updated COVID-19 vaccines may help prevent severe illness and hospitalization,” Pfizer wrote in a news release.
More details about the expanded vaccine eligibility are available here.
Charlotte business owner, son sentenced in COVID relief scam
A Charlotte restaurant owner and his son are going to prison after they were found guilty in a COVID-19 relief scheme, officials said.
The pair is accused of taking $1.7 million meant to help small businesses struggling during the coronavirus pandemic. They stole the money “by submitting multiple Paycheck Protection Program loan applications that misrepresented the number of employees and the payroll expenses” at the dad’s companies, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
The men recently were ordered to spend time behind bars after being convicted of money laundering and other charges in March. The dad was given a four-year sentence, and the son was given more than seven years, The Charlotte Observer reported on Dec. 8.
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