>> 2 WEEKS INTO THE NEW YEAR AND THE CORONAVIRUS IS SPREADING FASTER THAN EVER FIND OUT WHY AND WHAT THIS MEANS TO OUR STATE AS WE INTERVIEW SECRETARY MANDY COHEN.

THANK YOU FOR VISITING WITH US AGAIN SECRETARY COHEN AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.

AT TUESDAY'S PRESS CONFERENCE YOU SAID THIS WAS THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME WE'VE EXPERIENCED WITH THE VIRUS.

PLEASE EXPLAIN WHAT YOU MEANT.

>> BUT FIRST HAPPY NEW YEAR TIME TO EVERYONE WATCHING AND AS WE ENTER 2021, I AM THE MOST WORRIED WE HAVE SO MUCH VIRUS AND THAT IS CIRCULATING HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA MORE THAN WE'VE EVER SEEN BEFORE IN THIS PANDEMIC.

WE'RE SEEING OUR HOSPITALS STRETCHED BEYOND WHAT WE'VE SEEN BEFORE LAST WEEK, WE HAD A 11,500 CASES IN JUST 24 HOURS.

THAT FOLLOWED 2 DAYS OF 10,000 CASES A DAY.

SO WE KNOW THAT THIS IS A CRITICAL CRITICAL TIME FOR US TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE KNOW WORKS.

I PUT OUT A SECRETARIAL DIRECTIVE WITH VERY SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS TO FOLKS ABOUT WHAT TO DO RIGHT NOW AND THE ESSENCE OF IT IS STAY HOME.

STAY HOME, WHENEVER YOU CAN.

YOU KNOW, I KNOW FOLKS HAVE TO LEAVE FOR WORK AND FOR SCHOOL AND TO GET GROCERIES, BUT I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU KNOW REALLY STAYING HOME, DO NOT HAVE PEOPLE OVER YOUR HOME INDOORS.

DO NOT GO OVER SOMEONE ELSE'S HOUSE INDOORS.

AND I ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO ARE OR AT HIGH RISK FOR THIS VIRUS, THOSE OVER 65, THOSE WITH MULTIPLE CHRONIC CONDITIONS TO EVEN USE THINGS LIKE DELIVERY SERVICES FOR GROCERY STORES OR CALL SOMEONE IN YOUR CHURCH AND ASK THEM TO - GIVE THEM YOUR LIST AND ASK THEM IF THEY CAN GO FOR YOU.

I JUST THINK THE NEXT YOU KNOW 6 WEEKS OR SO WE REALLY HAVE TO BE DOING EVERYTHING TO PROTECT OURSELVES AND WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO VACCINES A LOT, BUT EVEN IF EVERY VACCINE WAS GIVEN RIGHT NOW WE ONLY HAVE ENOUGH FOR ABOUT 5% OF THE POPULATION THAT'S NOT GOING TO PROTECT US AT THIS POINT.

SO WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN DOING ALL YEAR LONG.

>> YEAH, AND YOU SAID WE MAY BE GETTING NUMB TO THE NUMBERS I THOUGHT THAT WAS A A GOOD TURN OF WORDS, BUT DID I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A 92% OCCUPANCY ON OUR ICU BEDS?

>> WELL, IT FLUCTUATES DAY TO DAY, I THINK THE NUMBERS I LOOKED AT THIS MORNING WE'RE CLOSER TO 86%.

BUT YEAH WE ARE WE ARE DEFINITELY SEEING THE MOST NUMBER OF PATIENTS IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT BECAUSE OF COVID.

WE DO HAVE PLENTY OF VENTILATORS SO THAT IS NOT A CONCERN BUT IT IS REALLY DO WE HAVE THE STAFF NEEDED TO PROVIDE THAT HIGH LEVEL OF INTENSIVE CARE THAT IS NEEDED FOR CERTAIN PATIENTS.

THIS IS WHERE I THINK THE HOSPITALS AND OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM HAS BEEN DOING A TERRIFIC JOB, THEY'RE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY THEY ARE MOVING THEIR STAFF AROUND SO THEY ARE STOPPING DOING SOME OF THE LESS URGENT PROCEDURES AND MOVING THOSE NURSES AND DOCTORS AND RESPIRATORY TEXT THAT MIGHT BE DOING SURGERY AND MOVING THEM OVER TO INTENSIVE CARE OR TO OTHER COVID UNITS.

BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S A BIG DEAL AND WE ARE REALLY STRETCHED AT THIS POINT.

WE REALLY HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL.

>> AND WE REALLY HAVEN'T EVEN SEEN THE HOLIDAY SURGE YET HAVE WE I MEAN FROM CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR'S WHEN WHEN WILL WE SEE THAT COMING ONLINE?

>> I THINK WE'RE ALREADY SEEING SOME OF THAT RIGHT SO I DEFINITELY THINK WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THE CHRISTMAS SURGE RIGHT NOW.

BUT I THINK THE NEXT WEEK TO 10 DAYS WILL REALLY SHOW US WHAT THE HOLIDAYS MEANS FOR NORTH CAROLINA.

>> AND I'M GOING TO GET TO THE VACCINES IN JUST A SECOND.

WE KEEP HEARING ABOUT THE UK STRAIN OR STRAND OF THIS VIRUS AND OTHER STRANDS THAT MAY BE FLOATING AROUND HAVE WE SEEN ANY EVIDENCE IN NORTH CAROLINA THAT WE HAVE THAT STRAND.

>> YEAH, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT IT UP BECAUSE THERE IS THIS NEW VARIANT THAT THE VIRUS HAS CHANGED A LITTLE BIT TO BECOME MORE CONTAGIOUS.

WE ALREADY KNEW THIS VIRUS WAS MORE CONTAGIOUS THAN THE FLU.

WE ALREADY KNEW IT WAS A CONTAGIOUS VIRUS.

AND WHAT THE UK STRAIN IS ACTUALLY EVEN MORE CONTAGIOUS THAN WE HAD SEEN IN THE PAST.

NOW THAT STRAIN HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED OFFICIALLY IN NORTH CAROLINA, HOWEVER, IT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED IN A NUMBER OF OTHER STATES AND WHEN IT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED, IT'S BEEN IN FOLKS WHO HAVEN'T TRAVELED, WHICH TELLS ME THAT THIS STRAIN IS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

I THINK IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE WE DO IDENTIFY IT HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA AND AGAIN IT JUST REINFORCES WHY WE HAVE TO BE SO CAREFUL AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME I DO THINK THAT THERE IS LIKELY HERE THAT UK VARIANT THAT IS MORE CONTAGIOUS.

I DO THINK IT IS HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA AND IT JUST ADDS TO MY CONCERN ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING RELATED TO THIS VIRUS.

>> YEAH, YOU REALLY GOT MY ATTENTION WHEN YOU SAID WE SHOULD ALL ASSUME THAT WE HAVE THE VIRUS.

LET'S TALK ABOUT VACCINES AND START WITH SUPPLY.

TELL US ABOUT WHAT OUR SUPPLY IS IN NORTH CAROLINA, HOW MUCH ARE WE GETTING ON A WEEKLY BASIS AND IS IT ADEQUATE.

>> YEAH, THANK THANKS TOM.

SO WE'RE GETTING ABOUT A 120,000 DOSES OF VACCINE A WEEK.

THAT'S FIRST DOSES SO THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE SECOND DOSE.

THE SECOND DOSE IS SORT OF COMMON ON THE ROUTINE BUT WHEN I SAY A 120,000, 120,000 NEW FIRST DOSES A WEEK.

LOOK WE'RE STATE OF MORE THAN 10,000 PEOPLE SO ABOUT EVERY WEEK WE'RE GETTING ABOUT ONE PERCENT OF THE POPULATION CAN GET VACCINATED.

SO IT'S NOT A LOT OF SUPPLY AND IMPORTANTLY IN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS WE HAD TO ALLOCATE QUITE A LOT OF OUR VACCINE OVER TO OUR LONG-TERM CARE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THROUGH CVS AND WALGREENS.

OBVIOUSLY WANTED TO DO THAT THAT'S A SUPER HIGH RISK POPULATION THAT WE TALKED AND ON YOUR PROGRAM MANY TIMES ABOUT FOLKS IN NURSING HOMES BEING AT HIGHER RISK OF TRANSMISSION OF THE VIRUS BECAUSE THEY LIVE IN WHAT'S CALLED CONGREGATE SETTINGS AND THEY LIVE IN NURSING HOMES AND OTHER SETTINGS, SO BUT WE HAD TO ALLOCATE A LOT TO THAT PROGRAM AND SO THERE REALLY IS ABOUT THE 400,000.

