>> Well good afternoon, everybody and thank you for joining today's update on COVID-19 in North Carolina.

As of today.

North Carolina has had 733,000 confirmed cases.

5,587 new cases since yesterday.

3,305 people in the hospital and sadly 8,915 people who have died.

Our prayers go out to those who've lost loved ones or who are battling this virus.

Today we're encouraged to see that our covid numbers have stabilized in recent days and that's good.

But the reality is that they are still high.

And that too many people are still falling seriously ill and dying.

The virus is still raging through our communities.

With more than 3300 people in the hospital in the percent of positive tests in the double digits.

We know this virus is still spreading.

And with at least one more contagious variant of COVID-19 in our state.

We still have work to do.

Let our guard down especially in these cold winter months that means we need to keep wearing our mask and practicing social distancing when we leave our house.

You've heard me say this a lot.

But it's because the simple measures have and will save lives.

Even as we continue our prevention efforts that top priority in our state.

It's getting vaccines to people as quickly and it's equitable early as possible.

As of today North Carolina has it ministered 99.8%.

Of all the first doses that we have received from the federal government.

I'm grateful to the Department of Health and Human Services emergency management.

And health providers across the state for working hard to get the shots out there.

The sticking point right now for our state and the nation is not enough vaccine.

We do have thousands of shots.

But there are millions of people who need 2 of them.

Yesterday we got some good news when we learned that the federal government will increase vaccine shipments to the states by 16% over the next 3 weeks.

That will help.

But we still need much more.

I've heard.

I know this is maddening and frustrating for many of you.

Hundreds of thousands of you have had success in getting vaccinated.

But many more of you haven't been able to get appointments or had been put on waiting lists.

Trying to get someone on the phone and long wait times.

That's I know that's frustrating.

But it will get better as the state gets more vaccine.

And more providers getting it out.

And until we do we all need to keep up with these 3 deputies plan and wait for our turn as hard as that is.

I want every single North Carolinian to be immunized to prevent this cruel disease.

North Carolina will make sure everyone has a spot to get their shot.

This pandemic is strained our patients but also our economy.

And many people are struggling financially.

We set up the hope program to relieve some of that strain by system with rent and utility payments.

As of this week, the hope program has paid nearly 130 million dollars to landlords and utilities on behalf of more than 34,000 low income North Carolinians who faced eviction or utility shut off.

With the General Assembly back in session.

I hope to work with the state legislators to appropriate recently passed federal funds to keep helping people and small businesses that are hurting.

There is significant need out there.

We hope to provide additional funds to expand the whole program.

At this time I'm going to ask doctor Mandy Cohen or secretary of the Department of Health and Human services to give us an update on our covid data back to code.

>> Thank you governor.

It's been a while since we've had a day today so let's dive in as a reminder we look at a combination of trend.

Metrics we look at covid like syndrome cases, new cases, positive tests as a percentage of total tests and hospitalizations.

On this first graph we look at people who have come to the emergency department with covid like symptoms.

This is our earliest detection mechanism.

You can see when looking at that yellow line it has trended downward over the past 2 weeks, however, you can also see it is still well above where it was earlier in the pandemic.

Next we look at new covid cases.

This first graph shows the trajectory of new cases each day since we had our first case back in March of last year.

Like the previous metric this still is way too high, but has been decreasing since its peak on January, the 10th.

If we narrow in on the trajectory of cases from early December through today you can see a clear picture that our cases are starting to level and they're back to where they were in late December.

Next we look at the percent of tests that are positive this graph also goes back to the beginning of December looking at the yellow line percent of positive tests is leveling at about 10 to 11%.

But this is still well above our goal of 5%.

On our next graph we look at day over day hospitalizations this graph also is from early December.

And you can see looking at that yellow line this trend has decreased just slightly but we're still well above where we were in December.

So in summary.

Here's where we are surveillance data has decreased, but remains very high it does get a read acts.

North Carolina North Carolina trajectory of cases is leveling but still well above where we were most of last year.

