>> COMING UP ON COVID UNCOVERED: >> IT'S JUST BEEN A FINANCIALLY CHALLENGING YEAR.

>> THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC HAS HIT SMALL BUSINESSES ESPECIALLY HARD ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA.

HOW THE EASING OF COVID RESTRICTIONS WILL IMPACT LOCAL BUSINESSES.

>> IT FELT LIKE I WAS HAVING COVID ALL OVER AGAIN.

>> MINOR SIDE EFFECTS FROM THE COVID 19 VACCINE ARE COMMON.

WE FIND OUT WHY IT'S EFFECTING SOME PEOPLE MORE THAN OTHERS.

♪ WELCOME TO COVID UNCOVERED.

I'M DAVID HURST.

NORTH CAROLINA IS RELAXING COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS AS THE STATE GETS READY TO OPEN VACCINE APPOINTMENTS TO ALL ADULTS.

HERE'S A LOOK AT THE COVID-19 DASHBOARD.

THESE ARE THE LATEST NUMBERS AS OF WEDNESDAY.

KELLY MCCULLEN HAS MORE ON THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19.

>> THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION MAKES THE HEADLINES THIS WEEK BY RELEASING AN OFFICIAL REPORT ON THEORIES OF COVID NINETEEN'S ORIGINS.

IT'S EXPERTS SAY THE VIRUS MOST LIKELY JUMPED FROM A BAT INTO AN INFECTED ANIMAL OF A CHINESE MEAT MARKET THEN TO HUMANS.

>> ALL HYPOTHESES ARE ON THE TABLE AND WARRANT COMPLETE AND FURTHER STUDIES.

>> COVID-19 HAS NOW CLAIMED OVER 550,000 AMERICAN LIVES BUT MILLIONS MORE OF US ARE RECEIVING VACCINATIONS WITH PFIZER PROMISING TO RELEASE 2 BILLION ADDITIONAL DOSES.

>> EVERY DAY, 2 AND A HALF TO 3 MILLION PEOPLE GET VACCINATED, SO EVERY DAY WE GET CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THAT EXTRAORDINARY DEGREE OF EFFECTIVENESS WHICH WE'RE SEEING AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL AND AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT IS WHAT IT IS THAT IS GOING TO END THIS PANDEMIC IN THIS COUNTRY.

>> NORTH CAROLINA ROLLS INTO SPRING BREAK WITH DECLINING COVID HOSPITALIZATIONS AND A GROWING PERCENTAGE OF VACCINATED RESIDENTS.

35% OF NORTH CAROLINIANS OVER 18 YEARS OLD ARE NOW AT LEAST PARTIALLY VACCINATED, AND THOSE NUMBERS WILL CONTINUE GROWING AS NORTH CAROLINA OPENS VACCINATIONS TO ESSENTIAL WORKERS WHO AREN'T FRONTLINE WORKERS AND COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO LIVE IN DORMS.

GROUP 5 IS OPENING IN EARLY APRIL, AND THAT'S WHEN EVERY ADULT NORTH CAROLINA WILL QUALIFY FOR A COVID VACCINE.

FOR COVID UNCOVERED, I'M KELLY MCCULLEN.

>> WE MAY BE ONE STEP CLOSER TO A SENSE OF NORMALCY AFTER THE GOVERNOR EASED SOME COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS.

I SPOKE TO SOME LOCAL RESTAURANT OWNERS ABOUT THESE CHANGES, AND HOW IT MAY AFFECT YOUR DINING EXPERIENCE.

>> LIKE FOR MANY BUSINESSES, THIS PAST YEAR HAS BEEN DIFFICULT FOR SITTI, A LEBANESE RESTAURANT IN DOWNTOWN RALEIGH.

>> THE HARDEST PART WAS ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WE HAD NO IDEA WHERE WE'RE GOING.

IT WAS BAD.

>> SITTI HAS BEEN ABLE TO STAY OPEN FOR INDOOR DINING, BUT OWNER GREG HATEM SAYS THE MASKS AND SOCIAL DISTANCING WHILE NECESSARY, HAVE TAKEN AWAY A CRUCIAL ASPECT OF THE DINING EXPERIENCE.

>> YOU KNOW, WE'RE ACCUSTOMED TO BEING CLOSE TO OUR GUESTS, AND, YOU KNOW, HUGGING AND INVITING PEOPLE IN, AND YOU KNOW I THINK WE'LL ALL ENJOY THE CROWD ENERGY THE NOISE AND THE HOSPITALITY THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GIVE THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS YEAR.

>> GOVERNOR ROY COOPER ROLLED OUT A NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT LOOSENED SOME OF THE COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS, INCLUDING EXPANDING THE CAPACITY LIMIT FOR RESTAURANTS, BARS AND OTHER BUSINESSES.