AT THIS POINT DOSES FOR OTHER NORTH CAROLINIANS AND WE ARE SPEEDING UP EVERY DAY GETTING THOSE OUT BUT LIKE I SAID EARLIER EVEN IF WE WERE TO GET EVERYONE OUT, AND TRUST ME I AM WORKING HARD IN MY TEAM IS WORKING HARD TO GET EVERY ONE OF THOSE DOSES IN SOMEONE'S ARM.

EVEN IF WE DID THAT WE REALLY ONLY HAVE ENOUGH VACCINE TO VACCINATE ABOUT 5% OF THE WHOLE NORTH CAROLINA POPULATION.

>> BUT THE CDC SAYS THAT ONLY ABOUT 22% OF THE DOSES THAT WE'VE RECEIVED HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN PUT IN PEOPLE'S ARMS.

IN FACT, THE FORMER HEAD OF THE CDC SAID THIS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, NOT ONLY IN NORTH CAROLINA, BUT ALL ACROSS THE NATION JUST ISN'T WORKING.

WHERE'S THE PROBLEM HERE?

IS IT IS IT NOT GETTING IT TO THE PROVIDERS ARE THE PROVIDERS NOT PUTTING, DOING ENOUGH SHOTS?

ARE THEY NOT OPEN ENOUGH HOURS?

WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?

>> YEAH, THERE'S NOT ONE ANSWER TO THAT OF COURSE LIKE EVERYTHING.

I THINK EVERYONE DEFINITELY FEELS THAT SENSE OF URGENCY TO GET THE VACCINE OUT.

I THINK IT WAS A PERFECT STORM OF A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING.

ONE, A LOT OF VACCINE ARRIVED LITERALLY THE DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS AT MANY PLACES WHERE FOLKS HAD ALREADY WE'RE LIKE WELL, I PLAN TO BE OUT IN CHRISTMAS - LOOK I GET IT.

IT'S CHRISTMAS, THEY'VE BEEN WORKING A PANDEMIC FOR 10 MONTHS, SO THERE'S A BIT OF A SLOW START.

I DO BELIEVE BECAUSE OF HOLIDAYS, BUT ALSO YOU HAVE TO JUST LEARN YOUR OPERATIONAL PROCESS.

I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT BACK ON DECEMBER 15TH, WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE SAFETY PROFILE OF THIS VACCINE WAS.

WAS IT EVEN GOING TO THE APPROPRIATE FOR PEOPLE OVER 75 AND NOW LOOK WHERE WE'RE VACCINATING THOSE OVER 75 AS A PRIORITY AREA.

SO IT WE DEFINITELY HAD PLANS IN PLACE BUT WHEN YOU LEARN THE REALITY OF BOTH HOW MANY VACCINES ARE WE GETTING, WHO SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED, ALL OF THAT CHANGED BETWEEN DECEMBER 15TH AND DECEMBER 24TH WHEN IT WAS CHRISTMAS.

SO I THINK IT TOOK SOME TIME FOR FOLKS TO INTEGRATE THAT EVEN WITH ALL THOSE CHALLENGES I WANT TO SAY SOME PLACES WERE FANTASTIC.

THEY RAN FAST.

THEY GOT THAT VACCINE OUT, I WAS SHARING A STORY ABOUT ROBESON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

IT'S BEEN DOING GREAT.

THEY'VE USED UP EVERY SINGLE VACCINE THAT THEY HAVE, THEY'VE GOTTEN FOLKS IN, IT'S BEEN VERY SMOOTH.

BUT WE KNOW THERE'S ANOTHER SIDE TO THE STORY WHERE WE HAVE SOME HOSPITALS AND HEALTH DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVEN'T GOTTEN VERY MUCH OUT AT ALL, AND THAT IS VERY CONCERNING TO ME.

AND SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH WITH THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WHAT IS IT THAT'S HOLDING THEM UP AND YOU ASKED A QUESTION IS IT DO THEY NOT HAVE ENOUGH VACCINATORS DO THEY HAVE IS A DATA ENTRY IS IT ANSWERING THE PHONE FOR APPOINTMENTS AND I'D SAY IT'S ALL OF THE ABOVE AT DIFFERENT PLACES.

DIFFERENT PLACES HAVE DIFFERENT CHALLENGES AND WE JUST WANT TO HELP THEM THROUGH WHATEVER CHALLENGE THEY'RE HAVING OR WE WANT TO SAY HEY, LET'S HAVE THAT VACCINE GO TO A PLACE THAT IS READY TO GET IT OUT MUCH MORE QUICKLY AND THAT'S OKAY.

