At 11: Three new vaccines enter the pipeline: the one that could hit the market in the next few weeks & the number of Americans who could get it
— More vaccines could hit the market soon. When should we expect to see them?
Families have been encouraged to get tested for COVID-19 before spending time with extended family during the holidays this year. But does the state have enough capacity for the surge in COVID testing?
PROGRESS, THE ECONOMY REMAINS DOWN 10 MILLION JOBS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC. >>> PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE URGING CAUTION AS WE SET ANOTHER RECORD TODAY IN NORTH CAROLINA FOR COVID CASES. YESTERDAY REPORTED THE HEALTH SECRETARY WAS URGING PEOPLE NOT TO GET TOGETHER WITH FAMILY FOR THE HOLIDAYS, BUT IF YOU DO, TO BE TESTED FIRST. WE WANTED TO KNOW IF THERE IS ENOUGH CAPACITY FOR A POTENTIAL SURGE IN PEOPLE BEING TESTED. SARAH KRUGER HAS BEEN WORKING ALL DAY TO ANSWER THE QUESTION. >> Reporter: ONE THING I FOUND OUT IS THAT THERE ARE FREE COVID TESTING EVENTS COMING UP ALL AROUND THE STATE, INCLUDING ONE RIGHT HERE AT THIS CHURCH IN DURHAM NEXT WEEKEND. THAT IS ONE OPTION FOR PEOPLE. AS FAR AS THAT QUESTION YOU MENTIONED, I FOUND OUT IT WAS NOT AN EASY QUESTION TO ANSWER, BUT I STUCK WITH IT AND HERE IS WHAT I FOUND. THE STATE TOLD ME THERE IS NO ONE ANSWER THEY CAN GIVE ME ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF AVAILABLE TESTING CAPACITY AND THAT I WOULD NEED TO ASK INDIVIDUAL LABS, HOSPITALS AND COUNTIES FOR THAT. SO I ASKED AS MANY AS I COULD. >> IS THERE ENOUGH TESTING CAPACITY IF THERE WERE TO BE A SURGEON DEMAND AND GETTING TESTS? >> WE HAVE ENOUGH CAPACITY. >> Reporter: MEDICAL WITH LABS IN RALEIGH AND HENDERSON IS ONE OF THE PLACE WHERE COVEN TESTS GET SENT TO BE PROCESSED. >> TODAY WE WERE ABLE TO RUN OVER 100,000 TESTS. CURRENTLY IT IS BETWEEN 40,000 AND 50,000 TODAY WE ARE CURRENTLY PERFORMING. >> Reporter: I REACHED OUT TO NEARLY A DOZEN LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS. WAKE COUNTY, WHARTON COUNTY IN ! COUNTY RESPONDED, TELLING ME THEY COULD HANDLE AN INCREASE IN DEMAND. UNC TOLD ME THEY TOO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO TEST MORE PATIENCE THAN THE 1000 TO 2000 THEY ARE RUNNING ON AN AVERAGE DAY. >> TESTING THE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. >> Reporter: KEITH FUNDERBURK IS WITH THE OLD NORTH STATE MEDICAL SOCIETY THAT HOSTS FREE TESTING EVENTS ALL OVER THE STATE. HE SAYS THEY ARE READY FOR A HOLIDAY RUSH. >> GRANDMA IS AT HOME COOKING THE TURKEY AND MAKING THAT GRAVY, BUT FIRST WE WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE TESTING. >> Reporter: PEOPLE I SPOKE TO IN DURHAM SAY THEY PLAN TO PLAY IT SAFE, HAVING THEIR THANKSGIVING DINNERS WITH IMMEDIATE FAMILY ONLY. >> TODAY WE SAW THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF COVID CASES, A RECORD. DOES NOT FACTOR INTO YOUR DECISION? >> IT DOES. IT IS WORRISOME. I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT IT. >> Reporter: AS FAR AS THE FEET FREE COVID-19 TESTING EVENT HERE AT ST. JOSEPH AME CHURCH ON FAYETTEVILLE STREET IN DURHAM IS HAPPENING NEXT WEEKEND. WE HAVE THE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT ON OUR WEBSITE, WRAL.COM.
