VOLUME 6 ISSUE 22
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WWW.NSJONLINE.COM
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WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 2021
the Wednesday
NEWS BRIEFING
Over 1 million patients have recovered from COVID-19 in NC Raleigh The latest report from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Service shows that over 1 million have recovered from COVID-19. The estimated number, which was updated on July 26, shows 1,005,765 recovered from symptoms. NCDHHS estimates a median time to recovery of 14 days from the date of specimen collection for non-fatal COVID-19 cases who were not hospitalized, or if hospitalization status is unknown. The estimated median recovery time is 28 days from the date of specimen collection for hospitalized non-fatal COVID-19 cases.
US women settle for silver following Biles' exit
ASHLEY LANDIS | AP PHOTO
Simone Biles, of the United States, watches gymnasts perform at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in Tokyo.
NSJ STAFF
NC Court of Appeals will resume in-person oral arguments Raleigh The North Carolina Court of Appeals will resume its regular schedule of oral arguments in person when the fall session begins in August. The first arguments are scheduled for the week of Aug. 10, 2021. Chief Justice Paul Newby revoked the remaining emergency directives related to the COVID-19 pandemic issued since March 2020, clearing the way for the Court of Appeals to resume its regular in-person operations. Chief Judge Donna Stroud said, “The 15 judges of the Court of Appeals are looking forward to holding oral arguments in person. We are pleased to welcome attorneys, parties to cases, and the public back to our Court, and we will also continue to use some innovations adopted due to the pandemic to improve public access to the Court and improve the Court’s operations.” NSJ STAFF
Wendell Murphy receives inaugural Don Fish NC Sports Hall of Fame Legacy Award Raleigh Duplin County native and NC State University alumnus Wendell Murphy has been named as the recipient of the inaugural Don Fish North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame Legacy Award. NCSHOF executive director Jeff Elliott said the Legacy Award is named in honor of his predecessor, Don Fish, who led the NCSHOF for more than 15 years and oversaw a period of tremendous growth for the organization. “This honor will only be bestowed for truly outstanding contributions to sports in this state and as such may not be given each year,” Elliott said. A pioneer in agribusiness, Murphy has supported athletic programs at universities throughout N.C., including the football operations center at Carter-Finley Stadium, which is named in his honor; and has served on the Centennial Authority, which manages PNC Arena. NSJ STAFF
Former Wyoming senator dies after bicycle accident Gillette, Wyo. Retired Sen. Mike Enzi, a Wyoming Republican known as a consensus-builder in Washington, has died after he broke his neck in a bicycle accident. He was 77. Enzi died Monday surrounded by family and friends, former spokesman Max D’Onofrio said. He had been hospitalized with a broken neck and ribs for three days following a bicycle accident near Gillette. Police have seen no indication that anybody else was nearby or involved in the accident, said Lt. Brent Wasson. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NORTH
STATE
JOURNaL
Major NC hospital systems announce Covid-19 vaccine requirement for employees By David Larson North State Journal RALEIGH — After a July 22 announcement by the North Carolina Healthcare Association (NCHA) encouraging their 130 member health providers to mandate vaccines for their employees, five major hospital systems — Atrium Health, Cone Health, Duke University Health System, Novant Health and Wake Forest Baptist Health — announced their intention to follow this guidance. Certain campuses of UNC Health announced they would follow suit as well. Those campuses are UNC Medical Center, UNC Rex, UNC Johnston, UNC Chatham, UNC Rockingham and UNC Southeastern. “North Carolina’s hospitals and health systems exist to improve and protect the health of our communities, which is why they place patient, visitor and team member health and safety at the heart of the care they provide,” the NCHA statement said. “In keeping with that goal, the North Carolina Healthcare Association strongly supports hospital and health system policies that require all hospital employees and clinical team members to be vaccinated against COVID-19.” Mandy K. Cohen, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, released a statement later that day applauding the move by these major players in the state’s
