© 2024 254 North Front Street, Suite 300, Wilmington, NC 28401 | 910.343.1640
News Classical 91.3 Wilmington 92.7 Wilmington 96.7 Southport
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE CLOSURE: UPDATES, RESOURCES, AND CONTEXT
Gathered at the bottom of this page is WHQR's ongoing reporting and coverage on COVID-19. In addition, below is a list of other resources pertaining to the virus.For questions/concerns about COVID-19, call the NC Coronavirus Helpline at 1-866-462-3821. To find out about the availability of community resources, call 211 or visit nc211.orgFor Brunswick County, the COVID-19 Helpline is 910-253-2339. The email is coronavirus@brunswickcountync.gov. New Hanover County's Helpline is 910-798-6800. National Resources Basic Protective Measures from the Coronavirus Coronavirus Myth Busters Coronavirus FAQs and Answers National Coronavirus Case Tracker Protecting Yourself and Your Family Preventing COVID-19 Spread in Communities International Travel Advisories Local ResourcesTesting in North Carolina State Case Count New Hanover County Updates and Info Brunswick County Updates and Info Pender County Updates and Info New Hanover Regional Medical Center Updates New Hanover Disaster Coalition Novant HealthDosher Memorial HospitalWAVE TransitWilmington HealthUNCWWHQR's Community Resources

NHCS staff will receive vaccines in Phase 1B, community continues to share concerns over reopening

NHCS YouTube Channel
NHC School Board discusses proposed Title IX Survey.

  At Tuesday night’s New Hanover County School Board meeting, the announcement came that school staff will be vaccinated in Phase 1B. There were also concerns from some community members about the impending elementary reopening.

There were twenty ‘Calls to the Audience’, from community members who shared public comments with the board. And most asked officials to reconsider their decision to fully reopen pre-K through elementary schools on January 19th. Some also mentioned recent fatalities from Covid-19 among educators and asked for documentation on the county’s risk assessment for reopening. 

Kaleigh Pare is a sixth-grade social studies teacher at the International School at Gregory and a member of the New Hanover County Association of Educators. 

She says they want to create a Staff Advisory Council to help plan the transition:

“We want a safe reopening and we want to help make that possible. We know that getting to a Plan A that’s safe is not going to be easy. It’s not going to be easy to find 6 feet of social distancing for students who attend school in-person.” 

After the community speakers, Carla Turner, a New Hanover County public health official, did say that Covid-19 numbers are increasing. But she added school staff over the age of 50 will start vaccinations in the second group of Phase 1B, which could begin by the end of January. Educational staff under 50 will follow that group. 

Board Chair Stefanie Adams says that a more in-depth discussion on virus case numbers and the reopening plans will take place at their special meeting on January 13th.