>> Good afternoon, everybody and thank you for joining today's COVID-19 update as of today we have had 875,903 COVID-19 cases, 997 new cases reported since yesterday.

1147 people in the hospital and sadly 11,552 people who died.

We continue to think about and pray for those who've lost loved ones or who are battling.

This illness.

North Carolina's mission remains fast in fair when it comes to administering vaccines.

Today I'm proud to share that our state has fully vaccinated more than one 0.1 million people.

With almost 8 million adults in our state there's more work to do.

This is a huge milestone.

This puts us even closer to a time we can hug your loved ones and gather without fear severeal this.

I'm grateful for the vaccine providers across our state for working hard to get shots off shelves and into arms.

Your hard work is saving lives.

We also continue to emphasize fairness in our vaccine distribution.

In the last 4 weeks over 20% of our first doses have been administered a black North Carolinians.

And we've again received national recognition for our efforts to administer vaccines equitably and report demographic data on our vaccinations.

This weekend North Carolina was recognized as the leader in the nation for reporting this data.

We know that you have to be able to see the problem in order to fix it.

The will continue pushing these efforts so that everyone.

No matter what you look like or where you live has a spot to get their shot.

This month even more schools are returning to in person learning.

And the state Board of Education and state health officials are emphasizing.

How critical it is to get students into the classroom.

Getting students and educators in the classroom in person.

It's a top priority.

And I'm continuing to work with legislative leaders in both parties to ensure that happens site safely.

With children back in school in vaccine distribution.

Well underway.

There are more signs of hope that we are making progress toward putting this pandemic behind us.

The percent of tests that are positive is consistently around 5% where we wanted to be and our hospital numbers remain stable.

But this is not the time to abandon our prevention efforts.

In fact until the vaccine is widely available preventing the spread of this virus must continue to be a focus.

You know their times in football when the run years ago line and against celebrating too early in his trip to the football.

Let's not get caught celebrating too early.

Let's keep wearing our mask and being responsible.

So that one day soon we can turn the corner on this pandemic.

Tomorrow visit the FEMA supported vaccine site on its opening day in Greensboro.

This vaccination center will run for 8 weeks in aims to give about 3,000 vaccines that day.

I'm grateful for the collaboration among the federal government state and local health officials.

Carolina emergency management.

In the North Carolina National Guard and others who worked hard to make this happen.

Despite the challenges of this last year.

North Carolinians have never stopped showing up for each other.

Health care workers have saved lives day in and day out.

North Carolina businesses early in the pandemic started manufacturing ppe to help frontline workers.

Educators keep students engaged even through video screens.

Neighbors left meals for each other and families wait a loved one through windows.

This kind of compassionate resilience is what it means to be a North Carolinian.

It is what will help us get through this.

We'll continue to monitor our progress.

Both our COVID-19 metrics and vaccine distribution.

To guide decisions about future executive orders.

If we do this right.

We will see even more progress as we move into the spring.

I now recognize doctor Mandy Cohen for a few remarks to go.

Thank you governor.

>> The governor said getting to 1 million people fully vaccinated is quite a milestone I'm so grateful.

I got my shot last Friday from the wake County public health team.

They did a fantastic job and I want to thank the great team, running the site, especially Chrissy gave me my vaccine.

My arm was sore and I did feel a little achy that evening.

The reaction was mild and it didn't last long.

I was able to get the one shot Johnson Johnson vaccine.

So I will be fully protected after 2 full weeks.

It's a great feeling of relief.

One and done.

I hope that all frontline essential workers will get their shots too.

I the honor of getting vaccinated alongside reverend doctor William Barber, he and I will be hosting another fireside chat this Thursday evening and I invite you to join us as we continue our conversation about COVID-19 vaccines.

The Bentley live streamed on our social media channels.

Our focus on equity is getting national attention.

As governor Cooper mentioned this week, Bloomberg News recognize North Carolina as among the best performing states when it comes to distributing vaccines evenly among black and white residents.

I'm proud of our team for the progress we're making but we know we have more work to do.

We'll continue to use every lever we have to ensure historically marginalized populations can easily access to COVID-19 vaccine.

That includes how we allocate the vaccines who we allocate vaccines to which events we can support where we deploy state resources and who we engage on the ground to help address barriers like transportation and Internet access.

It also includes continued data transparency so we can hold ourselves and our vaccine providers accountable.