>> THERE'S ONE VEGETARIAN... >> FOR GARLAND, AN INDIAN AND ASIAN RESTAURANT IN DOWNTOWN RALEIGH, THE UPDATED CAPACITY LIMITS WON'T REALLY CHANGE MUCH.

>> WE'RE OBVIOUSLY GOING TO MAINTAIN THE SOCIAL DISTANCING THAT'S ALWAYS THE..

THE GUIDING FACTOR, IT'S NOT ABOUT THE PERCENTAGES NECESSARILY, LIKE WITHIN THOSE PERCENTAGES YOU STILL HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE SITTING 6 FEET APART.

IN THE INTEREST OF... >> BUT OWNER CHEETIE KUMAR SAYS IT DOES SHOW THAT NORTH CAROLINA IS ON A POSITIVE PATH.

[BUS ENGINE] FOR RESTAURANTS, INDOOR DINING HAS BEEN CLOSED SINCE MARCH OF 2020 AND THEY RELIED SOLELY ON TAKEOUT AND PATIO SEATING.

BUT WITH MOST OF HER STAFF VACCINATED, KUMAR PLANS TO OPEN BACK UP INDOOR DINING IN LATE APRIL.

>> WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT YOU KNOW RESUMING THAT HUMAN CONNECTION AND HAVING SERVERS AND REAL REAL PLATES AND REAL FORKS AND KNIVES AND YOU KNOW MICROGREENS AND PRETTY FLOWERS AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT MAKE YOU HAVE A TRANSPORTIVE EXPERIENCE.

>> FOR GREG HATEM, HE'S HOPEFUL THIS MEANS NORTH CAROLINA IS TURNING THE CORNER.

HE SAYS AS MORE PEOPLE GET VACCINATED THE CLOSER WE'LL GET TO THAT PREPANDEMIC DINING EXPERIENCE.

>> THAT'S OUR PATH OUT OF THIS, YOU KNOW GO GET A VACCINE AND THAT'S THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE WE'RE HOPEFUL FOR.

>> FOR COVID UNCOVERED, I'M DAVID HIRST.

AND JOINING ME NOW IS DOCTOR EMILY, SICKBERT-BENNETT DIRECTOR OF INFECTION PREVENTION AT UNC MEDICAL CENTER DOCTOR SICKBERT-BENNETT THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> HAPPY TO BE HERE.

THANK YOU.

>> WHAT IS YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO OUR VIEWERS AS IT RELATES TO DINING OUT OR GOING TO A BAR IS IT SAFE IF YOU'RE VACCINATED?

>> IT CERTAINLY IS MUCH SAFER IF YOU'VE BEEN VACCINATED.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE TO REMEMBER WHAT THE KEY RISK FACTORS ARE FOR COVID TRANSMISSION.

SO PERSON TIME, PLACE AND SPACE, AND THE WAYS WE CAN MITIGATE THOSE THINGS ARE BY GOING OUT WITH FEWER PEOPLE, SPENDING SHORTER AMOUNTS OF TIME IN RESTAURANTS AND BARS, AND THEN CONSIDERING THE SPACING THAT YOU'RE IN AND IF IT'S BEAUTIFUL WEATHER AND YOU'RE ABLE TO EAT OUTDOORS, THAT'S CERTAINLY A SAFER OPTION AS WELL.

>> NORTH CAROLINA HAS BEEN A LITTLE MORE PATIENT WITH REOPENING THAN OTHER STATES.

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THOSE OTHER STATES TO OPENED WEEKS AGO?

ARE WE SEEING ANY DRASTIC INCREASES IN COVID-19 CASES?

>> WE ARE DEFINITELY CLOSELY TRACKING THEIR PROGRESS IN OTHER STATES WHERE SOME OF THE POLICIES HAVE CHANGED AT DIFFERENT TIME INTERVAL THAN OURS, IT'S OBVIOUSLY YOU KNOW COMPLICATED, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE POLICY CHANGES BUT ALSO ABOUT PEOPLE'S BEHAVIORS AND CHOICES, AND SO WE DO CONTINUE TO WATCH FOR INCREASED NUMBERS OF CASES AND IN NORTH CAROLINA WE'RE SEEING SOME PLATEAUING SO WE'RE DEFINITELY KEEPING OUR EYE ON HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO DRIVE INFECTIONS EVEN LOWER.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK IS CAUSING SOME OF THAT PLATEAUING?

