>> WELL GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING TODAY'S BRIEFING.

AS OF TODAY WE HAVE HAD 1,557,154 COVID CASES.

1932 NEW CASES REPORTED SINCE YESTERDAY.

1575 PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL.

AND SADLY 19,033 PEOPLE HAVE DIED.

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY, HOSPITALS IN NORTH CAROLINA STARTED GIVING THE FIRST FDA AUTHORIZED COVID-19 VACCINE TO HEALTH CARE WORKERS.

IN THE YEAR SINCE WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY IN OUR FIGHT AGAINST THE VIRUS AND ITS VARIANTS THANKS TO THE AMAZING VACCINES THAT ARE SAVING LIVES AND ALLOWED US TO GET BACK TO THE THINGS THAT WE'VE LOVED IN THIS.

RIGHT NOW 73% OF OUR ADULTS HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE DOSE.

62% OF PEOPLE AGE 5 AND OVER HAVE GOTTEN AT LEAST ONE DOSE.

AND THEN A REMARKABLE 94% OF OUR SENIORS, 65 AND OVER HAVE GOTTEN AT LEAST THEIR FIRST DOSE OF THIS MIRACULOUS VACCINE.

NORTH CAROLINA CONTINUES TO WORK EVERY DAY TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE VACCINATED AND OUR TEAMS ARE IN CLOSE COORDINATION WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS FAITH LEADERS AND HEALTH CARE WORKERS TO ANSWER PEOPLE'S QUESTIONS AND GIVE THEM ACCURATE SCIENTIFIC HELP SCIENTIFIC HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT PROTECTING THEMSELVES.

NOW WE'RE ENCOURAGING EVERYONE 16 AND OLDER TO GET A BOOSTER WHEN YOU'RE ELIGIBLE.

THIS ADDS ANOTHER LAYER OF PROTECTION.

AS NEW VARIANTS EMERGE AND COVID CONTINUES TO CIRCULATE GETTING VACCINATED AND THEN IT IS THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND GET US OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC.

VACCINES AND BOOSTERS ARE WIDELY AVAILABLE AND YOU CAN MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TODAY TO GET YOURSELF THIS PROTECTION AND MORE PEACE OF MIND.

I KNOW SO MANY FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE GETTING TOGETHER WITH A LOT OF JOY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON AFTER MISSING OUT ON LAST YEAR'S TRADITIONS.

BUT COVID INFECTIONS ROSE AFTER THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS, BOTH THIS YEAR AND LAST.

AS WE GATHER AGAIN IN DECEMBER.

WE SHOULD GET VACCINATED TO PROTECT OURSELVES.

OUR LOVED ONES.

AND OTHERS AROUND US FROM SEVERE COVID OR EVEN WORSE.

WITH CASES RISING, IT'S ALSO GOOD IDEA TO GET TESTED BEFORE YOU GATHER.

AND WEAR A MASK WHEN YOU'RE INSIDE A PUBLIC PLACE.

THE HOLIDAY SEASON ALSO MEANS SIGNING UP TO GET HEALTH INSURANCE ON HEALTHCARE .GOV.

AND THIS YEAR.

THANKS TO THE NEW BENEFITS FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.

YOU MAY BE ABLE TO GET A BETTER DEAL THAN LAST YEAR, BECAUSE YOUR FEDERAL SUBSIDY MAY BE HIGHER.

AND THAT MEANS THE INSURANCE PREMIUM YOU PAY MAY BE LOWER.

THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN CAN HELP MORE THAN 225,000 ADDITIONAL NORTH CAROLINIANS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR LOWER PREMIUMS OR EVEN NO-COST HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE, DEPENDING ON YOUR INCOME.

SO IF YOU EXPLORED THE MARKETPLACE IN THE PAST AND DIDN'T END UP PURCHASING BECAUSE OF THE COST.

GIVE IT ANOTHER LOOK YOU MAY QUALIFY FOR MORE FINANCIAL HEALTH THIS YEAR.

BE SURE YOU DO IT BY TOMORROW DECEMBER, THE 15TH.

IF YOU WANT TO BE COVERED BY JANUARY THE FIRST.

YOU STILL HAVE UNTIL JANUARY THE 15TH 2022 TO SIGN UP.

BUT YOUR COVERAGE WILL START LATER.

SO TAKE A LOOK TODAY.

HEALTH CARE .GOV.

I KNOW MORE THAN A MILLION NORTH CAROLINIANS STILL NEED HEALTH INSURERS.

AND THIS MAY BE THE WAY FOR YOU TO GET IT.

CHECK OUT YOUR OPTIONS AT HEALTH CARE .GOV.

AND NOW WHAT IS FOR WHAT'S LIKELY TO BE THE LAST TIME.

I'D LIKE TO ASK DOCTOR MANDY COHEN OUR SECRETARY OF THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON NORTH CAROLINA'S KEY COVID METRICS.

DR. COHEN?

>> THANK YOU GOVERNOR.

IT'S QUITE A MILESTONE TO MARK THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF COVID-19 VACCINES IN THE STATE.

IN THE PAST YEAR WE'VE ADMINISTERED MORE THAN 12 MILLION VACCINE DOSES AND ALMOST 2 MILLION BOOSTER DOSES.

I WANT TO THANK ALL THE HEALTHCARE WORKERS WHO'VE BEEN PUT TO USE IN WORKING HARD TO PUT SHOTS IN ARMS AND THE MILLIONS OF NORTH CAROLINIANS WHO GOT VACCINATED TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AND OTHERS.

LET'S DIVE INTO THE DATA.

THIS FIRST GRAPH LOOKS AT PEOPLE WHO COME TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT WITH COVID LIKE SYMPTOMS.

IT'S OUR EARLIEST DETECTION MECHANISM.

AND I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT THE YELLOW LINE WHICH REPRESENTS THIS YEAR AND IT SHOWS THAT THIS TREND IS ON THE RISE.

THE BLUE LINE IS LAST YEAR'S TREND AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IT IS STEEPER AND FASTER RATE OF INCREASE THAN WHAT WE ARE SEEING THIS YEAR RIGHT NOW WITH THE YELLOW LINE.

IN OUR NEXT SLIDE.

WE LOOK AT NEW COVID CASES.

THIS GRAPH SHOWS YOU THE TRAJECTORY OF NEW CASES EACH DAY SINCE WE HAD OUR FIRST CASE IN MARCH OF 2020.

YOU CAN SEE OUR FIRST MAJOR PEAK OF CASES WAS BACK IN JANUARY OF 2021 BEFORE THE VACCINES ARE WIDELY AVAILABLE AND THE SECOND PEAK WAS IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER AS A RESULT OF THE DELTA VARIANT AND HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT ON PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT VACCINATED.