SO WE'RE WORKING WITH FOLKS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S HAPPENING.

>> YEAH, HOW HAVE WE DONE?

WE SAID PRIORITY 1A WAS FRONTLINE HEALTH CARE WORKERS.

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THEM HAVE HAD THE VACCINATION?

>> SO RIGHT NOW WE'VE DONE ABOUT 250,000 VACCINES ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA.

THAT'S A THAT'S A GOOD NUMBER AND I THINK IT'S PROBABLY - I DIDN'T LOOK THIS MORNING, BUT PROBABLY EVEN A LITTLE HIGHER THIS MORNING.

SO WE'VE DONE ABOUT 250,000 VACCINES BUT THAT'S A MIX OF OUR 4 FRONTLINE HEALTH CARE WORKERS THAT WORK DIRECTLY WITH COVID THAT'S FOLKS IN OUR LONG-TERM CARE SETTINGS AS WELL AS THOSE WHO ARE 75 AND OLDER SO IT'S A COMBINATION OF ALL THOSE.

BUT WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO.

WE DON'T SHUT THE DOOR ON ANY ANYONE, SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO VACCINATE HEALTH CARE WORKERS IF FOR SOME REASON THEY JUST WANTED A LITTLE MORE TIME BEFORE THEY MADE A DECISION ABOUT GETTING THEIR FIRST VACCINE.

WE NEVER CLOSE THE DOOR WE JUST CONTINUE TO OPEN DOORS AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS PROCESS TO TO ALLOW MORE PEOPLE IN THE DOOR.

>> I DON'T PRETEND TO BE A POLLSTER, BUT I DO THINK I HAVE MY FINGERS ON THE PULSE, A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT'S GOING ON.

PEOPLE ARE FRIGHTENED SECRETARY COHEN.

THEY SEE THIS HUGE SPREAD OF THIS VIRUS AND FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS AND RELATIVES WHO'VE BEEN STRUCK BY IT, SOME OF WHOM HAVE BEEN PUT IN IN HOSPITALS AND SO FORTH, AND AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE GETTING THIS MESSAGE, "YOU'VE GOT A SPOT TAKE YOUR SHOT."

FOR THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE OVER 75, THEY'RE SAYING WAIT A MINUTE HERE.

FIRST OF ALL THE ENROLLMENT PROCESS, THE REGISTRATION PROCESS THAT THESE HOSPITALS AND SO FORTH PUT YOU THROUGH IS FAIRLY ONEROUS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT PARTICULARLY COMPUTER LITERATE AND THEN YOU GO THROUGH IT ALL, AND YOU FIND OUT THERE ARE ANY APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE.

IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING, THERE'S A THERE'S A GROWING AMOUNT OF ANGST HERE AMONG PEOPLE WHO ARE SAYING "WHERE IS MY SPOT?"

I'M WILLING TO WAIT MY TURN BUT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

>> YEAH.

YEAH, NO I APPRECIATE THAT THAT THIS IS THAT FRUSTRATING FOR FOLKS, YOU KNOW WHEN WE HAVE A VERY DECENTRALIZED SYSTEM AND EVERYONE DOES IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT EVERYONE HAS A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT APPOINTMENT SYSTEM AND MECHANISM FOR GETTING FOLKS THROUGH.

SO WE APPRECIATE THAT.

WE DO HAVE AT THE STATE LEVEL, SO THAT YOU CAN LOOK TO SEE WHAT VACCINATION SITES ARE NEAR YOU, YOU CAN GO TO YOURSPOTYOURSHOT.NC.GOV AND YOU CAN LOOK UP AT LEAST TO SEE WHAT VACCINE SITES ARE CLOSE TO YOU AND WE'RE ADDING MORE VACCINE SITES AS WE GO PLUS WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO SOME HIGHER, THROUGHPUT SITE SO THAT THERE WILL BE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS TO TO GET THEIR SPOT AND GET THEIR SHOT.

SO I WOULD CHECK BACK THAT ON THAT ALL THE TIME.

>> I'M DOING IT.

I MEAN I'M DOING IT ON A DAILY BASIS CAUSE I FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY UNFORTUNATELY, AND I KEEP GETTING THESE MESSAGES.

