COVID-19 Situation Update: January 26 | Eastern North Carolina Now

News Releases:

    As of 12:15 p.m. today:

    Newly Reported Cases: 20,286

    Daily Percent Positive: 32.4%

    NC Currently Hospitalized: 5,090

    NC Total Deaths: 20,440

    Percent of Adult Population at Least Partially Vaccinated: 74%

    Percent of Adult Population Fully Vaccinated: 70%

    More data are available online at covid19.ncdhhs.gov/dashboard.

    Daily Update:

• People who received their COVID-19 vaccine or booster in North Carolina from a pharmacy or grocery store participating in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program are now able to access their COVID-19 vaccine information in the NC COVID-19 Vaccine Portal.
• The highly contagious Omicron variant of COVID-19 is sending record numbers of people to North Carolina hospitals, straining hospital capacity.
• The rate of COVID-19 infections is once again disproportionately impacting Black and Hispanic North Carolinians. Since Dec. 26, the rate of infections was twice as high among the Black population as compared to the white population and as much as 57% higher among the Hispanic population as compared to the non-Hispanic population, according to an analysis of positive cases reported to NCDHHS.
• NCDHHS has taken action to ensure NC Medicaid beneficiaries have access to free at-home tests for COVID-19.
• We want to hear from you: Please take the NCDHHS Dashboard Survey.

    COVID-19 Vaccinations:

• A free COVID-19 vaccine is available to all who want it. Vaccination is now open to everyone 5 and older. Visit MySpot.nc.gov to find a location.
• To strengthen and extend protections against COVID-19, boosters are now available to all North Carolinians 16 and older. If you are eligible, you should get a booster now.
• If you received the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, you can get your booster five months after your second shot. If you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you can get your booster two months after your shot.
• You can choose any brand of COVID-19 vaccine for your booster shot. Limited preliminary evidence suggests that booster doses of one of the two mRNA vaccines - Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech- more effectively raise antibody levels than a booster dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
• The CDC also recommends a third dose of Pfizer for children ages 5 to 11 who have compromised immune systems.
• To learn more about boosters and to find a spot to take your shot, go here.
• For more information on the COVID-19 vaccines, visit YourSpotYourShot.nc.gov or call the COVID-19 Vaccine Help Center for free at 1-888-675-4567.

    COVID-19 Testing & Treatment:

• If you develop symptoms, get tested immediately and isolate until you receive your test results. If you test positive, follow isolation recommendations. If you do not develop symptoms, get tested at least five days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19.
• To find a testing site near you, visit ncdhhs.gov/GetTested. For an up-to-date list of no-cost community testing events, visit the No-Cost Testing Events webpage. Additionally, all North Carolinians can request a free at-home COVID-19 testing kit.
• While vaccines provide the best protection from COVID-19, treatment options such as monoclonal antibodies are available if you have had symptoms of COVID-19 for 10 days or less or have been exposed to COVID-19. If taken early, they can reduce the risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and death. Ask your doctor about monoclonal antibodies, call the Combat COVID Monoclonal Antibodies Call Center at 1-877-332-6585 (English) or 1-877-366-0310 (Spanish), or find treatment near you.

    ICYMI:

• Last week, NCDHHS hosted a live fireside chat and tele-town hall to discuss COVID-19 vaccines, boosters, testing and more.
• Governor Roy Cooper and NCDHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley visited and toured a COVID-19 vaccine and testing site hosted by Kinston Teens, a youth-led nonprofit organization, and the City of Kinston
• NCDHHS updated the COVID-19 vaccination dashboard to better show how many people in North Carolina are up to date with current COVID-19 vaccination recommendations.

   

    For a full list of the department's videos on COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines, visit the NCDHHS YouTube Channel. Videos can also be downloaded for use on the NCDHHS Vimeo Channel.

   

    For more information and updates on COVID-19, visit covid19.ncdhhs.gov and nc.gov/covid19. Those with COVID-19 vaccine questions can call the COVID-19 Vaccine Help Center at 1-888-675-4567, or visit YourSpotYourShot.nc.gov.

    Contact:

    North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services

    Email: news@dhhs.nc.gov  •  Phone: (919) 855-4840