COVID - Randolph Record

27 Mar

Randolph Hospital lifts mask requirement

Randolph RecordBusiness, NewsCOVID, masks, Randolph Health

ASHEBORO — Randolph Health announced Monday that it will lift universal masking requirements for patients, visitors and team members at all facilities effective at 7 a.m. Tuesday. According to a release from Randolph Health, the decision to make masks optional was made in collaboration with other regional healthcare systems, including Novant Health, Atrium Health, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, CaroMont Health, and Cone Health. Patients may request their care teams to wear masks during treatment and clinic visits. While universal masking will no longer be required, certain exceptions apply, including wearing masks when respiratory virus symptoms are present and in…

01 Mar

Randolph Hospital relaxes COVID restrictions

Randolph RecordGovernment, NewsCOVID, health, hospital

ASHEBORO — Visitors to Randolph County’s only hospital will have more access and patients will be able to see more visitors after changes announced Monday. Randolph Hospital said in a press release that due to decreased COVID-19 activity the hospital would implement new visitation rules effective Tuesday. Visiting hours will now be 7am to 8pm. Visitors will be screened for COVID symptoms, including a temperature check, and must be 12 years of age or older. Visitors will still be required to wear masks. COVID patients can now have two visitors from 4pm to 8pm while inpatients and emergency patients can…

02 Feb

Citizens make voices heard against vaccine mandates

Randolph RecordGovernment, NewsCOVID, covid-19, Joe Biden, SCOTUS, vaccine

PINEHURST — Citizen groups across the globe are protesting vaccine mandates as vaccine effectiveness against new variants of the COVID-19 virus has waned and Americans who are vaccinated are not showing high demand for boosters. On January 23, tens of thousands of people rallied on the National Mall to oppose government vaccine requirements. Mitch Lancaster, a Moore County resident and former Southern Pines councilman, was one of the attendees from across the country to attend the event. “I was thoroughly impressed with the doctors, their speeches and their commitment to the patient/doctor relationship. These men and women have taken a…

09 Jan

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has COVID

Associated PressGovernment, Nation, NewsAOC, COVID

WASHINGTON, D.C. — New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has tested positive for COVID-19 and “is experiencing symptoms and recovering at home,” her office said in a statement Sunday evening. The Democratic congresswoman’s office said Ocasio-Cortez received a booster shot last fall. With the nation dealing with another surge of the virus since the emergence of the highly contagious omicron variant, numerous members of Congress have reported breakthrough cases despite being fully vaccinated and boosted.

28 Dec

Omicron takes over, cases rise among vaccinated

Randolph RecordNewsbreakthrough cases, CDC, COVID, delta, omicron

9 year-old Josie Murdoch holds her vaccination card at Chapel Hill Pediatrics and Adolescents after being innoculated with the Pfizer child COVID-19 vaccination in Chapel Hill, N.C., Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome) RALEIGH — On September 9, President Joe Biden called COVID-19 "a pandemic of the unvaccinated." New data from the U.S. and around the world suggests the new omicron variant may be impacting vaccinated people more than the unvaccinated. U.S. government figures show the omicron variant continues to account for a growing proportion of new coronavirus infections in the country. Omicron accounted for 59% of new cases…

30 Nov

Supply chain problems hit toy drive non-profits

Haleluya Hadero | The Associated PressBusinessChristmas, COVID, Joe Biden

NEW YORK — With less than four weeks to go until Christmas, non-profit organizations who supply gifts for less fortunate children are facing supply problems that may put a damper on Christmas spirit. Charities who give to kids during the holidays say they're facing challenges finding enough gaming consoles, laptops and other electronic items amid the global shortage of chips used in cars, phones and other devices. “I’ve never seen something like this,” said Kristyn Begari, purchasing coordinator for Family Giving Tree, a California non-profit. “Our biggest fear is we’re not going to get the quality of gifts that we…

24 Nov

COVID cases drop for ninth straight week

Randolph RecordNewsCOVID

ASHEBORO — Cases of COVID-19 dropped again this week to 166 new cases. Since a recent high of 847 new cases the week prior to September 17, new reported cases in Randolph County have fallen each week. Following last week, weekly case counts have dropped by over 80%. Randolph County has also experienced nine-straight weeks of lowering test positivity — the percentage of tests taken that are positive. After last week, 5.8% of COVID tests taken were positive. That’s a drop from 13.2% following the week of September 17.

03 Nov

County schools use federal COVID education funds for bonuses

Bob SuttonGovernment, News, PoliticsCOVID, Education

Randolph County Schools employees will receive $5,000 RALEIGH — Some North Carolina school boards have announced they will use federal COVID-19 relief funds to give bonuses to educators. The Randolph County Public School System will pay every employee a $5,000 bonus, according to a resolution adopted by the school board on Oct. 25. The resolution described the bonuses as “retention” and “premium pay.” Alamance County schools are giving full and part-time employees a $3,000 bonus while Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools employees will get a $1,400 bonus. According to the American Rescue Plan’s ESSER "FAQ," a district can use federal Elementary and…

02 Nov

Randolph County School Board votes to remove mask requirement

Randolph RecordNewsCOVID, Education, masks, masks COVID, schools

ASHEBORO — In a special meeting focused on mask rules, the Randolph County School Board has voted to end mandatory mask wearing. The mandate had been in place since the start of the school year. Prior to the school year starting, the county's largest school system had made masks optional. However, after pressure from Governor Roy Cooper — who had removed a statewide mask mandate for schools — the board reversed course just before students returned. The change at the county's largest school system came on election night where GOP-backed candidates swept the four open seats for the Asheboro City…

06 Oct

NASCAR Day returns with big crowds

Bob SuttonBusiness, NewsCOVID, NASCAR, Randleman, Richard Petty

Randleman Festival roars back to life to celebrate racing heritage RANDLEMAN — Last weekend’s NASCAR Day Festival went off pretty much without a hitch as several thousand people roamed Randleman streets. “We had a perfect weekend for it,” said Jeff Freeman, director of the festival. “The attendance was wonderful.” Saturday’s festival came after the 2020 version was cancelled because of the pandemic. There were precautions taken for this year’s edition, but Freeman said there were largely positive reviews. Asheboro cancelled it's annual Fall Festival for the second year in a row citing concerns over hospital capacity for such a large…