Coronavirus updates for March 9: 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 5,000 new COVID cases
At least 5,345 new coronavirus cases were reported in North Carolina last week, down from 7,461 the week before, according to preliminary data from state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services also reported 615 new weekly COVID-19 hospital patient admissions, a drop from 707 the previous week, according to figures through March 4, the most recent metrics available. The daily average of adult coronavirus patients in intensive care was 88, compared with 95 the week before.
The figures — released Wednesday, March 8 — show roughly 78% of adults in North Carolina have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and about 74% have finished an initial round of vaccine doses. Of the state’s total population, about 63% finished their initial round and about 68% 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 22% 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, virtually all new COVID-19 cases were attributed to omicron strains in the two weeks leading up to Feb. 25, the latest time period for which data is available.
Some parents lied about kids’ COVID infections, study finds
Some parents admit they didn’t tell the truth when their children were infected with COVID-19, as many wanted to “exercise personal freedom,” a new survey finds.
Several U.S. parents also let their kids skirt quarantine rules or lied about whether their child had gotten a COVID-19 vaccine, according to results published March 6.
To come up with the findings, a team from the University of Utah Health conducted a survey of 580 parents. The results show “150, or over 25%, said they lied about their child’s COVID-19 status, didn’t follow disease prevention guidelines that were in place, lied about their child’s COVID-19 vaccination status or were otherwise dishonest or non-adherent in regards to at least one of the seven behaviors they were asked about,” McClatchy News reported March 6.
“Based on our study, it appears that many parents were concerned about their children missing school, and as a parent of three school-aged kids, I can understand that,” said Angela Fagerlin, an author on the study. “Yet, at the same time, they’re potentially exposing other kids to a serious illness. So, it’s tricky because what you might think is best for your child might not be best for other children in the classroom.”
Read more about the COVID-19 parent study here.
COVID vaccine may lower risks of some heart problems, research shows
Being vaccinated against COVID-19 may lower a person’s chance of having a stroke, heart attack or other cardiovascular problems after becoming infected, new research finds.
A team at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York reviewed data from over 1.9 million coronavirus patients and found those who had gotten at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine had a slightly lower risk of developing heart issues, results show.
“Although the findings aren’t causal, meaning COVID-19 vaccination wasn’t directly found to prevent heart issues, senior study author Dr. Girish Nadkarni said in a news release that the work ‘is supportive evidence that vaccination may have beneficial effects on a variety of post-COVID-19 complications,’” McClatchy News reported March 6.
More details about the COVID-related findings are available here.
Vanity can play role in face mask wearing, study finds
As COVID-19 continues to spread, research suggests self-image can play a role in whether a person wears face coverings.
Researchers studied the intentions behind mask usage, and the findings “demonstrated that individuals with high (vs. low) self-perceived attractiveness were less willing to wear a mask, due to a weaker endorsement of the belief that mask-wearing enhances their perceived attractiveness.”
Health officials have said face masks are one tool that people can use to help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
More information about the recent face mask research is available here.
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