It gets a red X North Carolina trajectory percent of tests returning positive is leveling, but is well above our goal of 5% this also gets a yellow line and North Carolina's trajectory of hospitalizations is leveling but way too high it gets a yellow line.

The overall take away is that we are past the spike from the winter holidays, but we're still experiencing worrisome levels of virus.

This worry is compounded by the fact that we now have a new even more contagious covid virus strain in our state.

The 3 W's are as essential as they have always been.

Remember people can have COVID-19 and not know it the best way to protect those around you is to act as if you have the virus and could be contagious.

That means always wearing a mask over your mouth and nose always waiting apart from others and always washing your hands frequently.

Look I know people are tired and stressed this has been a hard year.

Please know that help is available.

Anyone in North Carolina can call the hope for Insee Helpline at 1, 8, 5, 5, 5, 8, 7, 3, 4, 6, 3, That's 1, 8, 5, 5, 587-3463.

It is help available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

We also have a new covid community readiness took it to help people find mental and behavioral health supports and resources in their community.

Having vaccines in the state is also offering those glimmers of hope as it does seeing our vaccine providers come together to get vaccines to people as fast as possible.

They achieved an important milestone today as the governor mentioned vaccine providers have administered 99% of all first doses in the state putting North Carolina in a strong position to advocate to the federal government for more vaccine as they become available.

As the governor shared we learned yesterday that we would see an increase of about 16% in this coming week's supply.

Even with this increased demand for vaccine vastly exceeds are supplied.

And I know it's frustrating to have to wait but everyone will be able to get their shot as vaccine supplies increase over the next several months.

Keep doing those 3 W's and staying home so we can slow this virus down.

Well we get everyone a spot to get their shot.

>> Thank you doctor Cohen and while it's good to see our numbers are decreasing in stabilizing.

As she said they remain too high.

We need to keep up our efforts to slow the spread of the virus.

Today I'm announcing that we will extend our modified stay at home order until February 28th of 2021.

That means the 10:00PM curfew curfew is still in place as are the mask mandates.

Mass gathering limits and capacity limits for businesses and retail.

If people follow the safety protocols.

They reduce their chance of getting sick and infecting others.

I'm also extending a moratorium on evictions to help people stay in their homes during this pandemic.

Health experts have shown us that keeping people in their homes as an important way to slow the spread of the virus.

And then eviction moratorium is important as we remain under a modified stay at home order.

And to support businesses working to serve customers during difficult times.

I will extend the order to allow to go and delivery sales for next beverages.

Those orders will be in effect through March 31st 2021.

Although we're often frustrated unwary.

We're entering a time of hope.

The vaccine team and health care providers are working night and day getting more vaccines to people.

And more are on the horizon.

Our covid numbers are stabilizing.

We are charting a path forward.

But we have more work to do.

Let's continue wearing our mask working hard to get people vaccinated.

And taking this seriously.

If we work to keep ourselves and each other safe.

We will defeat this virus.

And moved to better times ahead.

At this time I would like to recognize our director of emergency management Mike sprayberry to give us a brief update on the weather situation.

>> Thank you governor and thank you for your outstanding leadership today is day 324.

The state emergency response team activation for the covid response.

We're closely monitoring an incoming winter weather system which will bring snow to parts of North Carolina beginning tonight.

Rain will change to snow fall beginning around 10:00PM in our Western counties and snow is expected to arrive overnight for portions of our Central and eastern counties.

While the greatest accumulations are expected at the higher elevations in the mountains, several inches of snowfall are also possible across northern portions of Central and eastern regions of the state.

Our advice is for everyone to closely monitor the forecast for your area.

We know that winter weather is very difficult to predict in can change abruptly.

If you're in an area that gets significant snow accumulation please stay off the roads unless you absolutely have to travel.

This will allow state and local crews to clear the roads since this will be rain turning into snow as temperatures drop.

Dot is not brining most highways for this event as the rain would wash that salt solution, a way.