That same Bloomberg article attributed her success to date in part because they said North Carolina is by far the best at collecting demographic data.

Today we expanded the data available on the public facing dashboard you will now be able to see week to week progress on how we're doing to achieve our equity goals both at the state level and by County.

New grafs share vaccinations by race ethnicity gender and age group by County by week and show trends since vaccinations began.

We've also added information that show the number of 2 dose vaccines and one dose vaccine allocated and administered in the state.

At the end of last week North Carolina received about 80,001 shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

Unexpected the state did not receive new Johnson and Johnson allocations for this week and we're giving vaccine providers more time to administer this first round of the J J vaccine.

And we likely won't have more of the J J vaccine until really the end of the month.

The good news is that the supplies of the vaccine are improving overall we're fortunate that we have 3 vaccines that protect people from COVID-19 and most importantly keep them out of the hospital and prevent death.

Yesterday the CDC shared some new guidance on ways those who are fully vaccinated that means either 2 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna or taking the Johnson and Johnson vaccine can safely return to certain activities.

People who are fully vaccinated can get together with other fully vaccinated people without wearing masks and can gather with one unvaccinated household assuming those who are unvaccinated are at low risk.

It's important to note that people who have been vaccinated still need to wear masks when they're in public settings and around those who are not vaccinated.

I'm looking forward to hugging my parents for the first time in more than a year.

They are now fully vaccinated and will be visiting at the end of the month.

If you're looking forward to hugging your loved ones again.

I encourage you to get vaccinated when it's your turn.

While we're seeing covid trends moving in the right direction cases and hospitalization numbers do remain elevated.

And we still have work to do with the inter introduction of new variants of COVID-19 virus that are more contagious.

We need to safeguard our progress and keep protecting each other.

While everyone gets their spot to get their shot.

So keep doing the 3 W's for now wear a mask wait 6 feet apart and wash your hands, thanks governor.

>> Also with me today is secretary of public safety Eric hooks and emergency management chief of staff will re.

Cameron Larson and Monica muggier sign language interpreters and behind the scenes, Jackie and jasmine that every year.

Our Spanish language interpreters.

We'll now take questions from the media if you will identify yourself.

A new organization.

We'll take the first question.

>> Our first question from Ashley Talley with WRAL.

I governor thank you so much for taking my question.

Senator Berger just held a press conference about an hour ago saying that you all are working together on.

A potential.

>> Reopening schools plan that would perhaps to bridge the gap between what Democrats and Republicans in the Legislature have been talking about but when you put your response to that.

>> Yes we have been talking I've been talking with the Republican and Democratic legislative leaders and we are talking about the best way our students can get back into the classroom.

I think we all share the goal of getting her children back to in person in the classroom.

I think on February the 3rd I stood here encouraging schools to go back in.

We want to make sure that it is done safely.

But our numbers continue to improve and I look forward hopefully to coming to some time.

Some kind of agreement I have not seen actually seen legislation yet and I look forward to looking at bad hopefully getting to somewhere that we can we can announce it.

That question place.

>> We have a follow-up Ashley Talley WRAL.

Thank you so much for that and as far as the numbers that you're referencing that continue to go down.

>> We've seen states across the country including the south of us and South Carolina doing away with mask mandates and all that if there's certain number or one of our metrics that you're looking at when you think North Carolina may make the changes and what do you think of our neighboring states doing that.

>> We're going to listen to health officials and health officials across the board continue to want to make sure that we have a mask mandate in place that we wear masks to protect each other.

And ourselves.

We're still working on getting people vaccinated our numbers are lower that is great and we need to keep working to make sure that our prevention efforts are in place.

So we don't we don't intend to lift the mask mandate in North Carolina and look forward to even better numbers in more progress ahead as we get more people vaccinated.

Next question please.

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

>> Dawn Vaughn with the newsman server when asked also about that senator Berger in Ballard press conference they're saying they're hoping that they'll be some agreement announced later today and that would be able to slay shun that you would find can you tell us or you are on that negotiating in and the compromise to have been from that.

>> Like I said earlier I'm waiting to see legislation I haven't seen it yet I certainly want to reach agreement on this issue and hope we can.

Soon.

Next question please.

>> We have a follow-up to arms on news and observer.

Can you say where is the compromise is as far as if it's the.

>> Having local and state emergency control or that plan a versus B and allowing the district to decide.

