>> Good afternoon, everybody and thank you for joining today's briefing.

As of today we have had 1,472,655 cases.

2160 new cases reported since yesterday.

1406 people in the hospital and sadly, 17,935 people have died.

Although every death is painful and now often avoidable.

We felt a renewed sense of hope over the last month has North Carolina's COVID-19 numbers have continued their steady improvement.

You the people of North Carolina who have gotten vaccinated and followed community safety standards deserve the lion share of the credit along with our health care professionals.

Today doctor Mandy Cohen our secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services will present more detailed look at our statewide trends.

And it's good news.

We're relieved to see fewer people requiring hospital care and ICU beds for COVID-19.

Our percentage of tests positive continues to decline.

And the number of people vaccinated increases every day even though we want to go faster.

Our children are in the classroom and on our University campuses and children as young as 5 will soon be eligible for vaccination.

People are eating at restaurants and going to concerts and ball games.

People are traveling again and most people are back at work.

Although many are doing it in a different way or at a different job.

I want to thank businesses and other employers that is to to to strong vaccine requirements for employees and customers.

This is helped increase North Carolina's vaccine right.

More than anything it save lives and help boost our economy.

Your leadership is making a difference.

There are still challenges.

There's significant burnout among Healthcare workers which is causing a strain.

The best way to help them is to get vaccinated.

Has vast majority of the sickest covid patients continue to be unvaccinated people.

Meanwhile if you still haven't gotten your shot at times nail.

This vaccine is safe effective and free.

More than 400 million doses have been administered across the country.

Getting your shot significantly lowers your chance that you get severe symptoms or die from COVID-19 and lowers the chance that you can spread it to family or friends.

And if you're already vaccinated booster shots are now widely available to extend an increase your protection which is already good.

Doctor Cohen will share more details on what to know about boosters and if it's right for you and which one to get.

We expect the federal government will soon give the green light to vaccine for children ages 5 through 11 years old.

North Carolina health officials have been preparing for this and working to ensure parents can easily get their children vaccinated and protected.

Once authorized.

We want to ensure that vaccines for children are accessible all across our state in their pediatrician's offices and other places parents, no interest.

I now recognize doctor Cohen to share an update on the North Carolina data, another work that's being done by our health experts that go.

Thank you governor.

>> Today all share where we are on our trend explain who can get a booster and give an update on the status of our vaccines for our younger children, OK, so we'll get started with data.

This first graph looks at people come to the emergency department with covid-like symptoms earliest detection mechanism.

You can see when looking at that yellow line that this trend has come down significantly from its recent peak in early September.

And this is really good news.

Next we look at new covid cases this first graph shows you the trajectory of new cases each day since we had our first case back in March of 2020.

You can see that we've had 2 significant peaks since the pandemic started the second peak is from this August and September and was a result of the Delta variant and had the greatest impact on people who are not vaccinated.

Let's zoom in and look at just the last few weeks for cases and this graph are looking at cases from the end of August through today and you can see that our cases have been trending down for the last several weeks this is great progress.

We want to see these numbers come down even more as a rate of cases we have right now still puts our state in the cdc's red zone with the highest level of community transmission of this virus.

Next we look at the percent of tests that are positive this graph goes back to the end of August and looking at that yellow line are percent of tests that are positive has also come down quite a bit and we're much closer to our 5% goal.

Our next graph we look a day over day hospitalizations and again this graph also starts at the end of August and we're seeing good news.

Looking at the yellow line you can see that this trend has come down significantly and we're seeing the same downward trend for people needing intensive care.

I want to echo the governor's recognition of the tremendous hard work of our frontline health care folks.

Our next lead looks at what's happening at the local level this is an important map.

It's one from the CDC that shows the level of viral transmission across our state.

With 2 exceptions all North Carolina counties are either red with the highest levels of virus transmission or orangewood substantial levels of transmission that means everyone in North Carolina should be following the CDC guidance and wearing a mask in indoor public settings until viral transmission can decrease to moderate or low levels.

All schools should require mask to keep everyone in school for in-person learning.

Now let's turn over look at vaccines.

Today, 64% of North Carolinians age 12 and up are fully vaccinated 67% of those 18 and older are fully vaccinated and 89% of those 65 and older are fully vaccinated is good progress.

This sideshows the percent of the population fully vaccinated by age groups and you can see that only 42% of children ages 12 to 17.