But their crews are prepared to quickly clear roads where snow or ice accumulates and to spread salt and sand where needed.

Please take the time today to make sure your home your family and your vehicles are prepared for winter weather and exercise caution, if you must travel in hazardous conditions.

Thank you very much.

>> Thank you director sprayberry also with me today as secretary of public safety, Eric hooks and commissioner of prisons Todd issue.

Monica mcghee and David painter or sign language interpreters and behind the scenes jacking that of year and Erica Cooper.

Our Spanish language interpreters.

We will now take questions and if you can state your name and your organization we would appreciate it will take the first one.

>> Our first question from Laura Leslie with WRAL.

Governor able to hear me OK. Great thank you and thanks for taking my question.

When do you anticipate that the state will have enough vaccine.

And move into the next phase.

I'm going to phase that we're in I should say and moved into the next phase of vaccinations.

>> I don't think we can exactly predict that yet because of what we know what the vaccine coming is for the next 3 weeks.

We're hoping for additional vaccine.

Coming later wrong.

We want to make sure that we get most of the people in phases before we move to the next one.

Darko let you elaborate on that a bit if you would.

>> Hi Laura we're working with our vaccine partners on that right now we've actually asked them the question about how they are seeing demand on the ground are they still seeing the high levels of demand for those who are 65 and up and from our health care workers which is the current folks we are vaccinating from what we have heard from our providers so far is that there is still a lot of demand from that group.

And so we don't anticipate moving forward quite yet.

But we want to make sure we are continuing to move quickly and make sure that we are doing what we did in this past week which was get all of those first doses out into arms each and every week so before the next shipment from the federal government comes so we'll be monitoring that very closely looking at our data working with our vaccine providers and then we'll be back in touch as we are able to move from one category to the next.

Thank you.

Next question please.

>> We have a follow-up laura leslie WRAL.

Thanks to a follow-up.

We have been hearing from folks who have had their vaccine appointments canceled obviously a lot of disappointment out there is a tease like to say to those folks.

>> Sure I know that it is frustrating for people.

They want their vaccines and they want them now because they will help protect you from this deadly disease.

The biggest problem we face right now is that we have millions of people who need it.

But only thousands of shots.

So I asked people to continue to to continue to work to try to get an appointment.

And we're encouraging providers to as much as they can do an appointment schedule situation and I would say to them that people are working night and day to get enough vaccines.

So that everybody can be vaccinated and that there will be a time for you to get your shot.

And we're going to continue to work to make sure everybody in North Carolina is vaccinated as quickly as possible.

And they've been working all this week to make sure we get rid of all of our first doses and get people vaccinated you can turn to Washington and say North Carolina needs more.

And that's what we've done.

Thanks next question voice.

>> Our next question is from page press with wbtv.

Governor thank you for taking my question is the stage for us from wbtv the CDC recently published new data saying transmission of COVID-19 wasn't happening at high levels in some schools in North Carolina to a study done with more of community spread suggesting that schools could return safely at the same time many North High School district are still all virtual will you change your guidance and request that the school give parents and in person option now based on the data.

>> Well first for any of you who watch these briefings, you know that you've heard for me that our priority is to get our children back into schools, physically.

We know that it's better for them there that they learn more and they get a lot more attention.

We provided schools with the options of 3 different plans.

One of course is still all remote.

I'm going to ask local school boards and superintendents to study this data that has just come out I know that our team is going to study the data and work with the state Board of Education and I think you'll hear more from educators and from our health team.

In the coming days, looking at that study and just remembering that we do want to get our children back in school as soon as we safely can and also remember that it is critically important that when children are in school as they are in many schools across the state that we keep up the safety protocols of wearing mask and keeping things clean and doing the things that we need to do to protect our children our teachers and staff members at school.

Next question please.

>> Our next question is from Steve Devane with the Fayetteville observer.

>> Yes, I hey governor this to devolve the federal to her my questions about nursing homes.

I was looking at the report.

