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On Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, the United States counted 500,000 lives lost from COVID-19.

The milestone was marked by a moment of silence and candle lighting ceremony at the White House.

Federal and North Carolina flags will fly at half-staff on federal and state buildings through sunset Friday, Feb. 26, 2021 as Gov. Roy Cooper joined President Joe Biden in issuing the flag lowering order.

In North Carolina, COVID-19 deaths neared 11,000.

Some metrics in the state are following a downward trend.

On Monday, Feb. 22, North Carolina’s new cases totaled 2,133, down 408 cases from the day before. People hospitalized with COVID-19 numbered 1,567, down 80 patients.

Across the state, the number of critical level counties has dropped dramatically.

The county alert system measures coronavirus spread and hospitalizations. Based on data collected between Jan. 31 and Feb.13, the alert systems categorized 27 of North Carolina counties as red, or critical. Orange, or substantial spread, is counted in 40 counties and yellow, or low impact, counties number 33.

In the new county alert, Currituck and Camden counties remain critical or red. Moving from the red level to the orange are Dare and Pasquotank counties. Hyde moved from critical to low impact/yellow and Tyrrell remains unchanged at orange/substantial.

Vaccinations – North Carolina is currently vaccinating all people in Groups 1 and 2, which include healthcare workers, long-term care staff and residents and people 65 and older.

On Feb. 24, vaccine eligibility for people in Group 3 will begin in some counties for teachers and childcare workers and March 10 for additional frontline essential workers.

In Dare County as of Feb. 21, 821 people in Groups 1 and 2 are currently scheduled for vaccination and 2,206 people are on the waiting list. The Dare Health Division will continue vaccinating Phase 1 and 2, however many educators, law enforcement and other frontline workers have received two doses of vaccine and are now in the two-week waiting period. Dare public schools reopen for in-person learning March 1, 2021.

The Walgreens location at 5312 Virginia Dare Trail, Kitty Hawk, is participating in the nationwide program for COVID-19 vaccinations. Go to walgreens.com for more information and to make an appointment at the Kitty Hawk location.

Dare County – The Dare Health Division Bulletin of Feb. 23 writes, “we are pleased to report Dare County’s COVID-19 data continues to trend in the right direction. Specifically, there were only 37 new positive cases last week. This is the lowest it has been since the beginning of October. Additionally, the percent of positive tests to total tests for this past week decreased from 10.9% to 8.2%. While these numbers are looking much better, we still need to remain vigilant.”

As of Feb. 23, 2021, Dare County’s death count was 13.

On the same day, the total number of cumulative COVID-19 cases in Dare County was 2,756.

Active positive resident cases number 46, according to the county’s dashboard, with 38 in home isolation and eight hospitalized.

In Dare County, those who are qualified to receive the vaccine can register online at darenc.com/Register4vaccine or call 252-475-5008. Those who register will be called to schedule an appointment.

As of Feb. 22, 8,256 first doses of coronavirus vaccine have been administered in Dare County. Second doses numbering 4,831 have been administered, according to the state’s dashboard.

At Feb. 19, the Dare County Detention Center, Peak Resources in Nags Head and Spring Arbor in Kill Devil Hills remain on the outbreak list.

Hyde County – In Hyde County, telephone numbers for registering for a vaccination and to make an appointment on the mainland are the county health department at 252-926-4467 and on Ocracoke, call 252-489-3622.

On Feb. 19, Hyde County Health Department reported 633 total cumulative cases with nine active positive cases. Deaths number eight persons.

Some 1,088 first doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered and 544 second doses, according to the state’s vaccine page.

As of Tuesday, Hyde County will continue to vaccinate Phase 1 and Phase 2 people on the waiting list. The county has been successful in vaccinating the 200 teachers and staff in the Hyde County School System who wanted to receive a vaccination. The health department made shots available to educators when no-shows and cancellations occurred.

Tyrrell County – Martin-Tyrrell-Washington Health District reports second dose vaccination clinics in Tyrrell and Washington counties are scheduled for Friday, Feb. 26 and Saturday, Feb. 27.

Martin-Tyrrell-Washington Health District writes that Tyrrell County, as of Feb. 22, has 29 active COVID-19 cases. Six individuals have died in the county due to coronavirus.

Tyrrell House, a residential care facility, remains on the congregant living outbreak list.

In Tyrrell County, 609 first doses of COVID-19 vaccine and 257 second doses have been administered as of Feb. 22, 2021, on the state’s dashboard.

Camden, Currituck, Pasquotank counties – Albemarle Regional Health Services will conduct second dose clinics Wednesday, Feb. 24 in Camden County at Camden Intermediate School and in Pasquotank County at Elizabeth City Aviation Commerce Park. Both clinics are scheduled for 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m.

On Thursday, Feb. 24, Albemarle Regional will conduct first dose clinics in Camden County at the Camden County Library, in Currituck County at Maple Park (near the YMCA) and Pasquotank County at the Elizabeth City Aviation Commerce Park. The clinics for Camden and Currituck are scheduled from 9 to 11:30 a.m. or until supplies are depleted. The Pasquotank Clinic is set for 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m.

Albemarle Regional Health Services has posted the following case information as of Feb. 22:

Camden: 565 lab-confirmed cases, with 38 cases now active. Camden County has lost five people to the coronavirus. As of Feb. 22, in Camden County, first dose vaccines administered number 2,295 and second doses 999, according to Albemarle Regional.

Currituck: 1,348 total lab-confirmed cases. Some 87 cases are active. Currituck County has lost 15 people to coronavirus. In Currituck County, 5975 first vaccine doses have been administered doses and 3,671 second doses, according to Albemarle Regional.

Currituck Health and Rehabilitation Center remains on the outbreak list.

Pasquotank: 3,015 lab-confirmed cases. Active cases number 35. COVID-related deaths in the county number 73 people. In Pasquotank, 7,626 vaccine first doses and 4,950 second doses have been administered, according to Albemarle Regional. Elizabeth City Health and Rehabilitation, Waterbrooke and Brookdale Elizabeth City remain on the congregant living outbreak list as is Albemarle District Jail.

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