Are fully vaccinated and only 46% of our young people ages, 18 to 24 are fully vaccinated.

I encourage our teens to visit teen VAX backs .com to get information and resources they need to educate themselves about COVID-19 vaccines.

During the most recent surge of COVID-19 cases in children rose dramatically.

That's why I'm excited that yesterday we came a step closer to having safe and effective vaccines available for younger children.

An independent advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration unanimously recommended the use of Pfizer's vaccine in children 5 to 11 years.

Now the FDA and CDC will complete a thorough review of this process to make sure that these vaccines are safe and effective for children.

Fortunately once the CDC does recommend vaccines for 5 to 11 year-old they'll be ample supply of these vaccines across the state.

We have more than 750 locations statewide gearing up to be ready to go including doctors offices pharmacists pharmacies local health departments and community vaccine events.

We're also setting up family vaccine sites across the state so that every child has a spot to take their shot.

My spot dot NC .gov will be the best place for you to find a vaccine location.

Getting school age kids vaccinated will help them to be safe in the classroom, play sports participating school theater attend events be with friends and support their mental health.

I'm eager to get my daughters vaccinated once the FDA and CDC review the data and complete the process.

Now let's talk about boosters.

After last week's actions by the FDA and CDC, more people can now get a booster to strengthen and extend protections against COVID-19.

So here's who's eligible.

If you've got the Johnson and Johnson vaccine more than 2 months ago.

You should get a booster.

If you've got the Moderna or the Pfizer vaccine and your second shot was more than 6 months ago.

You should get a booster if you are 65 and older or you are 18 or older and have a medical condition that puts you at higher risk or you live or work in a setting that put you at higher risk for exposure to covid.

To help you sort out are you eligible, we actually have a quiz on our website you can go to your spot your shot that NC .gov and of course you should ask your Healthcare provider as well.

When you do get your booster you can get any brand you want or you can stick with the one you're originally got the good news is all are safe and all boost your immune system.

I've shared that I've gotten the Johnson and Johnson vaccine originally and last Friday I got my booster and went with Moderna.

I mean my decision based on some limited preliminary evidence that suggests booster doses of with one of the 2 mrna vaccines that means the Moderna or the Pfizer may produce a slightly stronger immune response following the J and J vaccine.

But I encourage you to speak with a doctor or nurse practitioner or a pharmacist, if you have questions about which booster is right for you.

Vaccines are saving lives in North Carolina people who are unvaccinated are 20 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than people who are vaccinated.

I'm encouraged to see that every day more people are making the decision to get vaccinated more than 220 million Americans have been safely vaccinated including more than 5 million North Carolinians.

For some people decision has been hard there's a lot of misinformation out there.

If you haven't gotten vaccinated yet please talk with your doctor and nurse or other medical professional or go to a reliable online health resource like the CDC or your spot, your shot that NC .gov to be sure you're getting accurate information.

Getting vaccinated is a powerful action you can take to protect your health to protect your loved ones and to help end this pandemic at last don't wait to vaccinate thank you governor.

Thanks doctor Cohen.

North Carolina's fight is not over.

We're making great progress.

But we need to keep working to continue the downward trend because hospitalizations and deaths.

>> Are still too high as you heard doctor Cohen say.

And as our progress continues, we still need to help those who are struggling.

This month, the hope program marked its one year anniversary with more than a half-billion dollars in pandemic relief funds awarded to landlords and utilities to prevent evictions and keep the lights on for hard-hit families.

The hope program ranks number 3 in the country.

The number of households served with more money going out the door every day.

And I encourage those who need help to apply.

We're grateful to see this latest surge in COVID-19 taper off.

As we try to drive the numbers down.

We know what works vaccines.

The more people who get their shots.

The less covid will have.

Right now every unvaccinated person is another foothold allowing this virus to regain strength.

So keep talking with your friends family employees and co-workers about getting vaccinated so we can put this pandemic at the rear view mirror.

Also with me today is North Carolina director of emergency management will Ray our sign language interpreters are lee williamson and Monica mcghee behind the scenes jasmine but if you're in Erica coogler our Spanish language interpreters.

We have some media who are in person here so will.

But you guys start the questioning.

>> And governor Brian Anderson here at the AP has been a while since last news conference of forgive me for percent actually questions I have but I'm curious start off just on the budget and where things stand what do you feel the prospects are that you will be able to sign a negotiated budget into law and when do you plan to offer your counter offer to legislative leaders.