>> WELL CERTAINLY OVER THE HOLIDAYS, WHAT WE EXPERIENCED IS NO DIFFERENT THAN OTHER STATES WAS SOME REOPENING IN THE FALL, I THINK, WITH A LOT OF SOCIAL GATHERINGS THAT ARE REALLY THE HALLMARK OF OUR OF OUR HOLIDAY SEASON, AND WHAT WE'VE LEARNED FROM HER OUT OF THE OUTBREAKS AND CLUSTERS IS THAT MOST OF THESE TRANSMISSION IS HAPPENING FROM SOCIAL GATHERINGS, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY INCIDENTAL.

COMMUNICATION TRANSMISSION OUT IN PUBLIC AS MUCH AS IT IS OUR CHOICES AND WHO WE GET TOGETHER WITH AND WHETHER WE'RE WEARING MASKS WHEN WE GET TOGETHER.

>> WHAT'S GOING TO BE REQUIRED OF US TO GET THOSE NUMBERS BACK IN A DOWNWARD TREND?

WILL THE VACCINE ACTUALLY TAKE CARE OF IT?

>> WE CERTAINLY ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT HAVING THE VACCINE OPEN TO MORE POPULATIONS, WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK TO DO TO GET IT TO ALL THE POPULATIONS AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S REALLY PROVIDED IN AN EQUITABLE FASHION, AND THAT WE EACH OVERCOME SOME OF THE HESITANCY THAT HAS COME WITH A NEW VACCINE AND CONVINCING OTHERS TO GET IT, AND THEN OF COURSE WE'RE CERTAINLY WATCHING WHAT'S HAPPENING AS WE LEARN MORE ABOUT VARIANTS, WHETHER THE VACCINE WILL BE AS EFFECTIVE FOR SOME OF THESE VARIANTS.

LUCKILY, WE KNOW HOW EFFECTIVE MASKS ARE, WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE HAVE A COMFORTABLE MASK THAT FITS OUR FACE WELL, THAT WILL PROTECT US FOR ANY VACCINE BREAKTHROUGH TRANSMISSION, OR FOR ANY VARIANTS THAT AREN'T COVERED BY THE VACCINE AS WELL, SO A COMBINATION OF VACCINE UPTAKE AND MASK COMPLIANCE IS REALLY GOING TO BE KEEN.

>> SPEAKING OF MASK, THE GOVERNOR ALSO ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK THE STATE MASK MANDATE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE.

SOME STATES HAVE REMOVED THAT MANDATE.

WHAT IMPACT IS THE MASK MANDATE HAVING ON NORTH CAROLINA'S COVID-19 TRENDS?

>> I REALLY THINK THAT THE MASK MANDATES THAT WE'VE HAD IN PLACE HAS REALLY BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING AND AS UNDER CONTROL AS IT HAS BEEN IN NORTH CAROLINA.

IN THE HOSPITAL SETTING WE WEREN'T SEEING THE OVERWHELMING SURGE, THE CRUSHING SURGE, THAT SOME OTHER STATES WERE SEEING AND WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR KEEPING THE DISEASE AT BAY WITH THE MASK MANDATES.

WE KNOW THAT MASKS ARE SO EFFECTIVE BECAUSE THEY PROTECT YOU FROM OTHERS WHEN OTHERS ARE SICK, THEY PROTECT OTHERS WHEN YOU ARE SICK AND THEY COVER YOUR NOSE AND MOUTH WHICH IS THE WAY YOU COULD INCIDENTALLY WITH HAND CONTAMINATION INTRODUCE COVID INFECTION INTO YOUR BODY.

SO THEY REALLY PROVIDE 3 IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS, AND I THINK IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE THE KEY INTERVENTION FOR US TO CONTINUE SO THAT WE CAN REALLY DRIVE THESE NUMBERS BACK DOWN TO VERY LOW LEVELS AGAIN.

>> DOCTOR THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US THIS MORNING.

>> THANK YOU IT WAS A PLEASURE.

>> WE'RE LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS WITH THE COVID-19 VACCINE.

EVAN HOWELL EXPLORES WHAT SOME OF THESE SIDE EFFECTS MEAN, AND WHY SOME PEOPLE HAVE WORSE REACTION THAN OTHERS.

>> JAY LUNDQUIST HAD A SMALL FEVER ONE DAY LAST JULY, AND THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT - UNTIL HE WOKE UP THE NEXT DAY.

>> SWEATS, BONE ACHES, MUSCLE ACHES.

I'VE NEVER HAD BONE AND MUSCLE ACHES LIKE THAT BEFORE LITERALLY IT FELT LIKE IT - DIFFERENT PARTS WERE COMPLETELY YOU KNOW, SEIZING UP.

>> LUNDQUIST GOT A COVID-19 TEST AND IT CAME BACK POSITIVE.

HIS SYMPTOMS LASTED FOR ABOUT 10 DAYS.

SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, LUNDQUIST WENT AND GOT THE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON VACCINE, THEN HE SAID IT WAS DEJA VU.

THE NEXT DAY WHEN I WOKE UP, IT IT FELT LIKE.

I WAS HAVING COVID ALL OVER AGAIN.

>> IT'S NOT THE INFECTION AGAIN, BECAUSE THAT WE'RE NOT GIVING ANY PIECE OF THE ACTUAL VIRUS ITSELF.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] >> DOCTOR EDWIN KIM SAYS LUNDQUIST LIKELY REACTED BECAUSE HIS BODY REMEMBERED THE VIRUS FROM LAST YEAR.

AND IT DOES THAT WITH WHAT ARE CALLED MEMORY CELLS.

>> SO PARTS OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM THAT SORT OF STAY BEHIND THAT ARE WAITING FOR COVID OR WHATEVER INFECTION TO COME BACK AGAIN, AND WHEN IT DOES COME BACK, IT SORT OF IS READY TO REACT QUICKLY AND STRONGLY.

>> KIM SAYS ANY BAD REACTION TO A VACCINE WILL TYPICALLY LAST 24 HOURS.

BUT SAYS THAT'S NOTHING COMPARED TO HAVING THE VIRUS ITSELF.

>> COVID WE'VE SEEN IN THE NEWS FOR THE LAST 12 MONTHS, IT'S NOT 24 HOURS ON AND OFF.

I MEAN PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY'RE RUN OVER BY A TRUCK AND IT JUST DOESN'T GO AWAY.

PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING WITH THESE SYMPTOMS FOR UP TO 2, 3, 4, WEEKS.

>> FOR JAY LUNDQUIST, HE SAYS THE SIDE EFFECTS FROM THE VACCINE PROVE THAT THE VACCINE IS WORKING.

>> BUT IT WAS 36 HOURS THAT FELT LIKE COVID AGAIN WHICH MADE SENSE TO ME BECAUSE YOU KNOW I HAD IT BEFORE >> LUNDQUIST BELIEVES GETTING THE VACCINE IS NOT JUST ABOUT PROTECTING YOURSELF, BUT PROTECTING YOUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.

FOR COVID UNCOVERED, I'M EVAN HOWELL.

>> AND HERE WITH ME NOW IS DOCTOR ADIA ROSS, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER AT DUKE REGIONAL HOSPITAL.

DOCTOR ROSS, THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> SO AS WE JUST HEARD, MANY ARE EXPERIENCING THESE MINOR SIDE EFFECTS FROM THE VACCINE, BUT THIS DIDN'T SURPRISE ANYONE IN THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY RIGHT?

>> NO IT DOESN'T SURPRISE US IN THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW I THINK IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR PEOPLE WHEN WE HAVE A VACCINE TO HAVE SOME MILD REACTIONS, AND IT CAN BE A SIGN REALLY THAT THE VACCINE IS WORKING AND THAT YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM IS BEING TRAINED BY GETTING THIS INJECTION, SO THAT WHEN YOU GET THE REAL - YOU MIGHT GET EXPOSED TO THE REAL VIRUS, THAT IT KNOWS HOW TO REACT AND YOU DON'T HAVE ANY SIDE EFFECTS.

I THINK THE MAIN THING IS THERE'S 2 THINGS WE THINK ABOUT.

ONE IS AROUND THE SIDE EFFECTS WE GET AS THE VACCINE IS TRAINING YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM, AND TWO, THE ONES THAT WE REALLY WORRY ABOUT ARE MORE LIKE ALLERGIC REACTIONS, SUCH AS ANAPHYLAXIS AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS, BUT THOSE ARE - ANAPHYLAXIS IS PRETTY RARE.

THE OTHER ONE IS JUST YOUR BODY, GETTING TRAINED AND READY AND PROTECTING YOU.

>> DO WE KNOW WHY THE SIDE EFFECTS VARY FROM PERSON TO PERSON HOW ONE PERSON CAN HAVE NO SIDE EFFECTS WHILE ANOTHER MAY BE OUT OF COMMISSION FOR A DAY OR TWO?

>> IT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION WE REALLY DON'T COMPLETELY KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.

WE DO KNOW BASED ON THE DATA THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE YOUNGER, USUALLY YOUNGER THAN 50, AND MAYBE WOMEN MAY HAVE MORE INITIAL SIDE EFFECTS.

WE STILL DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING SPECIFICALLY WITH THE COVID VACCINE AS THINGS ARE EVOLVING, BUT BASED ON OUR HISTORY VACCINES, YOU KNOW THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT MAY MAKE US THINK THAT THIS MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

ONE IS THAT WHEN YOU'RE YOUNGER, YOU'RE IMMUNE SYSTEM IS MORE VIGOROUS.