>> And talk about that right now because we are in discussion as I said earlier I've been talking with Democratic and Republican leaders in the state Legislature.

Our numbers are getting better we want our children back in school safely.

And we hope that we can have a compromise bill soon.

Next question please.

>> Our next question is from Richard Craver with the win New Hampshire now.

>> Yes, I cover this is Richard Craver with the asylum Terrell.

Given the nature of what you're discussing about faced and reopening there's been a least a couple bills have been introduced wanted kickabout are some restaurants to allow them to fully open.

Given your status year a stance on those such bills back in 2020.

Have you had a chance to review and consider whether you would be agreement or would that be something that you be opposed to it.

>> Well we having the executive order in place that has bars at 30% capacity indoors and more than that outdoors with appropriate masking and social distancing.

We're listening to the health officials and looking at our numbers if we continue to make progress we hope to.

Ease restrictions in future executive orders.

We're going to continue to encourage people to wear a mask and be responsible because that's the way we can keep our numbers down until people are fully vaccinated so we're getting there and I think you when you look at North Carolina's numbers and I think we've saved lives by actions that we have taken and look forward to hopefully the Legislature working with us to help get us through this pandemic and hopefully we can get on the other side of the same.

Next question please.

>> Our next question is from Sharon Van beaten with spectrum news.

Hello governor this is Sharon Van zweden from spectrum news, one can you explain that the state has been hit by any of the shortages of syringes or other types of materials used in the vaccine process.

>> Doctor Cohen address that.

>> Hi Sharon that's something we've been monitoring on as we go along here and no we haven't seen syringes or other shortages of materials hold up anyone from being able to get vaccines out.

What what what the federal government has done is change the needles that they've used to make sure that we can be drawing as much of that vaccine out of each and every vile we're seeing our providers do that.

So so far we have not had any issues though it is something that we continue to monitor closely.

Thank you.

>> Next question please.

>> We have a follow-up Sharon benzene spectrum news.

Hello again this is for doctor Cohen can you give us any guidance on when you might be opening up vaccinations for children or people under age 21.

>> Well, thanks Sharon so there are several of the vaccines are able to be for folks who are under the age of 21 currently the Pfizer vaccine is eligible for those who are 16 and up the other 2 vaccines, 18 and up.

The vaccines are right now going under more clinical trials for younger ages, they have not yet been approved for children, but they are being studied right now and we're so appreciative that they're raising right here in North Carolina and we're appreciative of that those who have volunteered to be part of those clinical trials.

So we look forward to seeing additional data as you know we are vaccinating folks.

According to priority groups were focused on those who are at highest risk of exposure.

And highest risk of having a severe outcome from covid which is why we've worked on on vaccinating our health care workers.

Those in our long-term care settings those over 65 and up.

Now our frontline essential workers who can't stay home to do their job and coming next are going to be those who are have increased risk because of a medical condition and we're continuing to talk to our vaccine providers all the time about making sure that we are appropriately moving forward with with due haste to get to all of our priority groups as quickly as possible.

Thank you.

>> Next question please.

>> Our next question from Brian Anderson with the Associated Press.

>> Hi governor hideout the telling first for for governor Cooper I was just hoping you can explain.

A little bit more about the face for eligibility a a correct me if I'm wrong but I heard doctor Cohen day.

There's no JNJ does is coming this week or next week.

Do you anticipate that affecting the March 24 timetable for the medically vulnerable.

>> First we know that medically vulnerable who are 65 and over who are essential workers who may be living in congregate living.

Already have had an opportunity to get vaccinated I think all the health officials want to move it from one group to the next as quickly as possible, but I'll let doctor Cohen address that specifically.

>> Hi Brian, the change that allocations were already factored into our thinking and in in fact the governor and I were just hearing from our White House partners that we're going to be getting even a bit more of Pfizer doses as we go forward here week-over-week so that's good news and as a reminder that we're opening the site in greensborough that is a partnership with FEMA.

That also brings in additional doses to our state above our allocation.

We know the federal government is also increasing the number of doses going to our retail pharmacy program that's Walgreens and some of our CBS is around the state.

So we are seeing supply improve which is why we're going to continue to monitor to see how quickly we can move to group 4.

Right now we're vaccinating our frontline essential workers.

Those who are over 6565, and up.

But we will continue to monitor that and the latest we would go is March 24th, but we would look to see if we could move that up sooner thank you.