>> I am hopeful that we can reach a budget a budget resolution.

I believe good faith negotiations are ongoing.

Among but Republican and Democratic leaders and me.

We're in the process to day responding to the Legislature and presenting.

With our latest counteroffer in that it's probably going on now or should be going on, but then the next hour or so.

So we're going to keep work.

>> Would you say to members of the public and frankly members of the media who were concerned that there's 0 visibility into what the Legislature's proposed what you're proposing in this is just a bunch of lawmakers behind closed doors, making secretive deals and we have no visibility.

We have laid out.

>> Our entire budget that I proposed to the General Assembly.

The General Assembly, both the House and Senate laid out there entire budgets, they work to come to some agreements and it's pretty open as to the things that I'm interested in and I've continued to say it.

Every day I want more people with health care I want more investment in education.

And Republicans have their priorities as well.

So we're talking back and forth and look forward to reaching a resolution saying.

>> Is it time for you to let your statewide emergency order expire, 35% drop in cases last couple weeks 37% drop in hospitalizations.

We haven't held in a covid formal covid briefing in a month it doesn't sound like an emergency what do you say to people who are calling for you to let this expire we don't have statewide mandates in place, however we are still using.

The emergency order to allow health care providers to do things they otherwise could not do under the law and helping us.

>> Draw down funds.

So that's still an important part of the process lost one tree and then I have one for doctor Cohen.

The latest GOP maps for redistricting are around this time of year.

>> Obviously as North Carolina's governor, you don't have an ability to sign or veto it.

And back when you are a Democratic state senator it seemed like you thought the should stay within the Legislature is that still your view and what do you think of the latest maps that the public has seen.

The maps I've seen so far don't look fair.

I have supported for a while now an independent redistricting committee.

>> I think that is the way to do it.

We've seen it successful and other states and they ought to pass a law to do that.

And had one for doctor Cohen as well.

All right.

>> Could you explain the latest update for mask guidance in K 12 schools that it's my understanding there's been some change but I haven't seen that reflected on the Web site yet.

>> Sure actually so no change in mask guidance where we are right now for our schools, you know the vast majority of our students are unvaccinated and what we say we know the vast majority of folks who are unvaccinated you've got to do other things to protect each other and top of the list, there is wearing masks so right now there is no change to our recommendation that all school should require masks.

In K through 12 on to that has not changed we're trying to forecast for folks is things are getting better as I shared in our trends and we said we are going to be looking at the CDC.

Guidance that says as you do improve their it out on the horizon there are.

Opportunities for us to think about stepping that back but we're not we're not close to that yet and we are reiterating that today in our guidance to say you know as as school boards are reevaluating should they keep mask mandate.

The answer is yes, they should because nearly all of our counties are either red or orange and while you're still in that place we really shouldn't be considering taking away the mask mandate, so that that memo that came out a couple of.

>> Of days ago that's not a formal position of if you're in a a non high level of transmission County.

You can sort of switched mask-optional my understanding is you know it's only relevant to a couple of 100 counties but.

>> That's right so if you remember the map that I show during her presentation there were 2 counties that are yellow.

Those are the 2 counties that are can start to think about taking away a mask mandate, but that is not where our school districts are overall.

>> And you said you got the J and J vaccine initially but didn't get the booster.

Why on earth should anyone get the change a booster.

>> So well I think that the good thing to know is all 3 of the vaccines as well as the boosters they provide an immune response rate so the J J vaccine for me works right I have not had covid and I feel very grateful that I have not so J and J vaccine protected me.

The reason I decided to get the Moderna booster was some preliminary evidence that showed that some better immune response from those mrna vaccines, you know and that was right for me others may say you know what JJ worked for me the first time I'd like to stick with that I think that is a perfectly fine decision again I talk with your doctor or nurse practitioner pharmacist, if that's the decision you would want to make.

>> Thank you I apologize to my media colleagues.

The covid yeah, it's all right.

Before you make that transition there yeah, but you mentioned earlier on that masking guidance for schools that it was really to project a little bit on the horizon for school boards.

What is that her eyes and looked like to you when we can start moving in that direction.

Well first I should say that it continues to say for anyone who is unvaccinated they need to be wearing masks, remember we don't even have vaccine yet for our 5 to 11 year-old so.