THAT'S NOT TO SAY AS AN ELDERLY PERSON THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU GET THE VACCINE THAT YOU WON'T HAVE THE ADEQUATE PROTECTION, BUT YOU MIGHT HAVE MORE VIGOROUS RESPONSE BECAUSE YOU'RE YOUNGER.

IN THE PAST, THERE'S BEEN SOME STUDIES TO LOOK AT, WOMEN AND VACCINES AND MAYBE THERE'S SOME HORMONAL COMPONENT TO IT, BUT WITH THIS CURRENT COVID VACCINE, IT'S REALLY BASED ON SYMPTOMS THAT PATIENTS REPORT, SO IT SEEMS LIKE MORE WOMEN WERE REPORTING SYMPTOMS, BUT IT'S HARD TO MAKE A CONCLUSION.

THEN THE LAST ONE IS REALLY COVID, GETTING COVID AND AND HOW DOES THAT AFFECT YOUR RESPONSE AFTER YOU GET THE VACCINE.

OBVIOUSLY YOUR BODY'S ALREADY SEEN COVID BEFORE, SO WHEN WE INJECT A LITTLE PARTICLE, A LITTLE PIECE OF IT, YOUR BODY ALREADY HAS BEGUN THIS TRAINING PROCESS AND SO IT'S NOT UNEXPECTED THAT YOU WOULD STILL HAVE SOME REACTION TO IT, IT'S JUST YOUR BODY SAYING ALL RIGHT, I'VE SEEN IT BEFORE WE'RE GOING TO GET RE-READY TO HAVE YOU HAVE SOME MORE PROTECTION.

>> WHAT ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ONE-DOSE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON AND THE 2 DOSE PFIZER MODERNA?

DO WE HAVE ANY DATA OR RESEARCH THAT SHOWS THE DIFFERENCE IN SEVERITY OR LIKELIHOOD OF SIDE EFFECTS WITH THOSE 2 SHOTS?

>> YEAH, I THINK YOU KNOW WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CDC DATA, IT LOOKS LIKE IN GENERAL, WITH THE PFIZER AND MODERNA PROBABLY 90% OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF REACTION, MOST PEOPLE JUST PAIN AT THE SITE OF THE INJECTION, I THINK IT'S AROUND 50% IN THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON VACCINE AND THEN YOU KNOW ON BOTH VACCINES, A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME FEVERS AND CHILLS AND POSSIBLE HEADACHE.

I THINK REALLY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE MAY BE DUE TO THE DIFFERENCE IN EFFECTIVENESS, I THINK THAT THAT BOTH ARE REALLY EFFECTIVE, THE FLU VACCINE IS ABOUT 40% EFFECTIVE ON AVERAGE, BUT J&J IS ALMOST 70% PFIZER, MODERNA 90, IN THE 90% AND SO ALL OF THEM ACTUALLY ARE REALLY GOOD PROTECTION, BUT IT MIGHT BE DUE TO THAT, BUT WE REALLY STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT BUT IT APPEARS THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME MINOR SIDE EFFECTS TO THOSE THINGS.

>> AND WITH THOSE 2 DOSE VACCINES.

THE PFIZER, THE MODERNA, WHY ARE PEOPLE MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE SIDE EFFECTS AFTER THAT SECOND SHOT?

>> I THINK IT'S A VERY SIMILAR PHENOMENON PERHAPS.

SO WHEN YOU HAVE COVID, IF YOU'VE ACTUALLY HAD COVID AND THEN YOU GET THE VACCINE, I THINK WHAT IS THE BODY IS KIND OF PRIMED AND IT'S HAD SOME BASIC TRAINING BY HAVING ONE OF THE FIRST DOSES OF THE VACCINE.

BUT WE KNOW TO GET THE MAXIMUM EFFECT THAT ALSO THE FACT THAT YOU KNOW OVER AROUND 70% FOR JJ AND OVER 90% FOR THE OTHER 2 GETTING THAT SECOND DOSE IS IMPORTANT.

SO I THINK IT'S JUST A MATTER OF YOUR BODY HAS HAD SOME TIME TO PREPARE AND WHEN YOU GET THE SECOND ONE, IT'S REALLY GEARING UP TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE MAXIMUM PROTECTION.

>> AND REAL BRIEFLY DOCTOR ROSS IS THERE ANYTHING SOMEONE CAN DO TO YOU KNOW MAKE THE SYMPTOMS GO DOWN IF THEY DO HAVE THESE SIDE EFFECTS?

