COVID-19

As of Thursday, nearly 927K positive cases and 12,224 deaths were reported. The state also reported 1,004 people were currently hospitalized with the virus. In addition, the percent of positive COVID-19 tests in North Carolina has decreased to 5.1%. Officials say there were 2,087 new cases and 12 additional deaths added on Wednesday.

Biden set the goal of 200 million shots administered by April 30, which is his 100th day in office.  The President is also expected to announce that 150 million doses have been put into the arms of American's since his inauguration on Jan. 20. It will put the deadline well within reach for his administration over the next three weeks. 

Will Jones, a UNC Greensboro graduate who spent time at WCNC-TV in the mid-90's, recently told his story of overcoming the virus and warned those who believe the pandemic is a "hoax." His message is simple, but clear: "put your armor on." Jones wasn't sure how he contracted the virus, but it hit him harder than anything he had felt before.

The United State's daily death toll from COVID-19 fell to 222 on Sunday, the lowest figure since March 23, 2020, official data from Johns Hopkins University showed. A sharp decline from the 4,000 deaths per day reported in early January of this year due to mass vaccination efforts happening across the country.

According to Random Lengths, the average price of lumber per thousand board feet on March 11 was at $1,044. An all-time high for the industry and triple the amount from two years prior. This has put a strain on construction of new houses along with the price passed on to new home buyers. 

In two days, the state will open up all COVID-19 vaccination sites to Group 5 which is anyone 16 or older. The expansion comes just in time as new cases are reportedly on the rise in North Carolina. Overall, 28% of all adults in the state have received at least one dose of the vaccine. 

"Vaccines can help us return to the things we love about life, so we encourage every American to get vaccinated as soon as they have the opportunity," CDC director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement

The new Excelsior Pass is being tested in New York and is expected to be introduced to the rest of the country after the beta phase.  The idea behind the technology is that businesses and venues can scan and validate that someone has tested negative for COVID-19 or is fully vaccinated before allowing someone entry, reducing the chances of spreading the virus.

Senators voted 92-to-7 to pass the PPP Extension Act of 2021 last week, extending the deadline and giving the Small Business Administration (SBA) an additional 30 days process pending applications. Businesses have until May 31 to apply for a forgivable loan on the condition they maintain payroll. At least 60% of the money must be spent on maintaining payroll in order to receive full forgiveness.

More people are lining up to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, but we still don't widely know the full protections of the shot. Just getting inoculated won't give you immunity from the virus. However, it is the best way to be protected from developing a severe case. One of the things government officials like Dr. Anthony Fauci should be emphasizing to the public.