WE'RE NOT ACCEPTING APPOINTMENTS OR ALL THE APPOINTMENTS ARE FILLED.

AND THESE ARE THE FACILITIES I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU DIRECTLY CONTROL BUT FOR SOMEONE WHO IS, A), LITTLE BIT CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON START OFF WITH AND THEN THEY RUN INTO THESE WALLS, SO TO SPEAK WHERE IT SAYS THERE AREN'T MANY APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE.

IT'S PRETTY FRUSTRATING.

SO YOU MENTIONED THAT WE'RE GOING TO START HAVING SOME MASS VACCINATION SITES WITH SOME 45,000 DOSES THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING ON LINE FOR THAT.

IS THAT GOING TO SUPPLEMENT THE SITES THAT ARE ALREADY IN THESE COUNTIES?

>> TOM, THAT'S RIGHT.

SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THESE HIGHER THROUGHPUT SITES IN ABOUT 10 PLACES ACROSS THE STATE.

A NUMBER OF THEM YOU WOULD IMAGINE THE TRIANGLE, THE TRIAD CHARLOTTE AREA, ASHEVILLE OUT OUT EAST.

SO THAT SO WE THAT THOSE WILL BE SITES THAT WILL ALLOW FOR SOME HIGHER THROUGHPUT.

NOW I THINK THEY'RE ALREADY TAKING APPOINTMENTS FOR THOSE SO YOU KNOW 45,000 IS STILL NOT ENOUGH.

>> WHERE DO WE GET AN APPOINTMENT OF THESE HIGH THROUGHPUT PLACES.

>> YES, SO YOU CAN GO DIRECTLY TO THOSE SITES.

IT'S GOING TO BE AT SOME OF OUR LARGE PROVIDER SITES AND THEY ARE THEY ARE REACHING OUT DIRECTLY TO SOME OF THOSE PATIENTS THAT ARE AFFILIATED WITH THOSE WHETHER IT'S UNC OR WAKE MED OR DUKE HERE IN THE TRIANGLE OUT WEST, IT IS A CONSORTIUM OF FQHC AND SOME OF OUR PROVIDERS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH MISSION HOSPITAL SO THOSE ARE ALL RAMPING UP RIGHT NOW SO I'VE STILL GOT TO GET THROUGH THE HOSPITALS OR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

IS THAT IT?

>> WE DO SO WE DEFINITELY THOUGHT ABOUT SHOULD WE HAVE AN APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING TIME AT THE STATE LEVEL.

BUT YOU KNOW WE THOUGHT WE DIDN'T WANT TO ADD ANOTHER LAYER OF BUREAUCRACY ON TOP OF SYSTEMS THAT ALREADY EXISTS HOSPITALS TAKE APPOINTMENTS THEY DO THIS THEY HAVE NECK VISITS TODAY AS DO LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT SO WE ARE USING THE INDIVIDUAL VACCINE SITES TO MAKE THOSE APPOINTMENTS THEMSELVES.

THAT'S RIGHT.

>> OKAY BECAUSE I -- PERSONALLY I'M TRYING TO GET THROUGH TO THOSE SITES.

AND I'M JUST RUNNING INTO WALLS AND I THINK OTHERS ARE TOO THAT I'M HEARING.

SO I GUESS -- >> YES, AND I THINK IT'S A COMBINATION OF THE FACT THAT THEY ARE THEY'RE LITERALLY OUT OF VACCINE.

THERE ARE SOME PLACES THAT ARE LITERALLY OUT OF VACCINE AND THEN OTHERS THAT REALLY NEED TO RAMP UP THEIR OPERATIONS TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND MORE APPOINTMENTS IN A GIVEN DAY SO THAT THEY CAN USE UP THEIR VACCINE AND THEN WE'RE TRYING TO HELP THEM RAMP UP THAT CAPABILITY OR SAY, HEY I CAN'T DO IT AND GIVE IT TO THOSE SITES THAT THAT CAN.

>> I HOPE YOU WILL EXPRESS THAT THERE IS SOME FRUSTRATION FROM THE PUBLIC.

>> 100 %.

I GET IT.

>> I'M NOT JUST SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, BUT FOR OTHERS ALSO.

LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

IT SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE JUST ALL OVER THE PAGE HERE.

GOVERNOR COOPER ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE THAT IN SPEAKING WITH THE WHITE HOUSE TASK FORCE, THEY'RE SAYING LET'S RECOMMEND THAT WE LOWER THE AGE TO 65.