>> YES, FIRST, I WOULD SAY I KNOW THAT THAT HAS TO BE HARD.

AS A DOCTOR, WE OBVIOUSLY ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THESE VACCINES AND THINK THAT THESE MINOR SIDE EFFECTS, AT LEAST TO US, HAVING SEEN COVID AND SEE PEOPLE DIE, THESE ARE CONSIDERED MINOR SIDE EFFECTS, BUT I KNOW IT'S A PATIENT, THOSE THINGS COULD STILL BE DISCONCERNING.

WHAT I WOULD SAY IS WE DON'T RECOMMEND PEOPLE PRE MEDICATE BECAUSE THAT COULD AFFECT THE BODY'S IMMUNE RESPONSE.

BUT IF YOU DO HAVE THOSE SYMPTOMS IT'S OKAY, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY ON CONTRAINDICATIONS TO TAKING TYLENOL, IBUPROFEN AFTER YOU GET THE VACCINE TO ACTUALLY TREAT THOSE SYMPTOMS.

>> DOCTOR ROSS, THANK YOUR TIME AND YOUR INSIGHT ON THIS TOPIC.

>> THANK YOU.

>> IMAGINE OWNING A SMART WATCH THAT CAN DETECT WHETHER YOU'VE GOTTEN SICK WITH COVID-19.

THAT'S WHAT'S COME OUT OF A COLLABORATION BETWEEN RESEARCH TRIANGLE INTERNATIONAL, GARMIN INTERNATIONAL, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

IT'S CALLED THE RAP AND IT'S BASED ON EARLIER RESEARCH DONE WITH THE FLU VIRUS THAT CAN DETECT IF YOU'VE BEEN INFECTED BEFORE YOU EVEN SHOW ANY SYMPTOMS.

THE DEVICE IS DESIGNED TO MONITOR HEART, RESPIRATORY, OXYGEN RATES, AND THEN TRANSMITS THAT DATA FOR ANALYSIS.

>> NORMALLY WE WOULD EXPECT TO SEE HEART RATE GOES UP WHEN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GOES UP.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR GENERALLY IS HEART RATE GOES UP IN THE ABSENCE OF AN INCREASE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

>> THE RAP DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY WI-FI SIGNAL AND IS CURRENTLY BEING TESTED ON A U.S. NAVY SHIP WHERE SAILORS OFTEN LIVE IN TIGHT SPACES.

>> THE NUMBER OF NORTH CAROLINIANS GETTING VACCINATED IS RISING, BUT THERE ARE STILL MANY WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM THE EFFECTS OF THIS VIRUS.

CLINICAL TRIALS HAVE BEEN UNDERWAY AT DUKE FOR MEDICINE DESIGNED TO LESSEN THE EFFECTS OF COVID-19 AND DECREASE THE NUMBER OF HOSPITALIZATIONS.

THEY'RE STUDYING SOMETHING CALLED MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES, WHICH ARE MANUFACTURED COPIES OF ANTIBODIES OFTEN FOUND IN THE BLOOD OF THOSE WHO TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19.

>> THESE ANTIBODIES ARE THE BEST IN TERMS OF LIKE NEUTRALIZING THE VIRUS ITSELF AND ELIMINATING IT, AND SO WE GET RID OF ALL THE JUNK, GET YOU JUST THE GOOD STUFF, IT'S PURIFIED AND CONCENTRATED AND ADMINISTERED TO HELP AUGMENT YOUR AUTOIMMUNE RESPONSE IN TIME.

>> DOCTOR OKEKE SAYS THE TRIAL IS STUDYING SEVERAL ANTIBODY AGENTS AND INCLUDE STUDIES SURROUNDING ORAL THERAPIES AS WELL.

>> I'M JOINED NOW BY DOCTOR DAVID KIRK, ASSOCIATE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER FOR WAKEMED HEALTH SYSTEM.

DOCTOR KIRK, THANKS FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

>> ABSOLUTELY HAPPY TO DO IT.

>> SO WAKEMED HAS BEEN OFFERING THESE TREATMENTS SINCE NOVEMBER, HOW EXACTLY DO THEY WORK?

>> YES, SO WAKEMED STARTED IN NOVEMBER.

WE'VE GIVEN ABOUT A 1000 DOSES SINCE THEN.

MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES ARE A Y SHAPE PROTEIN THAT ATTACHES TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE VIRUS, INDIRECTLY GUMS UP THE VIRUS SO IT CAN'T ATTACK THE CELLS.

IT ALSO ENCOURAGES THE IMMUNE SYSTEM TO ATTACK THE VIRUS AND COMPLETELY CLEAR IT FROM THE BODY.

