KEEPING AN EYE ON AS WE COULD START SEEING IMPACTS FROM HOLIDAY GATHERINGS >>> A CONCERN ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA IS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE HOSPITALIZED WITH COVID-19. TO DAY WE CROSSED ANOTHER MILESTONE. FOR THE FIRST TIME NORTH CAROLINA HAS MORE THAN 3,000 PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL. >> STAFF FOG HOSPITALS ON THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL IS A MAJOR CONCERN RIGHT NOW. THAT IS WHY THE FRONT LINE WORKERS WERE FIRST TO GET THE VACCINES TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE HEALTHY TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE FILLING UP THE BEDS INSIDE OF HOSPITALS. >> ACROSS THE STATE, ICU BEDS ARE AT 83% CAPACITY. REGULAR BEDS ARE AT 76% FULL. OF THE EIGHT REGIONS IN OUR STATE, THE CAPITAL REGIONAL HEALTH CARE PREPAREDNESS COALITION HAS THE FEWEST HOSPITAL AND ICU BEDS AVAILABLE. WITH ONLY 16 ICU BEDS OPEN AND 189 HOSPITALS BEDS OPEN, IT IS A MAJOR CONCERN FOR MANY. >> WE ARE VERY MUCH WATCHING THE STAFF CAPACITY. WE KNOW THAT THERE -- YOU CAN SEE THAT IN OUR NUMBERS. CERTAIN DAYS WE HAVE MORE BED CAPACITY BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE STAFF. WE ARE LUCKY HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA IT IS NOT A PHYSICAL SPACE LIMITATION. IT IS ABOUT OUR PEOPLE RESOURCES AND IT IS EXACTLY WHY OUR VACCINATIONS HAVE STARTED WITH OUR FRONT LINE HEALTH CARE WORKERS. >> NOW ACROSS UNC HEALTH THEY HAVE MORE THAN 400 COVID PATIENTS IN INCLUDING 75 IN THE ICUS. THEY SAY THIS IS THE MOST THEY HAVE HAD SINCE THE PANDEMIC