Published: 2020-05-28 06:11:00Updated: 2020-05-28 16:12:12BusinessTags:By Keely Arthur and Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporters — Lawmakers call an effort to allow bars to reopen with outdoor seating during the coronavirus pandemic a "lifeline," but some bar owners said they don't want it.Bar owners have grumbled over the last week after Gov. Roy Cooper allowed restaurants to reopen at half capacity but ordered bars to remain closed for several more weeks in an effort to control the spread of the virus.But they said Thursday that that would allow them to set up an outdoor seating area for up to...…Published: 2020-05-28 06:11:00Updated: 2020-05-28 16:12:12BusinessTags:By Keely Arthur and Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporters — Lawmakers call an effort to allow bars to reopen with outdoor seating during the coronavirus pandemic a "lifeline," but some bar owners said they don't want it.Bar owners have grumbled over the last week after Gov. Roy Cooper allowed restaurants to reopen at half capacity but ordered bars to remain closed for several more weeks in an effort to control the spread of the virus.But they said Thursday that that would allow them to set up an outdoor seating area for up to...WW…

Published: 2020-08-05 04:53:00Updated: 2020-08-05 22:19:15Local NewsTags:By WRAL News — North Carolina will stay in Phase 2 which, among other things, keeps gyms, bars and large entertainment venues like movie theaters closed.Gov. Cooper says the state will stay in Phase 2 for five weeks, which would end on September 11 unless extended.to resume business and social activities, retail stores and restaurants could reopen, but bars and gyms were excluded.Bars, nightclubs, gyms and other indoor fitness facilities have been closed since March 30, when Cooper first issued an executive order...…Published: 2020-08-05 04:53:00Updated: 2020-08-05 22:19:15Local NewsTags:By WRAL News — North Carolina will stay in Phase 2 which, among other things, keeps gyms, bars and large entertainment venues like movie theaters closed.Gov. Cooper says the state will stay in Phase 2 for five weeks, which would end on September 11 unless extended.to resume business and social activities, retail stores and restaurants could reopen, but bars and gyms were excluded.Bars, nightclubs, gyms and other indoor fitness facilities have been closed since March 30, when Cooper first issued an executive order...WW…

Published: 2020-08-05 04:53:00Updated: 2020-08-05 22:19:15Local NewsTags:By WRAL News — North Carolina will stay in Phase 2 which, among other things, keeps gyms, bars and large entertainment venues like movie theaters closed.Gov. Cooper says the state will stay in Phase 2 for five weeks, which would end on September 11 unless extended.to resume business and social activities, retail stores and restaurants could reopen, but bars and gyms were excluded.Bars, nightclubs, gyms and other indoor fitness facilities have been closed since March 30, when Cooper first issued an executive order...…Published: 2020-08-05 04:53:00Updated: 2020-08-05 22:19:15Local NewsTags:By WRAL News — North Carolina will stay in Phase 2 which, among other things, keeps gyms, bars and large entertainment venues like movie theaters closed.Gov. Cooper says the state will stay in Phase 2 for five weeks, which would end on September 11 unless extended.to resume business and social activities, retail stores and restaurants could reopen, but bars and gyms were excluded.Bars, nightclubs, gyms and other indoor fitness facilities have been closed since March 30, when Cooper first issued an executive order...WW…

Published: 2020-07-13 05:12:00Updated: 2020-07-13 05:24:55Local NewsTags:By Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporter — Confirmed coronavirus cases are growing in North Carolina, which just had another record-breaking weekend.Saturday marked the highest number of daily cases North Carolina has seen yet -- 2,462 -- and the highest number of hospitalizations reported on a single day. .Even as more testing sites open to meet demand, many locations are booked.According to state officials, about 23,000 tests are being completed each day. About 10% of those come back positive.North Carolina Department of...…Published: 2020-07-13 05:12:00Updated: 2020-07-13 05:24:55Local NewsTags:By Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporter — Confirmed coronavirus cases are growing in North Carolina, which just had another record-breaking weekend.Saturday marked the highest number of daily cases North Carolina has seen yet -- 2,462 -- and the highest number of hospitalizations reported on a single day. .Even as more testing sites open to meet demand, many locations are booked.According to state officials, about 23,000 tests are being completed each day. About 10% of those come back positive.North Carolina Department of...WW…

Published: 2020-04-29 08:14:00Updated: 2020-04-29 20:01:46Local NewsTags:By Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporter & Maggie Brown, WRAL Multiplatform producer — There's a concern about food supply across the state of North Carolina as the COVID-19 pandemic progresses.Nationally, there's a high demand of meat, but there's also been many reports of virus outbreaks in meat packing facilities in North Carolina.President Donald Trump signed an executive order which went into action on Tuesday that requires meat processing plants to stay open even if multiple workers become infected with...…Published: 2020-04-29 08:14:00Updated: 2020-04-29 20:01:46Local NewsTags:By Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporter & Maggie Brown, WRAL Multiplatform producer — There's a concern about food supply across the state of North Carolina as the COVID-19 pandemic progresses.Nationally, there's a high demand of meat, but there's also been many reports of virus outbreaks in meat packing facilities in North Carolina.President Donald Trump signed an executive order which went into action on Tuesday that requires meat processing plants to stay open even if multiple workers become infected with...WW…