LET'S ZOOM IN AND LOOK AT JUST THE LAST FEW WEEKS IN TERMS OF CASES AND THIS GRAPH WE'RE LOOKING AT CASES FROM MID OCTOBER THROUGH TODAY AND YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR CASES WERE LARGELY LEVEL BUT BEEN INCREASING THIS MONTH.

OUR HIGHEST RATES ARE IN CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS WHICH IS OUR LEAST VACCINATED AGE GROUPS.

NEXT WE LOOK AT THE PERCENT OF TESTS THAT ARE POSITIVE.

THIS GRAPH GOES BACK TO MID OCTOBER AND LOOKING AT THE YELLOW LINE THE PERCENT OF POSITIVE TESTS HAS INCREASED IT HAS BEEN ABOVE OUR 5% GOAL SINCE THE LAST WEEK OF NOVEMBER.

ON OUR NEXT GRAPH WE LOOK AT DAVID HOSPITALIZATIONS THIS GRAPH ALSO STARTS IN MID OCTOBER AND LOOKING AT THAT YELLOW LINE YOU CAN SEE THAT TREND IS ALSO INCREASING.

THIS NEXT SLIDE LOOK AT WHAT LOOKS AT WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

THIS IS A MAP FROM THE CDC THAT SHOWS THE LEVEL OF VIRAL TRANSMISSION HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA AND UNFORTUNATELY, NORTH CAROLINA'S BACK INTO THE CDC'S RED ZONE WITH HIGHER LEVELS OF COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION.

ALL BUT 8 JUST A FEW COUNTIES ARE RED.

THESE INCREASES THAT WE'RE SEEING IN CASES HOSPITALIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION ARE STILL BEING DRIVEN BY THE DELTA VARIANT OF COVID-19 PEOPLE WHO ARE UNVACCINATED ARE HIGHLY VULNERABLE.

ALMOST ALL HOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATHS ARE IN PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT VACCINATED ALL RIGHT SO LET'S LOOK AT OUR VACCINATION DATA.

TODAY 73% OF THOSE 18 AND OLDER HAVE HAD AT LEAST ONE DOSE HAS HAD 94% OF THOSE 65 AND OLDER AND THIS IS GREAT PROGRESS.

OUR NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THE PERCENT OF THE POPULATION THAT'S RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE DOSE BY AGE GROUP.

I'M CONCERNED ABOUT OUR YOUNGER POPULATION, THEY'RE THE LEAST VACCINATED AND IT'S WHERE WE'RE SEEING THE HIGHEST RATES OF CASES.

WE SAW DURING THE LATEST DELTA SURGE THAT IT CAN BE HARD TO PREDICT WHO'S GOING TO BECOME SERIOUSLY ILL FROM COVID-19 AND WHO'S GOING TO EXPERIENCE LONG-TERM SYMPTOMS.

YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT VACCINATED ARE HARDER HIT.

GETTING VACCINATED REDUCES YOUR CHANCE OF GETTING COVID-19 AND PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT PROTECTIONS FROM SERIOUS ILLNESS HOSPITALIZATION AND DEATH.

YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN VACCINATED YET PLEASE TALK WITH A DOCTOR A NURSE OR OTHER MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL OR GO TO A RELIABLE ONLINE HEALTH RESOURCE LIKE THE CDC OR YOUR SPOT YOUR SHOT DOT NC .GOV TO BE SURE YOU'RE GETTING ACCURATE INFORMATION YOU CAN STILL DECIDE TO GET VACCINATED AND DON'T FORGET THAT VACCINES ARE NOW AVAILABLE TO YOUNGER CHILDREN STARTING AT AGE 5 GETTING CHILDREN VACCINATED HELPS THEM BE HEALTHY AND PROTECTED FROM COVID-19 IT'S WHY I GOT OUR DAUGHTERS VACCINATED RIGHT AWAY.

LIKE MANY VACCINATION BOOSTERS ARE NEEDED TO STRENGTHEN AND EXTEND THE PROTECTION AGAINST COVID-19.

LAST WEEK THE FDA AND CDC LOWERED THE AGE FOR BOOSTERS.

EVERYONE, 16 AND OLDER SHOULD GET A BOOSTER SHOT AS SOON AS THEY ARE ELIGIBLE.

IF YOU'VE GOT THE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON VACCINE YOU SHOULD GET A BOOSTER 2 MONTHS AFTER YOUR SHOT.

IF YOU'VE GOT THE MODERNA OR THE PFIZER VACCINE YOU SHOULD GET A BOOSTER 6 MONTHS AFTER YOUR SECOND SHOT, 1617 YEAR-OLDS CAN ONLY GET A PFIZER BOOSTER.

WITH THE HOLIDAYS.

COLDER WEATHER AND THE POTENTIAL OF A NEW VARIANT APPROACHING.

PLEASE DO NOT PUT OFF GETTING YOUR BOOSTER.

THIS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT AS WE NOW FACE THE THREAT OF A NEW AND EVEN MORE CONTAGIOUS VARIANT OMICRON.

EARLY RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT BOOSTERS PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PROTECTION AGAINST OMICRON.

WELL THE OMICRON VARIANT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN OUR STATE NOW IT'S NOT WIDELY CIRCULATING YET SO STILL TIME TO GET YOUR BOOSTER.

OUR RISING TRENDS ARE LIKELY THE RESULT OF COLDER WEATHER AND THANKSGIVING GATHERINGS.

WITH THE HOLIDAYS APPROACHING IN PEOPLE GETTING TOGETHER THERE IS GOING TO BE A GREATER RISK OF GETTING AND SPREADING COVID-19.

BUT YOU CAN REDUCE THE RISK TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS BY DOING SOME SIMPLE THINGS GETTING VACCINATED GETTING TESTED AND WEARING A MASK.

FIRST GETTING VACCINATED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND GETTING BOOSTED AS SOON AS YOU ARE ELIGIBLE.

AND DON'T FORGET TO LAYER ON PROTECTIONS WITH A FLU SHOT.

IT'S STILL FLU SEASON.

SECOND GET TESTED.

EVEN IF YOU ARE VACCINATED BEFORE YOU ATTEND AN INDOOR GATHERING GET TESTED AND BEFORE AND AFTER TRAVELING.

3RD WEAR A MASK.

LIKE I SAID WE'RE BACK IN THE RED ZONE, SO EVERYONE SHOULD BE WEARING A MASK WHEN IN PUBLIC INDOOR PLACES.

PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS VACCINATE TASK AND MASK.

AS THIS IS LIKELY GOING TO BE MY LAST PRESS CONFERENCE AS SECRETARY.

I DID WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK THE PEOPLE OF NORTH CAROLINA.

