coronavirus

Vaccinations and residual immunity are among the reasons, President Biden's chief medical adviser, Anthony Fauci, said Tuesday, as the number of deaths drop and hospitalizations rise only slightly.

People who are 50 and older and certain immunocompromised individuals may get a second Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine booster four months after they received the first.

No deaths were reported in tests, and there were no signs of myocarditis, or heart inflammation, as a side effect.

States and health providers report they've dispensed less than half their supply from the government, raising fears that the drugs may go to waste while people who could benefit get sicker.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is optimistic about the state’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, saying during a press briefing Thursday that he believes “the worst is over.”

The omicron BA.2 variant spreads about 30% more easily and has caused surges in other countries. Its steady increase in the U.S. raises questions about the wisdom of rolling back COVID restrictions.

Officials say the mandates can end due to decreasing case counts and hospitalizations across the county.

A quarter of full-time employees were still working exclusively from home in December 2021, according to Gallup. Now companies are starting to call them back to the office at least a few days a week.

The state briefing comes as the Omicron variant is spreading.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts North Carolina will see a 43% jump in overdose deaths compared to 2020. Overdose deaths have spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic.