Health

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced Tuesday that the state will more quickly open up COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to those who are frontline essential workers or have serious underlying health issues.

Gov. Roy Cooper and members of North Carolina's Coronavirus Task Force will hold a press briefing Tuesday to share an update on COVID-19.

More than 80,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson are arriving in North Carolina this week. State Health Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen says the doses should start arriving this Wednesday.

Across the country, more than 250 employees at meatpacking plants have died of the coronavirus. Congress has opened an investigation into the outbreaks as the companies try to stem the COVID infections.

This post will be updated periodically with the latest information on how the coronavirus is affecting North Carolina. Scroll down for older updates. For a recap of last week's news, check out Coronavirus Live Updates: Week of Feb. 22.

2:10 p.m. - The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education voted Thursday to offer in-person learning a month ahead of originally planned. The district will offer a hybrid learning model starting March 22. The board decided to provide in-person learning in addition to the remote option because of positive health trends in Orange County, including a COVID-19 test positivity rate of less than one percent. – Rusty Jacobs, WUNC

The White House announced Friday morning that it will include North Carolina in its federal pilot program of community vaccination centers. Starting March 10, a Greensboro site will receive about 3,000 vaccines per day.

North Carolina civil right rights groups struck a deal on Thursday with Gov. Roy Cooper's administration to allow for the early release of 3,500 inmates in state custody over the next six months.

Governor Roy Cooper says he will ease some restrictions designed to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Starting Friday, a nightly curfew will be lifted and some businesses will be allowed to serve more people indoors. It will also be the first time that bars can serve a limited number of patrons indoors since the first restrictions were put in place nearly a year ago.

Local health providers are getting ready to administer COVID-19 vaccines to Group 3 on the state's priority list.

Teachers, school staff and child care workers will be officially eligible to get vaccinated Wednesday.

This post will be updated periodically with the latest information on how the coronavirus is affecting North Carolina. Scroll down for older updates. For a recap of last week's news, check out Coronavirus Live Updates: Week of Feb. 15.

6 p.m. - Governor Roy Cooper has vetoed legislation that would have forced North Carolina school districts to offer in-person instruction for the rest of this school year. Cooper has expressed concerns the measure could compromise safety for students and teachers and stifle the ability of local school boards to open and close schools based on cornonavirus spread. The bill could still become law if enough of the handful of Democrats who joined the Republican majority in supporting the bill decide to override the governor's veto.  - Amy Jeffries, WUNC

North Carolina is shifting its vaccine distribution guidance to dissuade people from traveling long distances to receive a COVID-19 shot in the state.

Polls from two North Carolina private universities show little budge in the percentage of North Carolinians who say they will not take the COVID-19 vaccine. However, the polls also show a decrease in those who are unsure, with nearly all of those respondents saying they do plan to get the vaccine.

Basketball legend Michael Jordan is donating $10 million to launch two medical clinics in underserved communities near his hometown in North Carolina, a regional health care system announced Monday.

This post will be updated periodically with the latest information on how the coronavirus is affecting North Carolina. Scroll down for older updates. For a recap of last week's news, check out Coronavirus Live Updates: Week of Feb. 8.

6:20 p.m. - Republican senators in the North Carolina General Assembly want high school sporting events in the state opened up to bigger crowds for the remainder of the school year. A bill filed this week in the state senate would change the pandemic-related 100-person limit on spectators at outdoor high school competitions to 40% of a venue's capacity. - Rusty Jacobs, WUNC

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced Wednesday afternoon that educators and support staff will be eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine starting Feb. 24 as part of a staggered rollout of the state's next phase of distribution.

Governor Roy Cooper and members of North Carolina's Coronavirus Task Force are scheduled to hold a media briefing on Wednesday.

Governor Roy Cooper and members of North Carolina's Coronavirus Task Force are scheduled to hold a media briefing on Tuesday.

Updated at 1:30 p.m.

Mass vaccination events, like the recent untaking at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, hasten distribution but also come with a significant flaw. Deputy Health Secretary Benjamin Money says the events pose challenges for the state's mission of equitable distribution.

This post will be updated periodically with the latest information on how the coronavirus is affecting North Carolina. Scroll down for older updates. For a recap of last week's news, check out Coronavirus Live Updates: Week of Feb. 1.

3:47 p.m. - Some pharmacies in North Carolina are starting to administer COVID-19 vaccines today. Walgreens and locally-owned pharmacies now have a limited supply of doses coming from the federal government. Walgreens locations are only getting about 100 doses each. The national chain is giving out vaccines by appointment only. Residents who are eligible to get the vaccine are also being encouraged to contact their locally-owned pharmacies. - Will Michaels, WUNC