COVID vaccine live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on Oct. 25

We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in North Carolina. Check back for updates.

More than 100 deaths added

At least 1,469,155 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus, and at least 17,867 have died since March 2020, according to state health officials.

The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on Monday reported 1,183 new COVID-19 cases, down from 1,867 on Sunday and 2,695 on Saturday. The state doesn’t update case counts over the weekends.

There were 102 additional coronavirus-related deaths reported Monday. Health officials don’t specify the specific dates for the newly reported deaths.

At least 1,527 people were reported hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Monday, including 434 adults who are patients in intensive care units, health officials said.

On Saturday, the latest date with available information, 5.6% of coronavirus tests were reported positive. Health officials say 5% or lower is the target rate to slow the spread of the virus.

Roughly 71% of adults in North Carolina have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and about 66% have been fully vaccinated. State officials round vaccination numbers to the nearest whole number.

Cash incentives slowed drop in vaccination rates

Clinics that had cash incentives saw a lower drop in COVID-19 vaccination rates compared to other sites, North Carolina researchers said in a new study.

A team from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, North Carolina Central University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill analyzed sites that were offering $25 to people who got vaccinated or drove someone to get their shot, The News & Observer reported. The clinics were in Guilford, Mecklenburg, Rowan and Rockingham counties.

The sites offering cash incentives saw only half the decline in vaccination rates that others in those four counties saw, according to results that appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association. At the time the data was collected in June, the state had been seeing fewer people getting coronavirus vaccines.

“The study itself concludes that since the sites were not randomized, the causal effects between guaranteed cash incentives and vaccination are preliminary,” the N&O reported Monday.

Triangle COVID trends continue to show improvement

Coronavirus metrics have continued to improve in the Triangle, data show.

Over the past week, Chatham, Durham, Johnston, Orange and Wake counties saw 103 new cases per 100,000 people.



That’s down from the previous week’s rate, which was 125 per 100,000, The News & Observer reported.

Eighteen coronavirus-related deaths were also reported in the Triangle in the past week, though state health officials don’t say when the people died. Overall, the region’s death toll is 1,666.

Booster shots of 3 vaccines available in Triangle, Charlotte areas

Booster shots of the Johnson & Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer coronavirus vaccines are available in North Carolina.

In the Charlotte area, appointments are being offered at Atrium Health, Novant Health and StarMed locations.

In the Triangle, Wake and Johnston counties are offering boosters starting Monday. Appointments can also be made at pharmacies, The News & Observer reported.

The additional doses are available for people who have been fully vaccinated for at least six months and are 65 or older. Other adults are eligible if they have underlying conditions or work or live in a high-risk or congregate setting.

People who received a Johnson & Johnson vaccine can get a booster after two months, The Charlotte Observer reported. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has allowed people to “mix and match,” meaning your additional shot doesn’t have to be the same type you received initially.