Next question place.

>> The next question is from Don Evans was W V P. >> Governor thank you for taking the call I guess this would go to doctor Cohen you mentioned doctor Cohen about the future shipments of the J and J vaccine and Pfizer do you have numbers on exactly how many doses of the Johnson and Johnson and Pfizer might be coming to North Carolina.

When those new shipments come in and how it might allow expanding some of the mass vaccination clinics that go along with it.

Thanks so much.

>> Well, thanks so much so as of right now starting this coming weekend remember the vaccine week starts on Wednesday's generally when we get our shipment of vaccine for the week if you will so Tuesday night into Wednesday and we're getting now about 225,000 doses between the Pfizer and Moderna.

Doses of vaccine.

That's first doses only again second doses come on its own schedule, according to the time the folks are supposed to get their second dose so we're getting 225,000 first doses but that's just to our North Carolina providers on top of that we know there is going to be some amount of the JNJ allocation we've got 80,000 doses last week we know we're not getting any this week.

We will see if we'll get just very small amounts in the coming weeks and then we're reported by the federal government that the Johnson and Johnson vaccine will really ramp up once we get into April so we're already planning for that but remember in addition to the first doses as a way saying that we get here to North Carolina that we then allocate out to providers.

We have there are some additional doses coming into our state to come through for example, the retail pharmacy program and go directly to our Walgreens and some of our CBS locations they come in and go to some of our federally qualified health centers directly and they are going now to this new partnership with the FEMA site in Greensboro and again they're going to be doing about 3,000 vaccines a day so all of that improves our ability to get supplies out to the folks in North Carolina ringing keep pushing to make sure we're getting out things fast and equitably thank you.

>> Next question please.

>> Our final questions they'll be from Derek Dellinger with FOX 46.

Thank you for taking my question is what they're telling you it starts going 6 and Charlotte.

You mention the numbers in the equity aspect of this is you guys been touting, but there has been one demographic here.

That's kind of been lacking in some of this we noticed this on the dashboard well vaccination rates among the sake of his population is only 3% they make up about 10% of the population.

We know that police and state level as well as its especially here in Mecklenburg County on the county level.

There has been a lot of outreach to minority communities, especially what next community.

What do because of lingering recent so the president is going on here and what is being done additional to address that because I know you guys have been doing a lot to address live next community over the last year.

>> Well thanks for the question in first, it's important to point out that you can't know about a problem until you can see it and I credit doctor partment of Health and Human Services doctor Cohen's team, 4 main issue we built our own database, so that close to 100% of the vaccinations that we administer we know race and ethnicity there's been a lot of work to try to reach out to communities.

Community leaders community groups and there has been strong intentional effort.

That number needs to get better.

Out I'll turn it over to doctor Cohen let her tell you about some of the specific things that are going on.

>> Thank you governor and thank you Eric for the question what I would say is with the new information you can see on our dashboard today you can actually see we are making progress week-over-week and this past week we were able to reach a larger percentage of our Hispanic community.

We had been about about 3% of vaccines are going to her spent IQ community we know they make up about 9% of the population.

But last week we jumped up to 7%.

So that's.

Would they were getting better so we're more than double where we were just a week ago so already making some progress but we know we as the governor said we have more work to do.

>> But that data helps us drive our decision-making I think that what you're going to see is particularly a lot of a partnership with a number of business employers.

Particularly we know that are that around that are able to.

Work with us and do some of the vaccine clinics that are are reaching out specifically to the Hispanic community.

I think it's really important that we also have language access.

And so that has been a particular focus and I also want to thank all of our partners who have really stepped up and helped us raise awareness.

I was joined by number of partners to do and all Spanish language fireside chat last week which I think was with great and we're going to continue to do that could it does take timely one answer folks questions.

We want them to understand that vaccines are safe, but we also want to know that their information that they give to us said a vaccine event is private and we do not share that with any immigration officials so there are a lot of of things we want to make sure we're answering folks questions as we go through.

Thank you.

>> We're also working with leaders in our American Indian population to increase uptake of vaccine there so we're going to continue making sure that this vaccine gets across our state in rural and urban areas all 100 counties.

All parts all people.

We want to make sure that North Carolina gets vaccinated as quickly and as fairly as possible.

So that we can turn the corner on this pandemic thank you all for joining us and stay safe out there.