UNC REX hospital gives out 450 teddy bears to patients for Christmas

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- UNC REX Hospital carried on its Christmas tradition of giving out teddy bears for Christmas on Thursday.

More than 450 bears were given out to hospital patients as a bright spot for having to spend Christmas in the hospital.

Most years, volunteers help deliver the bears, but COVID-19 put a pause on that. The tradition has gone on for more than 20 years and on Thursday, carried on through nurses and hospital staff.

North Carolina recently surpassed 3,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations throughout the state.