Published: 2020-08-06 05:35:00Updated: 2020-08-06 07:00:44Health TeamTags:By Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporterNorth Carolina and six other states are participating in a new COVID-19 antigen testing strategy that could produce faster results and help slow the spread of the virus.The antigen tests may be less reliable and have more false negatives than normal coronavirus tests, but experts say results come back in minutes, not days -- which could be key to slowing the spread of coronavirus.As part of the initiative, each state will get 500,000 antigen tests, which are performed via a nasal...…Published: 2020-08-06 05:35:00Updated: 2020-08-06 07:00:44Health TeamTags:By Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporterNorth Carolina and six other states are participating in a new COVID-19 antigen testing strategy that could produce faster results and help slow the spread of the virus.The antigen tests may be less reliable and have more false negatives than normal coronavirus tests, but experts say results come back in minutes, not days -- which could be key to slowing the spread of coronavirus.As part of the initiative, each state will get 500,000 antigen tests, which are performed via a nasal...WW…

Published: 2020-07-22 05:41:00Updated: 2020-07-22 15:25:12EducationTags:By Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporterNorth Carolina families with school-age kids will get to hear important COVID-19 updates and ask questions in a Wednesday and Thursday.Both meetings will occur from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Thursday's in English. Sign Language interpreters will be present at both.The events are hosted by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and the NCPTA. Health leaders will share pertinent information related to COVID-19 numbers, focusing on what needs to happen before schools can reopen for...…Published: 2020-07-22 05:41:00Updated: 2020-07-22 15:25:12EducationTags:By Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporterNorth Carolina families with school-age kids will get to hear important COVID-19 updates and ask questions in a Wednesday and Thursday.Both meetings will occur from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Thursday's in English. Sign Language interpreters will be present at both.The events are hosted by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and the NCPTA. Health leaders will share pertinent information related to COVID-19 numbers, focusing on what needs to happen before schools can reopen for...WW…

Published: 2020-07-06 04:44:00Updated: 2020-07-06 09:12:30Health TeamTags:By Nia Harden, WRAL reporterStarting this week, North Carolina will begin testing everyone who works or lives in private skilled nursing facilities for COVID-19.Nursing homes are hot spots for COVID-19 outbreaks in North Carolina and across the country.The state updates coronavirus data weekly from "congregate living settings," which include nursing homes, residential care facilities and correctional facilities. Through June 26, 8,605 confirmed cases of the virus and 767 deaths out of 1,362 total were recorded in...…Published: 2020-07-06 04:44:00Updated: 2020-07-06 09:12:30Health TeamTags:By Nia Harden, WRAL reporterStarting this week, North Carolina will begin testing everyone who works or lives in private skilled nursing facilities for COVID-19.Nursing homes are hot spots for COVID-19 outbreaks in North Carolina and across the country.The state updates coronavirus data weekly from "congregate living settings," which include nursing homes, residential care facilities and correctional facilities. Through June 26, 8,605 confirmed cases of the virus and 767 deaths out of 1,362 total were recorded in...WW…

Published: 2021-03-09 11:47:00Updated: 2021-03-13 10:51:27Local NewsTags:By Kasey Cunningham and Sarah Krueger, WRAL reporters — A FEMA-operated COVID-19 mass vaccination site opens in Greensboro on Wednesday morning. It's one of only 18 in the country.The federally-supported site at Four Seasons Town Centre is right off Interstate 40 and centrally located near the heart of the state. The site will start operation on Wednesday with intentions to vaccinate as many as 3,000 people a day.Volunteers conducted a trial run on Tuesday, vaccinating 500 people, the bulk of whom were frontline...…Published: 2021-03-09 11:47:00Updated: 2021-03-13 10:51:27Local NewsTags:By Kasey Cunningham and Sarah Krueger, WRAL reporters — A FEMA-operated COVID-19 mass vaccination site opens in Greensboro on Wednesday morning. It's one of only 18 in the country.The federally-supported site at Four Seasons Town Centre is right off Interstate 40 and centrally located near the heart of the state. The site will start operation on Wednesday with intentions to vaccinate as many as 3,000 people a day.Volunteers conducted a trial run on Tuesday, vaccinating 500 people, the bulk of whom were frontline...WW…

Published: 2021-03-08 05:13:00Updated: 2021-03-08 19:52:27Health TeamTags:By Sarah Krueger, WRAL Durham reporter & Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporter — Demand for coronavirus vaccine overwhelmed phone lines in Lee County Monday morning after the county began accepting registrations from people with health conditions that put them at higher risk from the virus.Lee County was the first area county to begin allowing people in Group 4 of the state's vaccine priority list to register for vaccinations.By about 10 a.m., the county IT staff had to shut down the vaccine call center and establish a...…Published: 2021-03-08 05:13:00Updated: 2021-03-08 19:52:27Health TeamTags:By Sarah Krueger, WRAL Durham reporter & Kasey Cunningham, WRAL reporter — Demand for coronavirus vaccine overwhelmed phone lines in Lee County Monday morning after the county began accepting registrations from people with health conditions that put them at higher risk from the virus.Lee County was the first area county to begin allowing people in Group 4 of the state's vaccine priority list to register for vaccinations.By about 10 a.m., the county IT staff had to shut down the vaccine call center and establish a...WW…