COVID-19

Governor Roy Cooper addressed the state this afternoon with an update on Covid-19 in our state and further actions to be taken. Some speculated that Cooper was going to announce looser restrictions, following the action of other Governors. However, Governor Cooper did not loosen any of the current NC restrictions.

"These dedicated health care workers continue to put their own lives at risk to serve others, and we owe them our ongoing gratitude," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement posted on NFL.com. "We hope in a small way that this initiative will inspire our country and recognize these true American heroes. This is also an opportunity to promote the importance of vaccination and appropriate health practices, including wearing masks in public settings."

North Carolina reported 100 or more COVID-19 cases on Sunday. The same day Johns Hopkins University reported that 40% of Americans live in areas running out of ICU space. The thirteenth day with N.C. hitting the century mark in deaths since the pandemic started and ten of those in 2021 alone. 

The longtime CNN host of "Larry King Live" for over 25 years was a cultural icon, interviewing thousands of people from U.S. Presidents, world figures, celebrities, athletes, and Hollywood elites. King, recognized by his suspenders and black-rimmed glasses, taped over 6,000 episodes of the show over the years.

This weekend Atrium Health is hoping to administer over 16,000 vaccinations to people who are at least 65 years of age at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The speedway is the first of two mass vaccination sites, Bank of America Stadium will host a similar vaccination event in the near future.

A new federal strategy to fight the Coronavirus pandemic will be released by President Biden later today. Among the ten executive orders being signed includes initiatives to ramp up testing, reopen schools and increase the use of masks. 

Mecklenburg County Public Health will be opening additional Covid-19 vaccine appointments for the first 3 weeks of February based on anticipated vaccine supplies. Vaccines will still only be available to people in groups 1 and 2. Appointments will available for scheduling beginning Thursday January 21 at 8:30am.

"The vaccine is the light at the end of the tunnel that will help us get back to life as we knew it," Charlotte Motor Speedway President Greg Walter said on Friday. And to be part of that is incredible. We do this all the time. we move people in and out."

A grim new milestone as the world prepares for widespread vaccine procurement to combat the spread mutated COVID-19 variants. It took nine months to reach one million deaths internationally, and just three month to match the shocking toll set from January to September.

“Due to current COVID-19 conditions in some of the communities we serve, we are temporarily closing stores in these areas,” Apple said in a statement. “We take this step with an abundance of caution as we closely monitor the situation, and we look forward to having our teams and customers back as soon as possible.”