Ongoing outbreak that looks like there's 70 some with more than a 100 cases and.

A dirt and that even have more than 20 deaths.

My question is whether or not.

You think the state has done enough to get the vaccine out to these you know to nursing homes and similar facilities and you know what would you say to folks who are concerned about that situation.

>> First it's been a priority to make sure that the state of North Carolina protects people who are in nursing homes.

And there's been significant work to help them when they have a case to make sure that they quarantine people and to try to prevent spreads but we know that in congregate living conditions that it's much easier for the virus to spread that our team has been working with providers all across the state.

It's critically important that we get vaccines to staff and long-term residents.

The federal government decided that it was going to Ron.

The nursing home vaccination program.

So if you look on our data she you'll see 2 separate.

The how North Carolina is running the vaccine program for everybody else but the federal government is running the long-term care facilities.

They contracted with Walgreen and CVS.

I was on the phone with the Biden administration and other governors and in most states across the country I think the long-term care tax nations are moving slower.

Then we would like to see I believe the dashboard had about 84,000.

Had gotten first doses and very few have gotten second dose is so weak told that Biden administration that we still we wanted them to pick up the pace as much as they possibly could and we want to provide.

Help to them to to do that.

So I think the state has worked hard to protect people in nursing homes, we're encouraging these vaccinations to occur.

We know that sometimes when Walgreens and CVS has gone into some gusts.

Nursing home some people have refused that and a lot of education efforts are going on to reduce and eliminate the skepticism that we know is out there with an know among a lot of people particularly communities of color that have a long history of having problems that give rise to concerns but I think with this independent body approving these vaccines.

They are safe and effective.

Everybody's working hard to make sure that people get vaccinated doctor Cohen would you like that OK. Next question please.

>> Follow up speed of on Fayetteville observer.

>> Yes, only other question would be.

Do you regret that you did not out of that program with the federal government I think some states might have done.

Feel they've done better on their all and it was that ever an option.

>> I believe that all states are under the federal program when it comes to long-term care that's not true okay, I'll let you take that.

>> Hi Steve I think we're we were not in the same position of a very few number of states who are differently situated because of relationships they had with different pharmacy entities that were based in the state for us CBS and Walgreens have been good partners.

They have completed all of their first dose.

Clinics going through all of nursing homes in every long term care site that signed up for the program.

I think that they've been doing it, you know communication of course we always want to see things go faster we want to address hesitancy but I think that they given the scale of the activity and taking doses to are most vulnerable.

I think they've done a very good job of completing all of their first those clinics now they have to go back for second dose and 3rd 3rd clinics to pick up those they may have missed another ships or new new.

Residents of our long-term care entities that might be be there.

So still a lot of work to do.

But we continue to work with them in partnership, thank you.

>> And we still want them to move faster.

Next question.

>> And the question is from Richard Craver with the winston-salem journal.

>> Hello governor secretary Cohen this is Richard Kramer with was settled rubble.

One last couple questions one is sort of a technical question to Secretary Cohen about whether her secretarial order this has been extended and then second.

I know I'm getting a lot of questions from teachers and other groups and wondering why they're not getting the bill to be vaccinated if given the effort to try to get the schools reopen, many feel like that would be a logical step in helping that salt water.

Address that situation given.

That today.

You had teachers a vaccination in Davie County and I know there's a few other counties.

Yeah other counties are not taken that step.

>> Thanks for that and anyone 65 and over can get a vaccine right now so or eligible to get a vaccine.

So.

Teachers who would fall in that category would be able to do it.

Their next in line with essential workers.

And we know it's going to be extremely important to get our teachers and staff vaccinated doctor Cohen and I were just talking about that before we we walked up here so they would be the next big next group in line and I'll let doctor doctor Cohen address her order.

>> Hi Richard yes, the secretarial directive that we put out a number of weeks ago is still in a fact that secretarial directive does remind folks to stay home whenever possible I know our trends have slightly improved, but we don't want to get numb to these numbers they are still extremely high and now we have a new contagious variant of this virus here in North Carolina.

