It was only a few weeks ago that North Carolina's rate for positive COVID-19 tests was below 2%. But the spread of the delta variant sent the positivity rate above 10% this week — the first time since February it crossed that threshold.
Gov. Roy Cooper and others said the worsening metrics were the result of COVID-19 spreading among those who have not been vaccinated.
"This virus is now much more contagious and spreading fast, and it'll find you if you're unvaccinated," Cooper said Thursday.
"This is discouraging," @NC_Governor says. "Vaccinated people are frustrated and mad. You've been doing your part. ... I'd ask you to step up once more" and push family-friends to get vaccinated. "You may be the most important messengers we have."
— Erik Spanberg (@CBJspanberg) July 29, 2021
Despite COVID-19's upward trajectory, Cooper said he would let the state's face mask mandate lapse Friday, and additional Charlotte-area school districts joined others in making face masks optional, bucking the latest CDC guidance.
A long-awaited draft of Charlotte's proposed nondiscrimination ordinance was released ahead of a City Council discussion and vote in August.
Breaking news from @Sharrison_WFAE: City staff emailed a copy of the new ordinance to Charlotte City Council members on Monday. https://t.co/kVDsBTfqJ7 #ncpol
— WFAE (@WFAE) July 26, 2021
Join our roundtable of reporters for more on those and other stories from the week's news.
GUESTS
Mary C. Curtis, Roll Call columnist and host of the Equal Time podcast (@mcurtisnc3)
Claire Donnelly, WFAE health care reporter (@donnellyclairee)
Hunter Saenz, WCNC local government reporter (@Hunt_Saenz)
Erik Spanberg, Charlotte Business Journal managing editor (@CBJspanberg)