IT'S USED IN HIGH-RISK PATIENTS ONLY TYPICALLY THOSE 65 AND OLDER PATIENTS WHO HAVE VERY HIGH RISK IF INFECTION COMPLETELY OVERWHELMS THE SYSTEM GETTING INTO THE HOSPITAL, GETTING TO OUR ICUs AND HAVING BAD OUTCOMES, SO IT'S BEEN A REALLY WONDERFUL WEAPON TO HAVE IN THAT HIGH RISK POPULATION.

>> HOW MUCH OF A GAME CHANGER HAVE THESE TYPES OF TREATMENTS BEEN IN PREVENTING COMPLICATIONS FROM THE VIRUS?

>> YES, SO EARLY IN THE DAYS, US, AS ICU PHYSICIANS FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD A GREAT TOOLS.

WE HAD REMDESIVIR, WE HAD STEROIDS, BUT REALLY, MY OUTPATIENT COLLEAGUES DIDN'T HAVE MUCH FOR PEOPLE WHO HAD EARLY INFECTIONS.

WHAT DO WE DO WHEN SOMEONE COMES TO YOUR CLINIC AND SAYS, 'I KNOW I'M HIGH-RISK, BUT I HAVE AN EARLY INFECTION.'

AND THAT'S WHAT THE MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES HAVE REALLY PROVIDED.

IT GIVES US A TOOL IN THOSE VERY EARLY DAYS TO PUT OUT THE FIRE BEFORE IT COMPLETELY BURNS THE HOUSE DOWN.

IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL WEAPON IN THAT HIGH-RISK PATIENT POPULATION TO KEEP THEM OUT OF ICU AND KEEP THEM FROM HAVING REALLY BAD OUTCOMES.

>> AND WE'RE SEEING FORTUNATELY LESS AND LESS OF THOSE BAD OUTCOMES.

HOW MUCH OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF THESE TREATMENTS?

>> SO REALLY THE REASON OUR CASE NUMBERS ARE DOWN FROM THE VACCINE, AND I CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GET THE VACCINE THAT'S REALLY OUR BEST WEAPON.

BUT WHAT THE MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES HAVE DONE IS REALLY THOSE HIGH-RISK PATIENT POPULATION HAS GIVEN US A WAY TO TREAT THEM BEFORE IT GETS SO MUCH WORSE.

OUR VERY ELDERLY, OBESE, PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC MEDICAL CONDITIONS IT REALLY GIVES US A WAY TO SAVE THEM BEFORE THEY KIND OF GO DOWN THIS VERY DAMAGING COVID CASCADE.

>> AND THESE TREATMENTS ARE STILL BEING STUDIED.

WHAT STILL NEEDS TO BE FIGURED OUT TO MAKE THESE TREATMENTS EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE?

>> YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

SO THESE MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES ARE BASED AROUND THE VIRUS THAT'S IN THE COMMUNITY AT THE TIME.

SO THE FIRST GENERATION MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES CAME OUT IN NOVEMBER.

SO THEY'RE REALLY BUILT TO TREAT THAT VIRUS PROFILE.

THAT BEING SAID WE KNOW WITH THE MUTATIONS THAT THE VIRUS CONTINUES TO EVOLVE.

SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE NEWER AND NEWER GENERATIONS OF MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES COME OUT TO TACKLE THESE MUTATIONS.

WAKEMED IS SWITCHING OVER TO THE SECOND GENERATION OF MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY PRODUCTS NOW, AS MANY OTHER HOSPITALS ARE AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE A BATTLE.

THE VIRUS WILL CHANGE, AND THESE MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES WILL CHANGE WITH IT.

>> AND SPEAKING OF THAT, WHAT DO YOU ENVISION THE FUTURE OF TREATING COVID-19 WILL LOOK LIKE?

WILL IT SOON BE LIKE THE FLU WHERE SOMEONE IS GIVEN AN ORAL MEDICATION LIKE TAMIFLU?

>> I THINK IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

AND BEFORE TALK ABOUT TREATMENT, I JUST WANT TO STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF PREVENTION.

KEEPING THE FIRE FROM BURNING THE HOUSE DOWN.

IT'S SO MUCH EASIER IF YOU NEVER START THE FIRE, AND VACCINE AND SOCIAL DISTANCING AND MASKING IS REALLY WHAT PREVENT THAT FIRE FROM STARTING.

TREATMENT OF COVID IS REALLY IN TWO PHASES.

ONE WHEN THAT VIRUS IS REPLICATING IN YOUR BODY IN THE FIRST 10 DAYS.

REMDESEVIR AND MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES ARE IV INFUSIONS THAT STOP THE VIRUS FROM REPLICATING IN THE SYSTEM.

IT'S NOT A PILL, IT'S AN INFUSION.