So we're still encouraging everyone to stay home whenever possible really limiting leaving your home for things like work.

School going to the grocery store getting health care if you have to leave your home please wear a mask all the time keeps physical distance and wash your hands often thank you.

Next question please.

>> Follow up Richard Craver winston-salem journal.

Governor George secretary Cohen just too be sure can explain this correctly at this point what a foggy offers a shun all these County health departments like baby County using to be able to vaccinate teachers that other counties aren't.

>> Richard thanks for that.

So are our guidance to our local health departments and all of our vaccine providers is that we have a prioritization and as the governor said we are vaccinating those who are 65 and up as well as all of our health care workers.

We recognize though that there has to be some flexibility, the local level we know folks for example had appointments scheduled before we made a shift to the 65.

And up population.

We wanted folks to be able to honor those appointments and then as was asked in an earlier question we're trying to understand from a vaccine providers where are they are they not seeing the demand from those who are 65 and up and do they want to move forward to frontline essential workers which are teachers or police officers and others.

So we're trying to understand that so there is some flexibility at the local level but our instructions to please stay within the state's prioritization and again that is for those who are ages 65 and up and all health care workers at this time thank you.

Next question please.

>> Our next question is from Thomas way back with W I PM.

>> Hi governor Kay Ivey r I.

All right, thank you for taking my question I have kind of 2 parts.

First you think more of the state budget should be allocated vaccination efforts with the demand for vaccines so high.

And secondly with the General Assembly back how optimistic are you that we won't have other budget stalemate in this session.

>> Well first of course we need more resources for vaccines.

But what we need most of all is the actual vaccines themselves.

The federal government has provided some help to us we'll talk to the General Assembly about any state funds that that need to be used for that.

But we want to make sure that our providers have all the help that they need.

We've asked health departments to hospitals.

All those who are providing the vaccine if they need help we want to get it to them and we want to make sure that they have everything that they need to quickly equitably get these vaccines out.

You know I've spent time since the election talking to both Republican and Democratic leaders in the General Assembly.

I don't think anybody wants a budget stalemate.

The people of North Carolina voted in decided.

They wanted me to continue being governor and wanted the Republican leadership, continuing to serve in the General Assembly.

So I think we owe it to the people of the state to do everything that we can to find as much common ground as we can and to try to get a budget that we can agree on.

That one that everybody knows is not perfect.

But one that at least we can agree on.

And I've talked with both Republican and Democratic leadership frequently.

We talked as earlier early as last week.

Everybody is committing to more communication and transparency.

I want them to have input as we develop my budget to present to the General Assembly and we would like input during the process regarding what we want obviously we want more health care coverage.

More investments in education working toward a clean energy economy getting high speed Internet access across our state.

A bond proposal that's going to help with infrastructure schools, community, colleges and universities.

We want to see those kinds of things as well as help for businesses as we work to emerge from this pandemic but I think we will be able to find some common ground we did in my first 4 years as governor we found common ground in the number of areas and I'm going to give it my very best to make sure that there's give and take that everybody has as much voices we can at the table and that we can come up with a budget and other legislation that will help move North Carolina forward I think we owe it to the people to do that.

Thanks next question please.

>> The next question is from Laura Lee with Carolina public press.

Afternoon governor Laura Linney who Carolina public press.

I just want to revisit what Richard not about earlier.

We know there are some groups or individuals receiving vaccines in parts of the state.

And it sounds like some of that is attributed to previously set of the plan but to be clear to help doctors and hospital administrators at the county level have discussion about when they're to move to group 3.

Meaning some could move before others.

And if so have you given guidance on when they should be making that move and or how they are going to determine if someone you know we're coming up to the evidence that they are in fact a member of victory.

>> Thanks Laura couple parts of your question there let me start with that and how to folks know what group they're in and I want to remind folks that yesterday we put up a screen or tool you can go to your shot your spot.

