Lots of happenings on the COVID front last week. We reported that metrics, especially among younger folks, are creeping back up following weeks of decline, and looked at factors possibly contributing to this, including reopening bars and restaurants at higher capacity. As always, readers had thoughts.

Facebook commenter Brian Porter has no sympathy for anyone out carousing who hasn’t gotten vaccinated: “Vaccines are available to everyone,” Brian wrote. “If they don’t get it, then that’s on them. Can’t blame the “nightlife” now.”

Then, last Wednesday, Gov. Cooper announced plans to lift restrictions on social distancing, capacity, and mass gatherings if one-third of the state’s residents can get partially vaccinated by June 1.

Facebook commenter Ben Sloan thinks political forces are at play.

“He’s going to lift the restrictions on June 1st anyway because we live in a very conservative state, there’s a shit ton of pressure on him from small business owners who think they’re the next Bill Gates, and conservatives have become absolute greedy morons who disregard science and doddle children ever since Trump took office,” Ben wrote. “Actually that’s who they’ve always been, it’s just the cat is out of the bag.”

Commenter Lori Lieb agrees with Ben.

“You’ve got it,” Lori wrote. “The pressure to ReOpen has been led by the conservative forces that don’t care about anything except the almighty $, I don’t care how many Bible quotes they throw out there.”

We’re giving the last word on this to commenter Sara Davis, who wrote: “dumbest shit ever is not getting the free vaccine.”

We agree!

Check out our story this week on North Carolina’s reaching a tipping point when it comes to vaccinating residents.