THROUGHOUT THIS CRISIS YOU HAVE BEEN OUR NORTH STAR.

THIS VIRUS HAS BEEN FORMIDABLE.

BUT IT'S NO MATCH FOR YOUR RESILIENCE AND STRENGTH.

WELL IT'S HARD TO STEP AWAY.

NOW IS THE RIGHT TIME.

THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES IS IN A STRONG POSITION TO CONTINUE TO CARRY OUT ITS MISSION.

AND WHAT YOU SEE THE GOVERNOR AND MYSELF AT THE PODIUM OF THESE BRIEFINGS, WHAT YOU DON'T SEE IS THE INCREDIBLE TEAM OF LEADERS, SCIENTISTS AND DOCTORS THAT GUY DIDN'T LEAD OUR WORK TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF NORTH CAROLINIANS.

NO ONE HAS BEEN MORE INSTRUMENTAL TO THAT THEN SOON TO BE SECRETARY CODY KINSLEY.

I CAN SAY WITH CERTAINTY THAT GOVERNOR COOPER HAS APPOINTED EXACTLY THE RIGHT LEADER FOR THIS NEXT LEG OF THE RACE.

THANK YOU GOVERNOR COOPER AGAIN FOR GIVING ME THIS INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD AND HAS BEEN THE HONOR OF A LIFETIME.

THANKS DOCTOR COHEN.

AS I'VE SAID BEFORE.

>> NORTH CAROLINIANS HAVE BENEFITED EVERY DAY FROM YOUR LEADERSHIP.

SPECIALLY THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC WHEN YOUR WORK HAS SAVED.

COUNTLESS LIVES.

WE ARE GOING TO MISS YOU.

PART OF YOUR GOOD WORK AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HAS BEEN BUILDING A FIRST RATE TEAM OF EXPERTS WHO ARE READY TO KEEP OUR EXCELLENT WORK AND WE'RE THANKFUL TO CODY KINSLEY FOR HIS WILLINGNESS TO STEP UP AND CONTINUE HIS PUBLIC SERVICE IN THIS NEW ROLE AS SECRETARY.

WE'RE ALSO CONTINUING TO KEEP THOSE IMPACTED BY THE RECENT STORMS IN OUR THOUGHTS PARTICULARLY IN KENTUCKY.

AND ENCOURAGE THOSE LOOKING TO SUPPORT THE RECOVERY EFFORTS TO SUPPORT KENTUCKY GOVERNOR ANDY BESHEAR'S.

WESTERN KENTUCKY RELIEF AND YOU CAN SEARCH FOR THAT ONLINE.

ALSO WITH ME TODAY IS EMERGENCY DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WILL RAY.

OUR SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER IS MONICA MCGHEE.

AND BEHIND THE SCENES, JACKIE AND JASMINE METIVIER, OUR SPANISH LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS.

SO NOW WE HAVE A FEW REPORTERS HERE IN THE ROOM, SO WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS FROM YOU ALL IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE MICROPHONES AT THE END IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AND IF NOT I WILL GO WE HAVE SOME WHO ARE ON THE PHONE.

>> GOVERNOR THANKS FOR FOR TAKING THE TIME I'M SURE THERE'S SOME PRESIDENTIAL QUESTIONS, I'LL LET OTHER PEOPLE GET TO FOR YOU.

BUT I WANTED TO ASK JUST FIRST AND FOREMOST WITH THE YEAR REFLECTING SENSE.

THE VACCINES WERE REALLY FIRST READILY AVAILABLE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE GOTTEN RIGHT AND WRONG LOOKING BACK A YEAR LATER.

>> SO WHAT WE'VE GOTTEN DONE.

RIGHT IS IS IS THAT MANY PEOPLE AS WE'VE GOTTEN VACCINATED.

WHERE WHAT I WHERE I WANT US TO DO BETTER IS TO GET THE PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T BEEN VACCINATED TO DECIDE TO DO IT.

I MEAN THIS IS TRULY.

THE CENTRAL FOCUS NOW OF GETTING US OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC.

AND WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET MORE PEOPLE.

BUT SHOTS IN ARMS, SO THEY CAN GET THIS LAYER PROTECTION AND THAT'S THAT'S GOING TO BE OUR MISSION.

>> THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AND MONTHS THEIR DECISION YOU MAKE DIFFERENTLY WITH THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE NOW LOOKING BACK.

>> YOU KNOW I THINK WE WE HAVE MADE THE CALLS AS WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE HAD AND WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB AT THAT, I MEAN A STUDY CAME OUT A FEW MONTHS AGO SHOWING NORTH CAROLINA.

AMONG THE LOWEST STATES AND COVID DEATHS PER CAPITA AND JOB LOSS PER CAPITA SO WE'VE MADE THE RIGHT CALLS WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE HAD WE CONTINUE TO LEARN MORE EVERY DAY WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS RELY ON THE SCIENCE AND THE DATA AND THE EXPERTS AND WE'VE DONE THAT.

>> I LIEUTENANT WANTED TO THERE'S BEEN INCREASED TALK ABOUT THE GOVERNOR AND SOME OF HIS PAST ANTI LGBTQ COMMENTS YOU PERSONALLY CALLED FOR HIS RESIGNATION IS THERE A MECHANISM YOU SEE THAT YOU FEEL MIGHT BE WORTH PURSUING.

REGARDING THAT MATTER.

>> HE DOES NOT SPEAK FOR NORTH CAROLINIANS THAT HATEFUL LANGUAGE DOES NOT REPRESENT WHO WE ARE AS NORTH CAROLINIANS WE ARE AN INCLUSIVE STATE.

THAT VALUES DIVERSITY.

AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE IN NORTH CAROLINA AND THE REST THE REST OF THE COUNTRY KNOW THAT.

>> ARE YOU AFRAID TO LEAVE THE STATE IF HE MIGHT TAKE OVER.

WHILE YOU'RE GONE SO, I'VE BEEN STAYING MOSTLY IN NORTH CAROLINA WORKING ON THIS PANDEMIC AND I I PLAN TO KEEP OUR CENTRAL FOCUS ON NORTH CAROLINA AND AT A FEW FOR DOCTOR COHEN AS WELL OKAY.

>> BUT FIRST THE SAME QUESTION I ASKED GOVERNOR COOPER A YEAR IN ANYTHING YOU'D.

TAKE BACK.

REFLECT ON.

>> WELL FIRST BRIAN THANKS FOR COMING IN PERSON TO MY LAST PRESS CONFERENCE AND WHAT I WOULD SAY AND I'VE SAID ALL ALONG IF YOU REALLY CAN'T MONDAY MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK A CRISIS I THINK WE MADE SOME HARD DECISIONS WITH LIMITED INFORMATION AS WELL AS LIMITED SUPPLY OF VACCINES AT FIRST.

I IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I CREDIT CODY KINSLEY WITH THE MOST IS IMPROVING OUR OPERATIONS ON THE VACCINE SIDE I THINK IT'S EXACTLY WHY HE'S THE RIGHT CHOICE TO TAKE OVER FRONT FOR ME AS SECRETARY.

I'M VERY PROUD OF OUR EQUITY FOCUS IN OUR VACCINE EFFORTS AND AS YOU LOOK AT OUR DATA YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE VACCINATING A HIGHER RATE FOR OUR HISPANIC COMMUNITIES AND OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES.

SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THOSE EFFORTS SO THERE'S ALWAYS MORE YOU LEARN AND WANT TO DO BETTER, BUT I THINK GIVEN WHAT THE INFORMATION WE HAD I'M VERY PROUD OF THE RESULT.

>> TO FIND ONE JUST SCIENCE WE KNOW.

CALIFORNIA NEW YORK THERE ARE A COUPLE PLACES THAT ARE GOING BACK TO THE IMPOSING ADDITIONAL MANDATES IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD ADVISE PARTICULARLY AT A TIME WHEN WE'RE SEEING A 130% RISE IN THE ROLLING AVERAGE NUMBER OF NEW CASES IN THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS.

WELL, I THINK AS WE WENT THROUGH THE DATA TODAY I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD BE ON GUARD RIGHT THE VIRUS IS STILL HERE.

>> BUT WE HAVE TOOLS IN ORDER TO BEAT BACK THIS PANDEMIC VACCINES BEING OUR MOST POWERFUL TOOL SO WHAT I HOPE FOLKS TAKE AWAY FROM OUR MESSAGE TODAY IS GET VACCINATED AND GET BOOSTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND THERE ARE OTHER TOOLS MAKE SURE YOU'RE GETTING TESTED BEFORE YOU GO TO YOUR FAMILY GATHERINGS FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

TEST YOURSELF BEFORE AND AFTER TRAVEL AND WEAR MASKS ABSOLUTELY WHEN YOU ARE INDOORS IN PUBLIC SETTINGS I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT TO DO AT THIS POINT WE JUST HAVE TO USE THE TOOLS THAT WE KNOW WORK AND FINALLY OMICRON OR DELTA WHICH ARE YOU MORE FEARFUL OF AND WHY WELL I THINK DELTA'S HERE RIGHT NOW RIGHT SO THAT IS WHAT IS INFECTING NORTH CAROLINIANS RIGHT NOW AND SENDING THEM TO THE HOSPITAL AND UNFORTUNATELY.

THAT TAKING SOME OF THEIR LIVES SO WE'RE FIGHTING ON ALL FRONTS BUT DELTA IS WHAT IS HERE NOW AND AND WHAT WORRIES ME ABOUT OMICRON AS WE KNOW IT IS EVEN MORE CONTAGIOUS THAN THIS MORE CONTAGIOUS VARIANT OF COVID DELTA.

SO WE'LL DEFINITELY HAVE TO LEARN MORE AS WE GO HERE, BUT DELTA IS WHAT IS ON MY MIND AS WE'RE IN THIS HOLIDAY SEASON SORRY, I FORGOT TO ASK ANY FUTURE DESIRE FOR YOU TO WORK IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OR IN ELECTED OFFICE IN ANY CAPACITY.

>> WELL I WANT TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M DOING SOMETHING THAT CAN IMPACT THE LIVES AND THE HEALTH OF OF COMMUNITIES, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IT WILL BE IN THE PUBLIC IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE ROLE IN THE FUTURE.

>> AS ALWAYS THANKS FOR TIME AND I APPRECIATE YOUR ACCESSIBILITY AS WELL.

THANKS.

SEVERAL QUESTIONS ACTUALLY FOR THAT TO COME IN I THINK.

FIRST OFF I WANT TO ASK YOU NOT EVEN TALKING FOCUSING ON VACCINATING PEOPLE WE KEEP HEARING ABOUT THE OMICRON VARIANT THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING IT ITS BREAKTHROUGH CASES THAT THEY'VE BEEN VACCINATED RIGHT DOES THIS UNDERCUT THE MESSAGE THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO GET OUT TO PEOPLE THAT VACCINES ARE REALLY THE WAY OUT OF THIS.

>> YEAH LAURA I'M REALLY GLAD YOU BROUGHT UP THAT QUESTION BECAUSE IT'S NEW INFORMATION THAT WE'RE SEEING IS ACTUALLY IF YOU GET YOUR BOOSTER IT DOES IMPROVE YOUR ABILITY TO TO FIGHT OFF COVID AND IN ALL FORMS AND THIS NEW VARIANT TO THE BOOSTER GIVES YOU THAT EXTENDED PROTECTION.

AND SO WHILE IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET VACCINATED AND GET STARTED IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO GET THEIR BOOSTER PARTICULARLY AS WE'RE HEADING INTO COLDER WEATHER HOLIDAY GATHERINGS.

IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND THAT'S THE MESSAGE TODAY IS GET YOUR BOOSTER IF YOU'RE OVER THE AGE OF 16 AND YOUR BE ON YOUR 6 MONTHS FROM PFIZER MODERNA GET YOUR BOOSTER AND IT'S GOING TO PROTECT YOU AGAINST DELTA.

BUT IT'S ALSO GOING TO PROTECT YOU AGAINST OMICRON.

>> AND THEN A QUESTION ABOUT NURSING HOMES WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM STAFF AT NURSING HOMES THAT THE BOOSTER RATE AMONG NURSING HOME RESIDENTS IS NOT AS HIGH.

AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT IT IS THE STATE IS THERE IS THERE A FOCUS ON GETTING THOSE BOOSTERS IN NURSING HOMES AT THIS YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.

YEAH, SO LIKE I SAID BOOSTER IS DEFINITELY OUR FOCUS AND ATTENTION AND WE HAVE MADE SURE THAT OUR LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES HAVE A PARTNER TO COME IN AND HELP THEM DO BOOSTERS IF THEY CAN ADMINISTER FOR THEMSELVES.

>> SUPPLY IS NOT AN ISSUE THE ABILITY TO HAVE A PARTNER COME IN TO DO IT SO IT'S NOW WORKING THROUGH ALL OF THE EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE BOOSTERS GET INTO ARMS WE DO THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE CONTINUE TO SEE IN OUR TRENDS THAT MUCH LOWER NUMBERS OF OUTBREAKS IN OUR LONG-TERM CARE SETTINGS NOW THAT VACCINES ARE HERE.