health care. “Thank you to the North Carolina Healthcare Association, and the health systems that are leading the way requiring vaccination for employees, for taking action to protect the health care workforce, their patients, our communities and the state,” Cohen said. “Vaccinations are our way out of the pandemic. Don’t wait to vaccinate.” In the NCHA announcement, they cited statistics from Cohen’s DHHS, saying vaccination was vital because “nearly 99% of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths during May and June were among people not fully vaccinated.” Rep. Wayne Sasser (R-Stanly), who chairs the state’s House Health Committee and House Health Appropriations Committee, said on the announcements, “To be honest with you, I’m a little bit surprised, and probably disappointed.” Hospitals have long required multiple vaccinations to secure employment, but Sasser said the fact that this was retroactively imposed on existing employees and that the COVID vaccines are only available due to an “emergency-use authorization” has caused a lot of anger. He said it seemed like “a gray area” legally to require employees to take a vaccine that hasn’t received full FDA approval. “Statewide, we’re just getting blown up,” Sasser said on See HOSPITALS, page A2
Questions remain about relocation of COVID-positive migrants to NC By Matt Mercer North State Journal RALEIGH — Concerns about whether COVID-19-positive migrants are coming North Carolina have gone unanswered by Gov. Roy Cooper and the Biden administration. On March 11, the state’s eight Republican members of Congress sent a letter to Gov. Roy Cooper on the issue. “We write to express our concerns regarding the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) recent changes to our nation’s border security policies, which have put North Carolinians at risk. The surge of migrants can be directly attributed to the Biden administration’s decisions to halt the Migrant Protection Protocols program, suspend border wall system construction, weaken immigration enforcement, and implement ‘catch and release’ at the border. These divisive policies rolled back President Trump’s successful efforts to control our border. Simply put, these policies are reckless and are putting our constituents in danger,” part of the letter read. The members’ letter referenced a number of media reports that DHS released hundreds of illegal immigrants infected with COVID-19 into the interior of the United States, including being placed on charter buses heading from Texas to North Carolina. “There has been no explanation to justify releasing COVID-positive migrants into our communities,” the letter continued. A month later, U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC8) followed up with a letter to Vice President Kamala Harris to obtain more information about the situation at the border. According to Hudson’s office, he asked whether unaccompanied children are required to quarantine or test negative for COVID-19 prior to being released to a sponsor in order to prevent potential community exposure or spread of COVID-19. His office said that letter went unanswered as well. Most recently, Hudson tweeted that “The Biden administration
Cooper administration creates statecertified COVID-19 vaccination card Since March, Cooper had been considering creation of what some call a ‘vaccine passport’
By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — After sidestepping questions earlier this year about whether or not North Carolina would be creating a “vaccine
passport,” Gov. Roy Cooper’s administration has created a “certified” state vaccination card for COVID-19. In late March, Cooper said, “We want to be able to help people to be able to show others that they have gotten the vaccine, because a lot of people are going to want that.” At the time, Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Eden) called the idea of vaccine passports “ridiculous” and indicated he doesn’t believe the government should mandate
COVID-19 vaccinations. Cooper also said earlier this year that his administration was figuring out a way to provide proof of vaccination and that there were discussions taking place “about the best way to do that.” Those discussions appear to have ended, and a proof-of-vaccination card has been created. The newly created card, found on the N.C. Department of Health and Human See CARD, page A2
“There has been no explanation to justify releasing COVID-positive migrants into our communities.” Letter to Gov. Cooper from NC’s Republican congressional delegation has discussed more restrictions on vaccinated Americans than illegal immigrants, who they are also transporting around our country. To remain serious about combating COVID-19, we must end the worsening #BidenBorderCrisis.” During a press briefing on July 21, Cooper answered a question posed by North State Journal about whether COVID-positive illegal immigrants have indeed been transported to the state. “I have not seen that information,” he responded. The concerns expressed are due to the large increase in border encounters in the first six months of 2021. In June, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported over 188,000 migrant encounters at the southern border. That represents a rise from May — in which there were over 180,000 — and over 1 See MIGRANTS, page A2