Your spot, your shots keys me and that NC .gov and where folks can go through a series of questions to know what group they are in it outlines exactly who we mean when we say frontline essential workers.

And what what group folks fall into so that's that's the first on how to folks know what group they're in and similarly as I was saying before for our local providers were working that them right now to understand are you seeing a slowdown in those who are 65 and up coming in for appointments because the governor we has been very clear we need to make sure we are prioritizing speed and getting vaccine out so we don't want to be holding our local partners back from getting vaccine out quickly.

So we're trying to understand that right now if we are are we meeting that point where we're seeing a slowdown in those who are above 65.

If we're not seeing that slowdown we need to stick with this group because we prioritize those for a reason these are folks who are at highest risk for bad outcomes from covid those who are 65 and up represent 83% of our deaths here in North Carolina.

So we want to do a terrific job of reaching all of those who are over the age of 65 and again our supply of vaccine is incredibly limited so we do want to try and prioritize those who are over 65.

All that being said we recognize that there is are different things happening at on the ground with our providers so I asked them to get in touch with our team let's have a dialogue about what they're seeing so that they can keep up that speed of getting vaccine out but that we do it in in the prioritize way thank you.

Next question please.

>> Follow Laura Lee Carolina public press.

>> Thanks to that.

So the information about how someone might determine they're in groups of 3 and is presented in the materials you use, identified just wondering for the health care providers for the health director Health Department director hospital administrator.

Is there a process or procedure for them to determine if someone.

You know appears and says I'm a I'm a teacher under 3 is there some you know requirement Christmas evidence of that and do they have the question it sounds like they do to move their group Korea had if they feel like they've accomplished what they need to the group's one and 2.

>> I'll let doctor Cohen come up in a lab right on that question but I will say this.

We want local health leaders and providers to stick with what we have proposed for the list of prior because shun.

We also know that things are going to get a little more complicated when you move into the essential workers is pretty easy when you're talking 65 and above and a health care worker.

But it will get a little more complicated when we go into said said to workers and defining those I think what we want is for there to be some discretion locally about who would fall into that category we're going to give good that good guidance.

The bottom line is that we want to get vaccine.

Quickly into arms and we don't want too much complexity to stop that from happening.

That's going to let you elaborate.

>> All right you're seeing the exact right questions and in fact we will have additional guidance going out to our employers the employers of our frontline essential workers to talk about what they can do to right now start to get.

They're they're folks ready.

So there are ways in which we hope that employers do partner with our local health departments with our hospitals and other vaccine providers because this is going to be a bit more complex than just pure going by age alone.

So we're still working through some of the details but do you know that we're putting out some additional guidance, I hope as soon as this afternoon, maybe tomorrow morning.

Thank you.

Next question please.

>> The question is from Katie profits off of actually Charlotte.

Good afternoon governor Cooper that could keep wrong but again from axios Charlotte.

Had a question for you about not hospital system vaccine providers have been a number of private HB pieces to apply to the state could be COVID-19 just to be vaccine distributed use me try and medical in Charlotte, which has about a 155,000 patients is one example.

What is the timeline for troop in group like that and what role do you see these groups playing in helping to speed up vaccinations around the state.

>> We eventually we want as many qualified providers is we can get because our hope is that.

More vaccine is going to be manufactured that more different brands are going to be authorized and we're going to have more.

And the Department of Health and Human Services is working right now to go through all of that they are taking on providers as we speak and I think that the ones that you talked about they they will be considering all of those because we do want a very broad provider network.

But I'll let doctor Cohen elaborate on that.

>> Hey Katie the governor is exactly right so as we've been talking about this week we know our vaccine supply is so limited.

It we know that we're not even sending enough vaccine to all of the providers we have already enrolled in already.

Having ramped up their capacity.

Our providers last week did nearly 300,001st doses.

But we know on a go-forward basis even with the bump up from the federal government we heard about last night we're only getting about a 140,000 vaccines for the entire state.