BUT WE CAN'T CAN'T LET UP ON THAT SO WE WE ARE STILL VERY FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE FOLKS GET THEIR BUSINESS TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT I KNOW DURING >> YOU KNOW IT WAS PRETTY STRICT LOCKDOWN FOR A LOT OF THE FOLKS IN THESE FACILITIES AND THEN THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION LEGISLATORS PASSED A BILL THAT THEY BASICALLY SAID BASICALLY THE RIGHT TO BE VISIT.

I GUESS AND DHHS AND YOU I UNDERSTAND HELPED TO CRAFT THAT BILL WENT ALONG WITH IT DO YOU THINK WE WERE TOO HARSH IN LOCKDOWN AT THE BEGINNING YOU THINK THAT THE THAT THERE WERE REPERCUSSIONS AND OTHER WAYS FOR SOME OF THE RESIDENTS.

>> WELL WHAT I WOULD SAY ABOUT COVID OVERALL THIS VIRUS HAS BEEN CRUEL AND IT'S PARTICULARLY BEEN CRUEL TO OUR OLDER COMMUNITIES RIGHT, IT'S MADE THEM MORE SICK.

WE'VE HAD SEEN MORE DEATHS IN THOSE THAT ARE OLDER AND THOSE THAT WERE IN OUR NURSING HOMES.

WE SEE WE SEE IF WE SAW THAT VIRUS GET INTO A NURSING HOME WE THOUGHT WERE SPREAD REALLY QUICKLY.

AND SO WE HAD TO PROTECT FOLKS AND SO WE DID THE BEST WE COULD IN A SETTING OF NOT HAVING VACCINES AND NOT HAVING TREATMENTS WE NEEDED TO PROTECT THEM WITH SOME OTHER MORE STRICT MEASURES.

I WOULD SAY WE ALWAYS ALIGNED WITH WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S REQUIREMENTS AROUND VISITATION WERE SO WE REALLY JUST TRIED TO STAY IN LINE WITH WHAT WAS HAPPENING NATIONALLY IN DOING THAT HERE.

BUT IT WAS REALLY CHALLENGING I KNOW FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHY WE WORKED HARD WITH THE LEGISLATURE TO FIND THE RIGHT WAY FORWARD WHERE WE KEEP PROTECT PEOPLE PARTICULARLY NOW THAT WE HAVE BOOSTERS WHICH WE WANT EVERYONE TO GET AND WE HAVE THE TREATMENT TO PROTECT FOLKS WE WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE THAT CONNECTION TO YOUR FAMILY AND LOVED ONES EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE LIVING IN ONE OF OUR LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY.

SO I THINK WE CAN BALANCE BOTH BUT I DO THINK WE REALLY NEED TO WORK HARD TO PROTECT FOLKS WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE ALL THE TOOLS WE HAVE NOW.

>> WE'RE GOING TO GET MONEY FOR YOU WILL IT OFF WITH ONLY IS THERE A FIX HAHA.

THE KIND OF GOING OFF WHAT LAURA SAYING ON LEGISLATION AND BETTER THAT YOU'RE LEAVING THIS OFFICE IS THERE ASIDE FROM YOU KNOW OF COURSE WE KNOW THAT YOU WANT MEDICAID EXPANSION BUT ARE THERE OTHER THINGS AT THE LEGISLATIVE LEVEL THAT YOU THINK COULD HELP LOOKING AHEAD FOR COVID COVID VARIANTS ANYTHING LIKE THAT AS FAR AS.

YOU KNOW HOW MONEY IS SPENT THINGS WITHIN DHH OTHER AGENCIES THAT YOU'VE SEEN YOU KNOW AT THE AT THE END OF YOUR TENURE HERE THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE GOING FORWARD THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE SURE WELL, THANKS DON I DON'T WANT TO SKIP OVER SO QUICKLY THE MEDICAID EXPANSION PEACE BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS THE SEE IF THERE WAS ONE THING THAT.

>> I REGRET ABOUT THIS TIME HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA IS THAT I WASN'T ABLE TO HELP THE GOVERNOR.

AND CONVINCE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO MOVE FORWARD ON MEDICAID EXPANSION WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO DO THAT TO RECOVER FROM COVID WE NEED TO NOT ONLY BRING THOSE DOLLARS HERE TO HELP FROM A HEALTH PERSPECTIVE, IT'S AN ECONOMIC ISSUE, OKAY SO MEDICAID EXPANSION ABSOLUTELY NUMBER ONE WE CAN WE NEED TO GET DONE.

BUT BUT YES THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY OTHER WAYS IN WHICH WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO RESPOND.

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT WE CAN'T HAVE IS WE CAN'T SEE PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITY TAKEN AWAY WE CAN'T SEE THE GOVERNOR'S FLEXIBILITY IN THEIR HIS AUTHORITY TAKEN AWAY BECAUSE WE THIS PANDEMIC IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO EVOLVE WE NEED THAT FLEXIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MAKE THE DECISIONS BASED ON THE SCIENCE AND DATA TO PROTECT ALL NORTH CAROLINIANS SO I KNOW I DON'T WANT TO SEE IS SEEING AN EROSION OF ANY OF THAT PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITY OF THE GOVERNOR'S AUTHORITY TO HELP US RESPOND AND THEN THERE CERTAINLY ARE WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN STRENGTHEN OUR PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE INVESTING IN R FAMILIES AND CHILDREN IN OUR MENTAL HEALTH.

I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A PARTICULAR FOCUS GOING FORWARD MAKE SURE WE'RE INVESTING IN MENTAL HEALTH.

I THINK THE LEGISLATURE WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD ON A NUMBER OF THOSE THINGS AND I KNOW.

I'M CODY KINSLEY WHO IS GOING TO BE TAKING OVER FOR ME HAS GREAT RELATIONSHIPS.

THERE'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THESE ISSUES.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT I MEAN THAT WAS UNLIKE THE BUDGET THAT YOU KNOW BECAME LAWS THE THE COUNCIL STATE CONCURRENCE AND THAT THAT CHANGE THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT THAN IF WE HAD THAT A FEW YEARS AGO, EVEN THOUGH DOESN'T START UNTIL 2023.

SO DO YOU THINK OF THE.

YOU KNOW HOW THAT COULD WORK STATEWIDE AND MAYBE HOW IT HOW IT DOESN'T IF THERE'S SOME THIS KIND OF RESPONSE.

>> WELL, I'M GRATEFUL THAT DURING THIS COVID RESPONSE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LOOK AT THE SCIENCE AND DATA AND RESPOND TO THAT AND AND MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS THAT WE'VE NEEDED TO TO PROTECT NORTH CAROLINIANS AND ALSO BALANCE ALL THE OTHER IMPACTS OF WHAT WE KNOW THIS VIRUS HAS DONE HAS DONE ACROSS THE STATE.