SO FAR AS GIVING THE VACCINES ARE CONCERNED.

MY QUESTION TO THAT IS IF WE CAN'T GET THE 75 AND OLDER VACCINATED, WHY LOWER IT TO 65?

>> YOU KNOW, TOM THIS IS BEEN CHALLENGING, AND I KNOW THAT FOLKS ARE WORKING FAST AND THEY'RE TRYING TO ADJUST AS WE GO.

WE'RE TRYING TO LEARN AND ADJUST.

BUT IT IS CHALLENGING WHEN WE GET GUIDANCE IN MIDSTREAM AND LATE IN THE GAME.

AND SO ALL I CAN SAY IS OUR TEAM IS LOOKING AT THAT NEW RECOMMENDATION TO SAY HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT THOSE THAT ARE 65 TO 75.

YOU KNOW THERE THERE WAS A FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT PUT OUT THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW THAT SHOULD GO BOTH STATES LIKE NORTH CAROLINA HAVE ALIGNED WITH THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS NOW THERE'S NEW RECOMMENDATION SO WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE THAT IN AND UNDERSTAND I THINK FOR ANYONE WATCHING TODAY WE'RE VACCINATING THOSE THAT ARE OVER 75 AND HEALTH CARE WORKERS THAT WORK WITH COVID.

I THINK THAT'S ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR NOW.

BY NEXT WEEK, WE MAY LOOK AT THAT AND DECIDE HEY WE'RE GOING TO GO TO 65 AND OLDER, BUT AGAIN TO YOUR POINT TOM, THERE'S JUST LIMITED VACCINE HERE, AND WE JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FOR EVERY 75 YEAR-OLD KNOW OVER.

YES, WE NEED TO IMPROVE OUR OPERATIONS, I KNOW IT IS FRUSTRATING, BUT THAT THE NUMBERS JUST DON'T ADD UP YET AND WE'RE GETTING FASTER GETTING OUT THE VACCINE THAT WE HAVE BUT WE WILL GET THERE.

WE WILL IMPROVE THE THESE THE OPERATIONS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.

BUT THEN IT'S GOING TO BE BEING PATIENT, AND WAITING WAITING YOUR TURN.

>> I KNOW, IT'S GOT TO BE FRUSTRATING SO FAR AS YOU'RE CONCERNED, BECAUSE IT ALMOST SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE CHANGING THE GOAL LINE EVERY TIME YOU TURN AROUND.

THE OTHER THE OTHER THING THAT CAME OUT OF WASHINGTON, I THINK IT CAME FROM CDC WAS A RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU NOT HOLD AND RESERVE THE DOSAGE FOR THE SECOND SHOT GO AHEAD AND GIVE IT TO PEOPLE ON THE FIRST SHOT.

WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?

>> I DON'T THINK THAT WAS THE EXACT GUIDANCE, BUT I THINK THEY WERE SAYING STATES WE'RE GOING TO LET YOU MANAGE YOUR SECOND DOSES BUT I DON'T THINK THAT MATERIALLY CHANGES ANYTHING.

WE STILL NEED TO RESERVE SECOND DOSES FOR THOSE THAT GOT THE FIRST DOSE.

SO I DON'T I DON'T THINK THAT MATERIALLY - THE FIRST DOSE SECOND DOSE - WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS DOING IS THEY WERE HOLDING BACK SOME RESERVE, NOT RELATED TO THE SECOND DOSE THEY WERE HOLDING BACK SOME RESERVE IN CASE THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH MANUFACTURING OR SHIPPING OR SOMETHING AND I THINK WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU THAT RESERVE.

I WILL SAY I YET DON'T KNOW AND MY TEAM DOESN'T KNOW HOW BIG IS THAT RESERVE HOW MANY MORE VACCINES DOES THAT MEAN WE HAVE BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN PLANNING FOR A -- AGAIN, WE PLAN FOR A CERTAIN LEVEL OF CAPACITY AND IF THEY WANT TO GIVE US MORE THAT'S GREAT.

WE JUST HAVE TO KNOW SO WE CAN PLAN TO GET TO GET THAT OUT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND THAT'S WHY LATE IN THE GAME CHANGES IS HARD AND FOR US TO REACT TO, BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO IT WE'RE GOING TO DO IT TOM, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD TO GET FOLKS THE PROTECTION THAT THEY NEED IN VACCINE IS NO DIFFERENT.