So we know that that's going to have some limitations for all of our providers so thinking about bringing on new providers we want to be very strategic about it we need to see where there are fewer access points and bring on those providers where we see lower access points and particularly target that those providers who we know served or are traditionally underserved communities are historically marginalized communities across our state so our team is going through that process what I hope is our are providers across the state get enrolled get train on our our I T system so they can be at the ready as the governor said we want to be in a posture of saying bring us more vaccine here in North Carolina send us more vaccine federal government we are ready to to ramp up.

And so I think that's the work we need to do now is to get our providers ready.

For when they will be more more vaccine but as far as new providers coming online it is going to have to be targeted in the near term just given the limited supply we have.

Thanks.

Next question please.

>> Our next question is from dawn Vaughn with the news and observer.

>> I don't bother isn't isn't server.

>> About the timing of the extensions on these orders.

>> And any changes because of the federal government and a new administration.

Why did Lance bass 3 through February, but then the mixed race remarks, I'd only been things out like that or make any the mask mandate if you know that means through May just make that now.

>> And then with schools and asking the school district to study the data when can there be any sort of expectation of a timeline on that I didn't mention a 4, 1, 2, month old son.

>> Well first with the schools, I know the state Board of Education is looking at the data health experts are looking at it we're talking to local superintendents I think that's going to be really important as for the dates of the order.

We wanted to go ahead and give a month for the keeping of the protocols in place to protect the public.

Always if we look at numbers and we see things getting better and better we can always move in and remove some of those protocols but with the data as it is right now.

We wanted to make sure that we had a period of time we can continue to look at the diet data and make sure that we're protecting North Carolinians and send a strong signal that we still got a lot to do is we're trying to vaccinate people we've got to take the steps to to protect people at the same time on the Knicks treat beverage or we we did that order until the end of March to give businesses a lot of predictability as to what they can do.

We believe that this is a good economic boost.

For those businesses that have really been struggling those that have indoor entertainment indoor dining where people have to take off their mask.

Those are the places that have really been hit hard by this virus and we want to make sure that they have additional income during this period of time.

Next question please.

>> Our next question is from Andrea blandford ABC 11.

Hi governor on we just learned yesterday that the state's plan to get providers and predictable.

>> Baseline an on the first doses that they can expect for the next 3 weeks so how is that planned changing now that North Carolina will get more vaccine.

From the federal government over the next 3 weeks.

Thank you well.

>> Not much word.

We're glad to have that 16% but we're going to go from a 120,000 doses 240,000 doses.

So that staff will make decisions about giving you had the providers a little bit more and they're working through those numbers right now so that they can let providers know we're glad for this edition.

But as doctor Cohen said earlier.

They work very hard to get all of these first doses off the shelf and get with providers who could who could do the job to get shots in arms so we can show the federal government the North Carolina was ready for more vaccine.

And they've done that, but now we're going to see a reduction because we are only going to have a 140,001st are a little late really there's fewer of the first doses in the 140,240 1000 includes some second doses as well and by the way a lot of people look at the CDC data Tracker when you see a certain percentage that the state has administered remember that the state has to hold back for 3, 4 weeks whether it's Moderna or Pfizer for the second dose because part of what we received is the second dose as well.

So a lot of people get a little bit more but we're going to continue to work hard to get these vaccines out quickly and efficiently and equitably so that we can continue to take more in.

You want to have some.

>> Let me let me just well, andria that further clarify so the 140,000 that we're not we are going to get every week are all all first doses.

So those are all first doses we will still get our second doses in our normal allocation that will near 2 to 3 weeks later from what we get for our first issa's so we get a 140,000 now for the next 3 weeks because of that we're going to be able to give a little bit more to sort of this baseline minimum allocation that we are guaranteeing to our vaccine providers for the next 3 weeks so the little bit more we're at 84,000 we're going to get closer to 90,000 so it's good but we're still talking about pretty small numbers here.

