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Monday morning stories
The first batch of COVID-19 vaccines is expected to arrive in a promising update on Monday in the fight against the virus. Many doses of the vaccine are shipped from a Pfizer plant in Michigan.
Of the 50 states, 145 are available for vaccination in first-round exports. Across North Carolina, hospitals are set to receive 85,000 units. UNC expects Rex and Duke hospitals to receive 2,925 doses each on their first shipment, while Wakmet expects 3,900 doses between its Raleigh and Gary complexes.
Leading health workers can start getting their footage from today. Families and the general public are not expected to be vaccinated until early 2021.
The Wake County Public School Organization will meet Monday at 3 p.m., considering returning to virtual learning.
More than 6,800 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the state on Monday, the second-highest total number of infections.
Free drive-through Covit-19 test sites are opening this week at Green Road Park, Parwell Road Park and Lions Park in Raleigh.
Sunday
1:50 p.m.
Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accepted the recommendation of the advisory board that the Pfizer-Bioentech Covid-19 vaccine be given to those 16 years of age and older, i.e. in states where vaccine footage can now be administered in the United States.
11:50 p.m.
North Carolina health officials reported a further 6,819 COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 436,595 to date. This is the second-highest single-day case increase after 7,540 on Friday.
Across the state, a further 27 people have died from the virus, bringing the total to 5,823.
About 95 percent of hospitals report 2,520 people being hospitalized for COVID-19. This is the first decline the state has seen since late November, down 57. However, the number of people admitted to the hospital during epidemics is very high.
The daily percentage positive rate of trials is currently 11.6%, up from 11.7% on Saturday.
Nearly 6 million tests have been completed across the state since March.
9:20 p.m.
According to Johns Hopkins University, there have been more than 16 million COVID-19 cases in the United States since March.
7:30 p.m.
Millions of COVID-19 vaccine drugs are loaded into containers at pharmaceutical manufacturer Pfizer’s Michigan loading facility.
First look: Covit-19 vaccine levels leave Pfizer’s Michigan facility
Saturday
6 p.m.
North Carolina hospitals will receive the 85,800 dose of Pfizer vaccine in the first week.
“Fingers crossed, we send it, let’s start rolling it out,” said Dr. Linda Butler, Chief Medical Officer of UNC Rex Healthcare.
UNC Rex Healthcare in Raleigh expects to receive 2,925 doses on Monday, with vaccinations starting as soon as Tuesday.
Leading workers treating COVID-19 patients and health workers in high-risk areas will be the first to be vaccinated, Dr. Butler said.
“It’s not going to keep them from getting tired,” Dr. Butler said. “It will not bring patients into our beds, but at least it will protect them from getting sick.”
More than 14,000 medications will be available in the first week at integrated, UNC health sites.
Duke University Hospital expects to store 2,925 doses with vaccines in their intensive cold freezers from Tuesday.
The Cape Fear Valley Health System is set to receive nearly 5,000 doses in its first week.
“We want to distribute the flu vaccine to our staff as we did,” said Dr. Sam Fleischmann, chief medical officer of the Cape Fear Valley Health Organization. “After that, we need to develop a long-term plan for how we are going to distribute it to others in the community.”
Dr. Fleischman said it may take some time for the general public to get vaccinated.
“We want people to be patient and understand that there is hope on the horizon,” Dr. Fleischman said. “We are almost there, but they have to be smart in the Middle Ages. Now, our health systems across the state are being challenged.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Fleischmann reminds everyone to follow COVID-19 safety protocols such as social exclusion, wearing a mask, and washing hands.
“This thing is not over,” he said.
“We will do what we can to get this vaccine, first and foremost, to our colleagues who are at the forefront of caring for these COVID patients and then to other colleagues and the community in general,” Dr. Butler said. . “This is the first thing we can really do to prevent this infection. So we’m excited and we’re happy to be vaccinated, hopefully, Monday.”
12 noon
North Carolina health officials have now reported a total of 429,776 COVID-19 cases and 6,153 new cases since March. This is the fifth time in a week that more than 6,000 cases have been reported in a single day.
Across North Carolina, 44 more people have died from COVID-19. This brings the total to 5,796.
As many as 97 percent of hospitals report 2,577 patients being hospitalized with COVID-19. It has risen to 63 since Friday.
The positive test rate rose to 11.7 percent from 10.4 percent on Friday, the NCDHS said.
The United States says Pfizer’s Govt-19 vaccine will begin arriving in the states on Monday
7:15 p.m.
There are 15,851,735 Govt-19 cases in the United States, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Copyright © 2020 ABC11-WTVD-TV / DT. All Rights Reserved – The Associated Press contributed to this report.