SO YOU EITHER NEED TO BE IN THE HOSPITAL OR COME TO A SPECIALIZED CLINIC TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT.

IN THE SECOND PHASE AFTER THE VIRUS HAS KIND OF BURNED ITSELF OUT IN YOUR SYSTEM, IT'S ALL THE INFLAMMATORY CASCADE, AND ALL THE DOWNSTREAM DAMAGE IT DOES, AND THAT SECOND PHASE IS THE STEROIDS AND IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE AGENTS THAT WE DO.

I THINK WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE ADVANCEMENTS BECAUSE WE HAVE NEVER SEEN THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER ON A WORLDWIDE BASIS SO MUCH AS WE'VE DONE WITH COVID.

I MEAN FOR A VACCINE COULD BE SO EFFECTIVE AND TO BE AVAILABLE, SO QUICKLY IN THIS DISEASE PROCESS IS REALLY INCREDIBLE.

I'M REALLY HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIND PREVENTIVE AGENTS, EARLY TREATMENT AGENTS AND LATE TREATMENT PHASES AS THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO ATTACK THIS.

>> DOCTOR KIRK THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

MY PLEASURE.

>> IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT YEAR FOR MANY NORTH CAROLINIANS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES.

JEFF SMITH SHARES THE STORY OF TWO FRIENDS WHO FOUND OUT THAT WALKING THROUGH GRIEF TOGETHER, HELPS THEM HEAL AND GIVES THEM HOPE.

>> THE LOSS OF A SPOUSE IS NEVER EASY TO GO THROUGH.

FOR MANY FAMILIES THE PAST YEAR OF COVID HAS ADDED ADDITIONAL STRESS AND ISOLATION TO THEIR LOSS.

>> MY HUSBAND DIED IN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR.

AND IT WAS UNEXPECTED.

>> MY HUSBAND PASSED AWAY FIVE YEARS AGO, OR FOUR YEARS AGO, AND IT WAS ALL OF A SUDDEN AS WELL.

>> JULIA JONES WAS A TEACHER AT CHARETTA WALLS' DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL.

AFTER CHARETTA'S HUSBAND PASSED, JULIA CHOSE TO REACH OUT TO CHARETTA.

>> SHE CALLED AND SHE ASKED ME HOW I WAS DOING AND I SAID, I WAS FINE.

I GAVE HER A MANICURED ANSWER LIKE MOST PEOPLE DO, AND SHE'S SAID, "HOW-ARE-YOU-DOING?"

I PAUSED AND I SAID, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"

ABOUT THAT TIME, I BEGAN TO SHARE WITH HER BECAUSE SHE COULD... SHE COULD TELL THAT I WAS NOT DOING WELL.

>> THE IDEA OF TRULY ASKING WHAT SOMEONE IS FEELING BEYOND THE SURFACE HELPED BOTH WOMEN REALIZE THEY NEEDED TO TRY TO HELP OTHERS GOING THROUGH A LOSS.

>> WE KNEW OTHER WIDOWS AND WE BEGAN TO TALK ABOUT SETTING UP A GRIEF COUNSELING SERVICE.

>> AND I NOTICED THAT WHEN I REACHED OUT WITH TEXT, THEY WOULD RESPOND, AND I WOULD BE JUST LIKE I WOULD SAY WITH CHARETTA.

THEY WOULD SAY, "I'M DOING GREAT AND DOING WELL," BUT I WOULD SAY "HOW ARE YOU REALLY DOING?

HOW ARE YOU REALLY FEELING?"

BECAUSE WE GIVE THAT GENERIC ANSWER, WE DON'T WANT TO BOMBARD PEOPLE WE DON'T WANT TO YOU KNOW MAKE THEM FEEL SAD, OR THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY BACK.

>> ONE OF THE WAYS THAT JULIA CHARETTA HAVE GIVEN BACK IS BY HELPING WIDOWS LEARN LIFE SKILLS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF BY THEIR SPOUSE BEFORE.

>> YOU MAY NEED TO HAVE ASSISTANCE IN PAYING BILLS.

SOME PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO TO PAY BILLS BECAUSE PERHAPS THEIR HUSBANDS HAVE ALWAYS PAID THEM FOR THEM.

IN MY CASE, I HAD NEVER PAID CAR INSURANCE, SO WHEN I SAW THE CAR INSURANCE BILL, I ALMOST FLIPPED OUT.

I DID KNOW WHERE TO GO TO PAY IT, BUT...

I HAD TO PROCESS IT.

>> FOR COVID UNCOVERED, I'M JEFF SMITH.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

FOR COVID UNCOVERED AND PBS NORTH CAROLINA, I'M DAVID HURST.

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