Then we're going to use that that difference between the 90 and the one 40 to make sure we're getting balance across our state we want to see how many doses that we're giving per population we want to make sure we're reaching our historically marginalized populations and we want to make sure that we are going with folks who are ready to distribute this vaccine again speed continues to be a priority.

So that we can continue to demonstrate to the federal government that we are ready for more vaccine.

I'm hopeful.

That with the announcement yesterday from the federal government of getting some or a vaccine for the next 3 weeks that there is an opportunity for us if we can keep demonstrating that we can get through our first doses of vaccine that we are ready to take on more so a little more to that baseline guarantee that folks are going to get for the next 3 weeks and then we'll use the rest to fill in to make sure we're balancing across our population going with folks who are using alternative community sites to reach our historically marginalized populations.

Thank you.

>> Thanks for that doctor Cohen next question please.

>> The follow up Andrea blandford ABC 11.

Yeah, thank you for clarifying that and governor one more question for you because you mentioned earlier that afternoon that you're encouraging providers to move to an appointment on the protocol.

Can you elaborate on that or are you planning on making that mandatory statewide to cut back on some of these long lines that we see.

>> We're not saying appointment only we're just encouraging appointments and also encouraging it what you fill up appointments for the anticipated vaccine that you're going to get.

We're also encouraging waiting lists so that people can understand that their name is on and that their name can be called say so there will still be of events that are not appointments, but we encourage that because that that it's much more positive.

The vaccine provider really knows what they have and how much that they need to distribute.

So that's what we're doing.

Next question please.

>> Our final question that some will Michael so W UNC.

>> Governor well Michael said Wu and see if I may just build off of Florida and Richards questions.

How much oversight the state Health Department has.

When it comes to equitable over local health providers when it comes to equitable distribution.

In other words is there a mechanism by which you can track or do you actually know how many doses are going to the current priority groups and how many might be going to other priority groups or friends and family of clinic staff who may be on sale last minute wait list have you hold providers accountable.

>> First when we say equitable we also mean making sure that vaccines get to underserved communities and that's something that's in the plan and its instructions to providers and that's something that the state will know whether they've been able to do and I think everybody's working together.

But the state is going to be working to insist on that and I'll let doctor Cohen address the the various groups.

>> I will thanks for that question.

So yes, we work very closely with all of our vaccine providers again as I keep saying we want folks to be working on prioritizing folks who are 65 and up and health care workers.

Right now and so we'll continue to reiterate that.

But at the same time we recognize on the ground realities.

We need to be open and flexible so we we encourage folks who feel like they are moving on to the next group pleased to have a conversation with our team so we understand.

What what their plan is are they honoring appointments that already were in place or is there something.

Else that they're seeing on the ground that we're not seeing and so we're asking those questions of our providers right now so we know as the state when we need to move into this next phase of prioritization and what I would say is we're also working towards a place really where we can be transparent with everyone about our race ethnicity gender age data down to the county level as you know that date is already on our dashboard at the state level our providers need that data so that they can make sure that they are targeting their efforts appropriately so we hope to have that by the end of next week on our dashboard thank you.

There's a follow-up well.

>> I follow.

That you're going to is just the state Health Department have any similar oversights over the federal program for distributing vaccines to nursing homes or long-term care facilities do you have any similar oversight or is that federal government on.

>> Federal government is managing our long-term care vaccination programs through their to vendors CVS and Walgreens their parameters are pretty specific to say that they should be vaccinating health care workers who work at the long-term care facilities as well as the residents, so that those parameters are pretty clear but at the end of the day we do not want any any vaccine wasted and because of the shipping and handling of these vaccines when you take them out of the freezer you can't put them back in so we don't want vaccine wasted but going out of a priority order should be a very unusual circumstances should not be the thing that is happening each and every time.

But we do not want vaccine wasted so we we recognize that there are some places where we want to just make sure that we get vaccine into arms and not wasting it but at all other times really need to focus on those priority groups thank you.

>> Thank you for being with us today and stay safe, everyone.