SO I I'D ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO CONTINUE TO TO LET PUBLIC HEALTH LEAD TO LET THE EXPERTS THE SCIENCE AND THE DATA LEAD THROUGH THIS.

>> AND ON VACCINATIONS I KNOW WE'VE ASKED THIS BEFORE.

OVER THE MONTHS AND YOU'RE SAYING IT WAS TO SET THE TIMER NOW THAT AGAIN LIKE SINCE YOU KNOW THIS ISN'T OF YEAR.

TIME IS SECRETARY WHAT YOU THINK IN THE FUTURE ABOUT MANDATING VACCINATIONS FOR FOR STUDENTS OR KNOW THAT IT'S YOU KNOW THERE'S DIFFERENT ISSUES WITH THE WITH THE WORKERS BUT F COVID VACCINATIONS REMAIN IN THE WAY OTHER VACCINATIONS ARE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS.

>> YEAH, SO I CONTINUE TO SAY IT'S PREMATURE TO TALK ABOUT MANDATE SAYS HE SAW FROM THE NUMBERS WE PRESENTED TODAY ARE VACCINE RATES IN OUR CHILDREN PARTICULARLY 5 TO 11 ARE VERY LOW.

BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE PARENTS KNOW OUT THERE THAT I GOT MY KIDS VACCINATED THE VERY FIRST WEEKEND IT WAS AVAILABLE.

THEY THEY DID GREAT AND IT'S BROUGHT ME PEACE OF MIND TO KNOW THAT MY KIDS ARE PROTECTED NOW.

SO WE'RE HOPING THAT GOOD INFORMATION AND TIME WILL HELP MORE PARENTS FEEL COMFORTABLE TO GET THEIR KIDS VACCINATED SO I THINK IT'S PREMATURE TO TALK ABOUT ABOUT MANDATES.

I WANT FOLKS TO TALK TO THEIR PEDIATRICIAN GET GOOD INFORMATION AND MAKE GOOD DECISIONS FOR THEIR FAMILY AND THEY SHOULD DO IT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO PROTECT THEIR KIDS BECAUSE THE VACCINES DO JUST THAT.

>> JUST ONE MORE FOR YOU, ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA BEING ABLE TO FIND OUT WHEN OMICRON IS HERE AND WHERE IT'S SPREADING ARE THERE CONCERNS THERE AS FAR AS LIKE WHEN WE FIND OUT THAT IT'S HERE VERSUS OTHER STATES DOESN'T MATTER AS MUCH FOR THE VARIANCE OF WHAT KIND IT IS WITH HOW THE STATE IS DOING.

>> WELL, WE KNOW THAT KRON IS HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA WAS IDENTIFIED IN THE CHARLOTTE AREA I AM SURE IT IS IN MORE PARTS OF OUR STATE AND THE THING IS WE KNOW WHAT WORKS IN TERMS OF A BEATING BACK THIS PANDEMIC OF OF ALL KINDS.

RIGHT AND ITS VACCINES.

ITS TESTING AND ITS MASKS.

SO THAT'S WHY AS FOLKS GO INTO THIS HOLIDAY TIME VACCINES AND BOOSTERS NUMBER ONE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING TESTING BEFORE AND AFTER FAMILY GATHERINGS AND THEY SHOULD BE WEARING MASKS WHEN IN PUBLIC SPACES INDOORS.

AND WE HAVE A LOT OF VIRUS SPREADING OF ALL KINDS HERE AND WE WANT FOLKS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.

I JUST HAVE ONE FOR THE GOVERNMENT.

>> I'M NOT GOING TO ASK ABOUT THAT BURNED.

IF YOU WANT TO COMMENT ON SPECULATION ABOUT YOUR FUTURE POLITICAL PLANS GO AHEAD AND ASK SINCE FRIEND ONE.

>> THE QUESTION.

FUTURE PLANS ARE TO CONTINUE TO BE GOVERNOR OF NORTH CAROLINA FROM MORE THAN 3 YEARS AND TO WORK ON ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE HERE THAT ARE THOSE ARE MY PLANS.

>> AND THEN WITH THE STATES COVID RESPONSE AND SING AGAIN LIKE WHAT HAPPENED WITH CALIFORNIA ARE YOU STILL.

POLICY WISE THINKING THAT IT NEEDS TO BE ESPECIALLY WITH THE MAP THAT'S NOW IN ALMOST ALL RED FOR THE CDC PARAMETERS THAT SHOULD BE LOCAL CONTROL VERSUS ANY STATEWIDE CONTROL GOING AHEAD INTO THE AIR.

>> SO WE WILL DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO ON A STATEWIDE BASIS TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF NORTH CAROLINIANS IN RIGHT NOW THE VACCINES ARE WHERE WE NEED TO CONCENTRATE WHERE WE NEED TO USE OUR INFLUENCE OVER THIS PROCESS IS TO PUSH THOSE VACCINATIONS THE WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE DATA AND GET RECOMMENDATIONS FROM HEALTH EXPERTS.

BUT I DON'T EXPECT IN A STATEWIDE.

MANDATES AT AT THIS POINT.

I THINK THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON VACCINATIONS.

>> TRAVIS QUESTIONS PROBABLY FOR SECRETARY COHEN I READ A STORY I THINK THIS MORNING OUT OF SEATTLE.

ABOUT HOSPITAL OVERCROWDING PRIMARILY DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY DON'T HAVE SOMEWHERE TO SEND PEOPLE WHO DO NOT NEED ACUTE HOSPITAL CARE.

BUT THAT STAFFING SHORTAGES IN NURSING HOMES.

AND OTHER FACILITIES.

ARE CAUSING BASICALLY A LOGJAM I'VE NOT HEARD OF THAT HAPPENING IN NORTH CAROLINA AND WHAT OR WONDERING IS DO WE SEE THAT PRESSURE POINT AS AS AS A CONCERN.

IN THE MONTHS TO COME.

>> THANKS TRAVIS AND THANKS FOR COMING IN PERSON.

SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT THERE ARE HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE CHALLENGES ACROSS THE BOARD AS THERE ARE WORKFORCE CHALLENGES IN MANY SECTORS AT THIS POINT BUT CERTAINLY HEALTH CARE IS SEEING THAT AND I THINK WE'VE HAD THAT THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC AND IT'S A LOT OF THE WORK THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE COLLABORATIVELY WITH LONG-TERM CARE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE STAFFING IS THERE AND EASE THE BURDEN ON OUR HOSPITAL SO THAT THEY CAN FOCUS ON THE REALLY SICK FOLKS ON AND CAN CARE FOR THOSE WHETHER THEY HAVE COVID OR A HEART ATTACK SO THAT IS WORK THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING FOR A LONG A LONG TIME, BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT THERE IS NO SILVER BULLET HERE IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE STAFFING THAT'S NEEDED.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A.

THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE WORKFORCE NEEDED PARTICULARLY IN OUR LONG-TERM CARE SPACE.

AND SOME OF THAT IS AROUND HOW WE PAY FOR FOR MEDICAL CARE OVERALL AND SOME OF IT IS A PIPELINE ISSUE OF MAKING SURE THAT FOLKS ARE GOING INTO THIS INTO THE SPACE AND TRAINING AND WANTING TO SEE CAREERS IN IN THAT AS WELL SO WE'RE TRYING TO WORK ALONG ALL THOSE FRONTS RIGHT NOW.

I THINK WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MANAGE THROUGH AND WE'RE NOT SEEING QUITE THE THE LOGJAM THAT PLACE LIKE THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IS BUT IT CERTAINLY HAS BEEN TOP OF MIND THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC AND WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH THAT CLOSELY.

>> AND I WANT TO COMMEND OUR COHEN IN THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE GREAT WORK WITH HOSPITALS THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PANDEMIC WE'VE KEPT A CLOSE WATCH ON HOSPITAL BEDS AND STAFFING THOSE HOSPITAL BEDS HAVE BEEN IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH HOSPITAL CEOS ACROSS THE STATE KEPT OUR EYE ON IT AND IF IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS GETTING TO GET UNCOMFORTABLY HIGH AND WORK WITH THEM ON CUTTING BACK ON ELECTIVE SURGERIES AND MAKING DECISIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE HOSPITAL SUCH SPACE AVAILABLE.

SO THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE IMPORTANT TO US GO INTO THE FUTURE.

WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE ON THE PHONE OK WE'LL TAKE FIRST TELL THEM THE QUESTION.

>> THE FIRST QUESTION IS FROM ROSE HOBAN WITH NORTH CAROLINA HEALTH NEWS.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH SECRETARY AND GOVERNOR OF FOR TAKING MY QUESTION SORRY, I'M NOT THERE IN PERSON.

SECRETARY COHEN YOU KNOW YOU GO TO THE CASES ARE RISING MORE QUICKLY RIGHT NOW THAN THEY WERE LAST YEAR.

BUT YOU'RE GOING TO STAY THERE WERE.

WELL THE 2700 PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL WITH 23% AND THE FOES OF FOLKS IN THE ICU WHERE TODAY WE HAVE NOT QUITE 1600 PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL AT A LITTLE - A SLIGHTLY HIGHER RATE OF PEOPLE IN THE ICU.

SO IT SEEMS THAT EVEN THOUGH CASES ARE SPREADING THE MOST TERRIBLE PEOPLE AND TO BE PROTECTED.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST WORRIED ABOUT LOOKING AHEAD.

DO YOU WORRY MORE, YEAH, I MEAN DO YOU WORRY ANYMORE ABOUT HOSPITAL CAPACITY.

>> WELL ROSE, FIRST, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION I AM THINKING THAT WE ARE IN A DIFFERENT PLACE AS WE GO INTO THIS HOLIDAY SEASON THAN WE DID LAST YEAR, RIGHT.

WE'RE A YEAR INTO HAVING A POWERFUL TOOL THE VACCINES THAT HAVE REALLY HELPED US BE BACK THIS PANDEMIC SO WE ARE IN A DIFFERENT PLACE IS EXACTLY WHY YOU DON'T SEE STATEWIDE MASK MANDATES HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA OR OTHER KINDS OF RESTRICTIONS THAT WE HAD AT THE LAST HOLIDAY SEASON.

SO FOLKS CAN GATHER SAFELY IF THEY ARE GETTING VACCINATED GETTING BOOSTED USING TESTS USING MASKS, THERE ARE SAFE WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS CAN ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS.

BUT I AM STILL WORRIED ABOUT OUR HOSPITAL CAPACITY.

WE ARE SEEING A MORE CONTAGIOUS VERSION OF COVID IN THE OMICRON VARIANT ON THE HORIZON, WE KNOW WE'RE GOING INTO THE WINTER WHICH IS WHAT THE COVID VIRUS LIKES, IT LIKES THE WINTER.

AND WE WE KNOW THAT IT'S ALSO FLU SEASON.

SO THERE ARE A LOT OF STRAINS ON OUR HOSPITAL AS WE GO INTO THESE WINTER MONTHS SO WE DEFINITELY DO NEED TO BE VIGILANT.

BUT THIS YEAR WE HAVE TOOLS.

WE JUST NEED TO USE THEM, AND WHY YOU KEEP HEARING THE GOVERNOR SAY OUR FOCUS IS CERTAINLY ON VACCINES AND ON BOOSTERS.

NEXT QUESTION PLEASE?

>> FOLLOW-UP, ROSE HOBAN NORTH CAROLINA HEALTH NEWS.

>> THANKS.

IT'S ANOTHER QUESTION FOR SECRETARY COHEN, YOU KNOW.

THE STATE MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS MEETING LAST WEEK AND THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT CHILD MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND OPIOID OVERDOSES.

AND YOU KNOW IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT COVID HAS EATEN UP MOST OF YOUR TIME AND ENERGY FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS.

SO ONE OF THE PRIORITIES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET TO AS A RESULT IN THE PAST YEAR AND THAT I GUESS YOU KNOW, CODY KINSLEY WILL BE YOU KNOW ARE THEIR PRIORITY THAT WE'RE HOPING THAT HE KIND OF HITS HARD AS HE STEPS UP NEAR CU'S.

>> WELL, THANKS ROSE.

I WILL SAY WELL DONE MY TIME HAS BEEN SPENT ON COVID I HAVE A MASSIVE TEAM THAT'S BEEN FOCUS ON MANY DIFFERENT ISSUES ACROSS THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SPECTRUM TO MAKE SURE WE'RE SERVING THE PEOPLE OF NORTH CAROLINA AND A LOT OF WAYS I DO THINK GOING FORWARD WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP OUR EYE ON COVID AND THE PANDEMIC AND THAT RESPONSE BUT THEM ARE REALLY HAVE TO FOCUS ON A LOT OF THE RECOVERY EFFORTS, WE KNOW THAT THIS HAS THEN INCREDIBLY IMPACTFUL I'M VIRUS IN SO MANY WAYS AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE PARTICULARLY OUR CHILDREN AND YOUNG FAMILIES ARE ABLE TO REGAIN IF THERE WAS ANY LEARNING LOSS MENTAL HEALTH IMPACT ECONOMIC LOSSES AS WELL AS MAKING SURE THEY ARE HEALTHY AS WE ARE RECOVERING FROM THIS PANDEMIC I'M CERTAINLY HAPPY WITH CODY TAKING THE REINS FOR SECRETARY AND HIS MENTAL HEALTH BACKGROUND I THINK HE'S GOING TO BRING A A STRONG FOCUS ON THAT GIVEN HIS BACKGROUND AND I CERTAINLY THINK COMING OUT OF ANY CRISIS WHETHER IT'S A HURRICANE OR THIS PANDEMIC THAT CERTAINLY NEEDS TO BE A FOCUS GOING FORWARD AND I WILL SAY THE GOVERNOR HAS CONTINUED TO PUT AN EMPHASIS ON CHILDREN AND YOUNG FAMILIES AND WHAT OUR DEPARTMENT CAN DO TO INVEST IN IN THOSE THOSE SPACES IN TERMS OF CHILD CARE AND OTHER WAYS OF MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE SAFE AND LEARNING AND HEALTHY.

