By Mark Starling
COVID-19 Variant Appears In Buncombe County
(Buncombe County, NC) A more contagious strain of COVID-19 is showing up in Buncombe County. The health department revealed yesterday three cases of the U.K. strain have been identified through random sequencing testing by the CDC. There have been over 20 such cases in North Carolina. Health director Stacie Saunders said the news wasn t unexpected.
State Senate Passes Bill Requiring Schools To Open
(Raleigh, NC) A bill to require schools to reopen in North Carolina is heading to the state House. The Senate passed a proposal yesterday which instructs school systems to open under a choice of minimal or moderate social distancing for all grades. Governor Roy Cooper has already recommended that schools reopen their classrooms. Students are allowed to remain in remote learning if they wish, according to the bill.
COVID-19 outbreaks identified at 3 long-term care facilities
Times-News
The Alamance County Health Department identified COVID-19 outbreaks at three long-term care facilities. Mebane Ridge Assisted Living in Mebane and Brookdale Senior Living and Alamance House Assisted Living in Burlington are all affected.
Mebane Ridge Assisted Living identified three cases among staff members. No senior living community wants to have to deal with an outbreak like this, but we’re thankful it’s been limited to a small number of our team members, all of whom seem to be tolerating the virus well, said Jill McMinn, executive director at Mebane Ridge. We’re confident that we have the right protocols, processes, and protective equipment to keep those who live and work at Mebane Ridge safe and well.”
Times-News
Alamance County continues to see decreasing weekly averages of new COVID-19 cases and positive test results. As of Feb. 1, the county reported 14,753 total cases and 213 deaths.
This reflects 608 new cases reported in the last week and five new deaths.
Of the 14,753 total confirmed cases since the start of the outbreak, 13,264 of them have recovered and been released from isolation. As of Monday, 1,276 remained active cases, 64 people were hospitalized and 213 people had died from the virus, according to the Alamance County Health Department.
More than 20,300 close contacts had been identified, with most of them having been released from isolation by Monday.
More than 300 people received their first COVID vaccine on the first day of the vaccination clinic. Author: Adaure Achumba Updated: 7:14 PM EST January 27, 2021
DAVIE COUNTY, N.C. Hundreds of teachers and other employees with Davie County Schools received their first COVID-19 vaccine Wednesday. It was the first day of a district-wide vaccination exercise for employees and was designated a remote learning day.
The second day for the vaccination exercise is scheduled for Feb.19 which is also a remote learning day, DCSD officials said.
District officials said they would provide more information for parents regarding the remote learning day.
More than 300 hundred teachers and staff turned up for the vaccination exercise.