>> And and I we showed how few of our 12 to 17 year olds are vaccinated so I think schools need to be keeping their mask mandates right now that is not something to reconsider I think that was the guidance.

We're giving I know that school boards are looking at this month over month.

We want to make sure that they know that they really need to be keeping that mask mandate now I'm excited for vaccines on the horizon and excited our trends are moving the right direction but we don't want them to make any new decisions yet we want to make sure that they're protecting each other and making sure to keep kids in the classroom.

Fewer than Brian, but similar topics they don't >> and all right let's start with the where the student backs numbers in the latest AJ just guidance so it's this one is for doctor Khan.

Is this kind of is the setting up for.

Pushing for more children to be vaccinated because when you look at the.

The latest you know talking points on that says that you know the mask for those in schools that are vaccinated and then when it's very low tier.

Then that would be lifting it so is that a future balance that's going to change as children are vaccinated and then if it.

Is there a point where the student vaccinations will be required the way kids are required to be vaccinated for other things so the tease apart, a couple of that so first I would say yes, everyone 12 to 17 is eligible for a vaccine right now they absolutely should get vaccinated this is a way to protect yourself.

>> Your friends, your family.

So we absolutely want to see more of our 12 to 17 year olds be vaccinated as he saw were in the 40's in terms of the percent folks that are vaccinated remember when when you have an exposure to covid and you are either back both parties are vaccinated or you're both wearing mask, then you don't have to quarantine and be out of school and all our goal is to keep kids in the classroom and learning and so our guidance reiterate.

The the things and the safety protocols that can keep kids in the classroom, learning the most and right now that's masking because we have so many folks are unvaccinated I hope on the horizon that we will get vaccines for 5 to 11 year-old we're going to see more 12 to 17 year-old get vaccinated and then we will always as we have throughout this pandemic re evaluate our guidance based on what we're seeing with trends what we're seeing with vaccine rates but right now our guidance is that all school should remain requiring masks in schools.

>> And then what about requiring vaccinations if it's not an emergency use anymore for for students.

>> Yes, so I think it's premature again, I think those are conversations that are premature right now right now we're just focused on the fact we don't even have vaccines the 5 to 11 years and I'm hopeful as soon as next week we may so we're focused on that so I think it's premature for to to weigh in on that yet okay, thanks.

>> Governor Cooper, that's everyone's favorite topic, the budget >> so you said that you hate me to start.

That's going back to leadership today is this your because we've gone back and forth on this several times.

The final round and then the dust and the speaker Moore told us yesterday that it's either you know compromise coming soon or the Legislature will pass their own so do you see this as the.

You know the final turn the that you all are taking.

>> Until you reach an agreement nothing should be final.

And our goal is to reach an agreement on a budget that will be good for North Carolina.

So we're we're continuing to work toward that goal went you know as you've you've seen a Republican leadership and and Democratic leadership.

Has we all have very different views on what's a good budget for our say.

And so in order to get a final budget there's going to have to be significant give and take all around and that can be difficult.

We want to try and get there so.

I hope we will be making progress and we have made some progress and I will continue to make progress.

>> I know you all you want more burger of maintain not wanting to share specifics.

You can have the good faith negotiations but is there something that that you all of already agreed on and with this meeting on Friday.

That you're you know as a general percent of raises for teachers and state employees or education, spending or something that you all have that agreement in place and you're still working out the rest you know I think it's fair to say that with the vast majority of the budget.

>> Agreement might come.

We need we need to connect our state with high speed Internet access and we need.

>> To expand water and sewer and so they're they're in all of these capital projects for our universities and community colleges and I could just go on and on of good things that are in this budget.

I think are important and that we all support.

But there are areas in in in taxes and health care and education, where there still remain different says that we want to try and hire an out.

Over a period of time in order to get there and I I hope we will and I'm I'm going to continue to work hard.

To try to get us there and if and if we don't get there is because I believe that.

Is a bad budget and I will sign it but I'm continuing to be positive about it and as you can see.

Leaders in the Legislature are continuing to be positive about it.

So I think that does it for in-person media so do we have anybody online.

We're okay to question our first black president.

>> Our first question on the line growth than with Mark Carolina health news.

>> Thank you very much for taking my question.

I'm curious about you know more testing.

All right in 1 one technique.

That's been noted as helping too.

We expect to have more rapid testing.

And the Biden met face and putting money toward you know getting rapid tests out there I'm not saying much evidence or presence of the and the community.