THANK YOU.

NEXT QUESTION.

>> OUR FINAL QUESTION THAT WILL CONCLUDE TODAY'S BRIEFING IS FROM LYNN BONNER WITH NORTH CAROLINA POLICY WATCH.

>> HI THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING MY QUESTION.

DOCTOR COLON IN SEPTEMBER DOCTOR DOLLARS SAID THAT LATINO PATIENTS WE'RE LESS LIKELY TO GET MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY THERAPY AND SHE BASED ON SOME MEDICAID DATA AND THERE ARE COUNTIES WHERE THE THERAPY WAS UNAVAILABLE.

I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY UPDATED INFORMATION ON EQUITABLE ACCESS TO MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY THERAPY AND IF THERE WERE PLACES THAT PEOPLE CAN GET IT.

>> WELL GLENN THANKS FOR THE QUESTION AND I APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO TALK ABOUT OUR EQUITY WORK.

AND I DO THINK THAT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT WE PRIORITIZE COLLECTING DATA WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE THE IMPACT OF COVID IN SO MANY WAYS BUT ALSO SEE THAT THERE ARE DISPARITIES IN IN SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING.

I THINK THAT IS WHY WE HAVE WORKED SO HARD WITH OUR HISPANIC AND LATINO COMMUNITIES TO BUILD TRUST TO USE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS TO MAKE SURE FOLKS HAVE ACCESS TO VACCINES TESTING TREATMENT AND OTHER MECHANISMS IF YOU LOOK AT OUR VACCINE DATA RIGHT NOW YOU CAN SEE THAT WE ARE VACCINATING OUR.

HISPANIC LATINO COMMUNITIES AT A HIGHER RATE THEN OUR WHITE COMMUNITIES AND THAT IS A TESTAMENT TO VERY HARD WORK.

I DO THINK WE HAVE A LOT MORE WORK TO DO ON THE MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES A SPACE AND MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO TREATMENT AND THAT IS A PLACE WE CONTINUE TO WORK AND MAKE SURE FOLKS UNDERSTAND THAT TREATMENT IS AVAILABLE.

AGAIN MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES ARE SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO GET WITHIN 10 DAYS OF HAVING SYMPTOMS WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE TO GET TESTED AND KNOW YOU HAVE COVID AND THEN SEEK OUT TREATMENT AND SO YOU CAN DEFINITELY FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT ON YOUR SPOT, YOUR SPOT, YOUR SHOT DOT NC .GOV.

BUT THAT IS ONGOING WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON HEALTH EQUITY IS WE WE GO FORWARD, BUT I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO OUR PARTNERS ACROSS THE STATE IN OUR LATINO HISPANIC COMMUNITIES HAVE DONE GREAT WORK ON TO CLOSE A LOT OF DISPARITY GAPS WELL IN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WITH THE STATE AND WITH LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS.

WHEN YOU HAVE A FOLLOW-UP.

>> I DO AND OTHER QUESTIONS WERE ON THE KRON IS DOMINANT TO THE TEARS THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE INFECTED ARE GETTING A SHIFT AS PEOPLE WERE WITH OTHER VARIANTS I'M WONDERING WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE FOR THE STATE'S RESPONSE.

IT'S A NEXT DOMINANT VARIANT THAT IF HERE IS ONE THAT IS MORE INFECTIOUS BUT DOESN'T MAKE PEOPLE EFFECT.

>> WELL, THANKS LYN.

WHAT I THINK ABOUT OMICRON IS THAT WE'RE STILL LEARNING SO WHAT EARLY DATA SHOWS US IS THAT IT IS CERTAINLY MUCH MORE CONTAGIOUS.

THEN THE DELTA VARIANT BUT WE ARE SEEING THAT IT IS LESS SEVERE I THINK WE ARE STILL TRYING TO UNDERSTAND FROM THE SCIENCE AND THE DATA.

WHY WHAT IS THAT THAT LOWER-LEVEL SEVERITY BEING DRIVEN BY IS IT BECAUSE IT IS LARGELY BEEN.

INFECTING FOLKS WHO ARE YOUNGER WHO TEND TO GET LESS SEVERE DISEASE TO BEGIN WITH OR IS IT BECAUSE THERE'S MANY MANY FOLKS WHO HAVE EITHER GOTTEN A VACCINE OR HAVE HAD PAST EXPOSURE TO COVID ALREADY AND SO I THINK THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY STILL TRYING TO TEASE OUT THE WHY MEANING THAT IF SOMEONE HASN'T HAD COVID FOR AND THEY HAVEN'T HAD A VACCINE THEY'RE COMPLETELY UNPROTECTED.

IT IS STILL POSSIBLE THAT OMICRON WOULD BE AS SEVERE AS DELTA.

BUT IT'S JUST THAT SO MANY PEOPLE GOT VACCINATED AND SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD COVID ALREADY THAT THAT WE DO HAVE SOME AMOUNT OF PROTECTION OUT THERE WHICH IS A GOOD THING SO IT'S A PREMIER IS LESS SEVERE.

AGAIN THIS IS WHY WE NEED TO GIVE IT SOME TIME TO SEE THE SCIENCE AND THE DATA BUT THE IMPORTANT PART THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW IS THAT VACCINES AND BOOSTERS PROTECT YOU.

THEY PROTECT YOU AND GIVE YOU SOME OF THAT PROTECTION PARTICULARLY FROM SERIOUS ILLNESS.

SO THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO MAKE SURE FOLK FOLKS ARE FOCUSING ON GETTING THEIR BOOSTERS AS SOON AS THEY'RE ELIGIBLE, USING TESTS USING MASK AS THEY GATHER WITH THEIR FAMILY.

YOU KNOW WILL DEFINITELY LEARN MORE ABOUT OMICRON BUT WHAT WE KNOW IS THIS VIRUS IS STILL HERE AND WE HAVE TO TAPER TOP PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT EACH OTHER.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

WE HAVE THAT YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL AND SAFE TIME WITH YOUR FAMILIES DURING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.

THANK YOU.