2020 Coronavirus Outbreak

CHCCS board approves block scheduling for Carrboro High School starting this fall

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education unanimously approved a motion to adopt a modified seven-period block schedule for Carrboro High School for the upcoming school year. 

Faculty Advisory Committee proposes potential student COVID-19 vaccine mandate

The Faculty Advisory Committee discussed COVID-19 vaccination progress and the possibility of mandating student vaccines in the fall. Other topics covered included on-campus housing for first-years and Chancellor Guskiewicz's recent trip to Selma, Ala.  

Column: Navigating the pandemic is risky business

Why are we so bad at risk evaluation? And how does that manifest in our approach to COVID-19?

Chapel Hill's Chelsea Theater reopens after yearlong closure due to COVID-19

The Chelsea Theater, a Chapel Hill cinema that shows independent and documentary films, closed in March 2020 due to the pandemic. One year later, it's open again, with brand-new renovations. 

Editorial: News outlets can help mitigate vaccine hesitancy

Although the news cycle has made it seem much more threatening, the odds of getting into a car accident or even dying from COVID-19 are significantly higher than the odds of experiencing a blood clot from the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

UNC health experts weigh in on safety of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after pause

We asked some local health experts about the CDC- and FDA-recommended pause on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, including the risks associated with the vaccine and how the pause will affect distribution at UNC and across North Carolina going forward.

Column: How Flyleaf Books weathered the pandemic

The OC Voice is a portion of the OC Report newsletter where local residents may have a platform to talk about local issues they care about. Jamie Fiocco is the owner of Flyleaf Books, a local bookstore in Chapel Hill. 

UNC doctoral student Rachel Woodul applies prior pandemic research to COVID-19

Woodul's master’s thesis, which she defended in April 2020, modeled the 1918 flu pandemic if it were to occur today. After COVID-19 began, she used her model to lay out the possible impact of the coronavirus.

UNC to reopen student vaccine clinic Friday, offer the Moderna vaccine

The recommendation is due to severe blood clots reported in six people who received the J&J vaccine. Over 6.8 million doses of the J&J vaccine have been distributed nationwide. 

Students describe their altered senses of taste and smell after having COVID-19

“I love getting potatoes on the side with burgers, but now because of (COVID-19) potatoes taste like dirt to me,” sophomore Alvin Dinh said. “I can taste the dirt and oil, and it makes me nauseous.”

LISTEN: Reflecting on University jurisdiction of students in violation of campus community standards

As students get vaccinated, Campus and Community Advisory Committee discusses fall plans

While there is still uncertainty surrounding the fall 2021 semester, it is projected to look as “normal” as possible. University officials intend to follow science and anticipate mask requirements and social distancing will continue into the fall.

UNC Health pauses administration of Johnson & Johnson vaccinations, will resume Saturday

UNC Health paused administration of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines across its clinics Thursday following adverse reactions in 4-5 patients who felt faint or light-headed at a Friday Center vaccine clinic. 

LISTEN: University COVID-19 vaccine clinic & Coach Hubert Davis’ hiring

UNC part of national trial to study Moderna vaccine's impact on COVID-19 transmission

The University will be one of 27 study sites across the nation part of Prevent COVID U — a study that will be offering the Moderna vaccine to over 12,000 college students nationwide. The program hopes to test the transmission rate of COVID-19 among vaccinated individuals with Moderna vaccine.  Over 600 UNC students will be part of the study, which will take place over four months. 

Column: When it comes to COVID-19 research, UNC is leading the charge

When COVID-19 was discovered, science had a lot of catching up to do. Here are just a few of the on-campus labs that have been leading the charge in COVID-19 research.

No vaccine left behind: UNC Health provides surplus COVID-19 vaccines to residents

The vaccination site is currently utilizing an independent Twitter account to notify the Chapel Hill community of excess doses. From Twitter, residents are instructed to call the surplus line, a dedicated phone number used for gathering patient names. The phone line operates on a first-come, first-serve basis, and callers who get through are placed on the vaccine list. 

COVID-19 vaccine eligibility process for all North Carolinian adults accelerated

All adults in North Carolina will be eligible to be vaccinated soon following a new timeline announced by Gov. Roy Cooper on March 25.  The new timeline allows the second part of Group 4, other essential workers and people in group living settings to become eligible for the vaccine March 31, one week earlier than anticipated. 

CHCCS students, teachers return to in-person instruction for the first time in a year

On Friday morning, about one hundred students returned to Frank Porter Graham Elementary School to finish out their first week of in-person instruction in a year.   The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education voted in early March to offer in-person instruction to all students beginning March 22.  Frank Porter Graham Elementary Principal Karen Galassi-Ferrer said it has been important to think creatively about safety measures, like holding lunch and breakfast outside or placing colorful tape on the ground for students to follow for social distancing. 

In the global spotlight: UNC health care experts consider how COVID-19 has shifted research

The outbreak of COVID-19 has fostered a new sense of urgency for health care researchers at UNC as the medical community continues to fight the virus.