Vaccines and boosters continue to provide the strongest protection against serious illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. In the latest Respiratory Surveillance Report, unvaccinated individuals make up 72% of hospitalizations and 83% of COVID-19-related intensive care unit admissions. 

This week, North Carolina broke another record for number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 with 4,741. The state is requesting federal assistance for hospitals in the Charlotte region amid record hospitalizations. 

On. Jan, 13, NCDHHS Secretary Kinsley sent a letter to hospital leaders thanking them for their hard work and highlighting emergency measures, flexibilities and tools that the Department has put in place to help manage capacity. Those tools give broader latitude for staffing, waive state regulations at health care facilities and coordinate patient transfer for overcrowded hospitals.

NCDHHS recently added the number of North Carolinians who have been boosted to its COVID-19 Dashboard to better show how many people in North Carolina are up to date with current COVID-19 vaccination recommendations. For more information on boosters, go here. To find a location to get your vaccine or booster go here. 

Other COVID News

• People who received their COVID-19 vaccine or booster in North Carolina from a pharmacy or grocery store participating in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program are now able to access their COVID-19 vaccine information in the NC COVID-19 Vaccine Portal.
• NCDHHS continues to focus on equity as racial and ethnic COVID-19 disparities re-emerge in the omicron surge. 
• To align with the Biden administration’s requirement to provide free at-home tests for COVID-19, NC Medicaid beneficiaries can now receive free at-home tests for COVID-19 from local pharmacies.
• Yesterday, NCDHHS hosted a fireside chat and tele-town hall on COVID-19 vaccines, boosters, how to stay safe during the latest surge and more.