CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Over the last two years, over 4 million people in the Carolinas have gotten COVID-19.
And while that number is high, there are still plenty of people who have managed to avoid the virus altogether. For people who never got COVID, what are the odds they never will?
Let's connect the dots.
The federal government estimates about 43% of people have been infected with the coronavirus. The CDC estimate counts each person once, so some of the more than 140 million Americans estimated to have had COVID-19 may have been infected more than once.
That leaves almost 60% who never had it. Now with restrictions easing up and masks coming off, the question is "are we all going to get it?"
A new report from The San Francisco Chronicle asked the experts. They say it's possible, but unlikely, especially over the next year or two.
They say with most people in the country vaccinated at some level, those who are will be relatively protected.
They say the goal right now, is to find the right balance to avoid the virus while enjoying life.
WCNC Charlotte is part of seven major media companies and other local institutions reporting on and engaging the community around the problems and solutions as they relate to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a project of the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative, which is supported by the Local Media Project, an initiative launched by the Solutions Journalism Network with support from the Knight Foundation to strengthen and reinvigorate local media ecosystems. See all of our reporting at charlottejournalism.org.