You know what are you doing to help scale up that kind of testing that people can you know maybe before they go and arrest honored that they before they go to a ball game.

>> I'll let doctor Cohen address this but I must say I think testing is an important tool for us and we have provided rapid tests particularly in our schools and in other places and we're seeing more and more people by over the counter testing as much testing as we can have as positive particularly now that we have monoclonal antibodies that given within the first 10 days can really help reduce severe illness and death.

So you got to know you got it in order to be able to get the monoclonal antibody so we we want to encourage more testing and I'll let doctor Cohen expound on that.

>> Rose thanks for bringing up this important topic we agree with everything the governor said about the importance of having testing in particular rapid testing number of things that we're doing I think most importantly is getting rapid tests into our schools.

I think that's been really important.

We've had many many school sign up with us to do testing and what I'm excited about with with school testing actually is the fact that there's funding to expand access to school nurses so not only were getting the benefit of the testing but we know this pandemic has had so many impacts on our kids so we can think about mental health and other ways school nurses can be resources to our kit.

Roads were happy for our team to follow up and all the different ways in which we're getting a rapid tests including making sure that we are at the state are getting those to our public health departments, making sure some of our underserved communities are getting rapid test of course folks can go to I was just in Walgreens the other day saw it on the shelf so folks can buy.

Rapid tests.

Off the shelf.

Now so we want to make sure folks have rapid tests at at their home should they you know wake up and potentially have a symptom of covid really good way for them to know if it is something that they should go get a more official or PCR test they can do that rapid testing home.

Next question please.

>> Follow-up growth, the North Carolina health news.

>> I hope that I don't have a way of because you know during your presentation doctor telling you men admit information.

Around back and and I've heard some folks say that one kid elgible vaccinate that the misinformation campaign a little bit over that you have a public information campaign in ready or you have you know what kind of counter that saying are you planning.

>> Once kids are getting their shot.

>> Thanks rose.

Well.

I think most importantly we need to make sure the FDA and the CDC can do there.

Do their work to review the evidence for this vaccine as they've done for the prior vaccines.

It's going through a rigorous process to look at the safety evidence and to look at the benefits of the vaccine and make decisions going forward we did see a step in that process yesterday with the FDA advisory committee unanimously recommending to move forward to the FDA that they should authorize these vaccines.

So I think it starts with making sure we're all looking at that evidence and recognizing what the safety and effectiveness is then we do have a campaign that will be based in that science and in that data using trusted messengers and of course key to them will be our pediatricians it's where our families and our children have gotten vaccinated from any other types of vaccinations that they get in early childhood.

It's again going to be a place where I think there will be trusted messengers but it's going to be more than that we know that there is going to be a coordinated campaign we're working on that we've been thinking about specific messages that we and and Partners that we can work for a work through excuse me for for this effort and we're certainly be partnering with with many to do that.

Thanks.

Next question.

>> Our final question that will conclude today's briefing is from the last great show of W and C. >> Tony can you hear me.

I think my question is also Theres got to come by.

I'm learning to know a little bit.

I'm Kirstin a little bit more about how state health officials are preparing for a covid vaccine for kids.

You Pat about this a little bit a little bit earlier but could you go into more detail in terms of where the vaccines will be available or once a vaccine once it goes back to our food have been after can parents get their kids vaccinated.

>> Well thank you first like I said the FDA and CDC are still doing their work we think the earliest vaccine will be available will probably be the end of next week.

But in the meantime we have been gearing up as I mentioned we have about 750 locations in which we think vaccine for our 5 to 11 year-old will be available.

We're going to have about 400,000 doses in the state we think by by the end of next week when all this started again they'll be in a variety of different kinds of locations, they'll be in pediatricians offices, public health departments, but also remember our pharmacies across the state.

We also made sure to map across our state to make sure that every single County was getting doses of the vaccine so again making sure that we are equitably distributing across of the state and also looking at our data and seeing where our underserved communities are we actually partnered in 10 places to do these family community vaccine events to make sure that there's a welcoming place for our families to go and get vaccinated so there are a number of partners what I can say is there's plenty of supply but let the FDA and CDC do their work to review the evidence there's plenty of supply out there.

And that make sure you use my spot dot NC .gov is where you can look to see where is vaccine to be available for you and your family.

All right.

Thank you.

>> Thanks everybody for being with us today.