>> AND THIS MAY BE A STORY WHERE THE MEDIA DIDN'T QUITE GET IT RIGHT IN EXPLAINING -- AFTER YOU EXPLAIN WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT RELEASING SOME OF THE RESERVES, NOT FOR THE SECOND SHOT, BUT FOR SOME OF THE RESERVES WERE HOLDING BACK.

THAT MAKES SENSE BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT THE MEDIA ACCURATELY REPORTED, SO THAT'S A CASE WHERE I THINK WE NEED -- >> I AGREE.

I AGREE WITH THAT, BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY THIS IS WHERE WE HAD THE STATE HAVEN'T RECEIVED A A WRITTEN DOCUMENT OF EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING.

SO I'M ALSO READING THE NEWS REPORTS AND SAYING, "I WONDER WHAT'S HAPPENING?"

SO LOOK IT'S EVERYONE'S WORKING FAST.

IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A CONFUSING TIME I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO KEEP CHECKING BACK FOR NEW INFORMATION BECAUSE IT IS GOING TO CHANGE, AND THAT'S WHAT I CAN TELL YOU.

BECAUSE WE'RE LEARNING NEW THINGS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EACH DAY, WE'LL INCORPORATE THAT AND MOVE FORWARD.

THAT'S ALL WE CAN DO.

>> WHAT KIND OF PERCENTAGE, YOU HAD A QUESTION PRESS CONFERENCE ABOUT THIS, BUT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE DECLINING TAKING A SHOT?

YOU TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE WAS SOME CONCERN AND THE MINORITY COMMUNITY LATINOS AND HISPANICS AND ALSO AFRICAN AMERICANS AND BLACKS OF PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T TRUST GETTING THE VACCINE.

HOW BIG A PERCENTAGE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE?

>> YES, SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE PERFECT DATA ON THAT YET PARTICULARLY NOT FROM OUR LONG-TERM CARE VACCINATION EFFORTS, I DON'T HAVE THAT DATA FROM CVS AND WALGREENS, BUT WHAT WE ARE HEARING AS THEY GO TO THE LONG-TERM CARE SETTING, THEY'RE VACCINATING NEARLY ALL THE RESIDENTS.

THOSE THAT ARE PATIENTS IN THE NURSING HOME.

BUT WHEN THEY COME TO THE STAFF, THE STAFF IS ABOUT 50-50.

50% WILL TAKE AND 50% SAY EITHER I DON'T EVER WANT IT OR I WANT TO WAIT.

MORE LIKELY WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS I WANT TO WAIT, I WANT TO SEE HOW THIS GOES I WANT TO SEE SOME MORE PEOPLE GET THIS I WANT TO LEARN MORE, AND LOOK, I UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT COMES FROM THERE ARE LONG STANDING REASONS WHY FOLKS HAVE SOME DISTRUST OF THIS SYSTEM.

AND THAT THAT'S A WHOLE SEPARATE SHOW, WHY DO WE GET TO THIS POINT.

BUT THAT'S THE REALITY AND I THINK IT'S LEGITIMATE AND I'M HOPING THAT PUT PROGRAMS LIKE THIS AND HELPING FOLKS REALLY SEE OTHERS IN THEIR COMMUNITY GETTING VACCINATED, GETTING GOOD INFORMATION ABOUT THIS VACCINE, BECAUSE PEOPLE RIGHTFULLY SAY "WOW THAT WAS REALLY FAST, DOES THAT MEAN IT WASN'T TESTED?"

NO, IT WAS TESTED, IT IS SAFE, IT'S EFFECTIVE YOU CAN'T GET COVID FROM IT.

SO WE WANT FOLKS TO KNOW THAT INFORMATION AND GET THE BEST INFORMATION TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILY BECAUSE THIS IS OUR TOOL TO BEAT TO BEAT THIS PANDEMIC.

>> TWO PARTER.

FIRST OF ALL DO YOU STILL HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE VACCINE?

YOU'VE EXPRESSED THAT YOU DO, AND NUMBER 2 -- >> I DO TOM.

>> -- THERE HAVE BEEN SOME INSTANCES WHERE NATIONWIDE WE'VE HEARD OF REACTIONS FROM THE VACCINE.

ANY EVIDENCES OF THAT IN NORTH CAROLINA.

>> VERY VERY RARE.

TIME TAKE SOME PEOPLE HAVING NO SIDE EFFECTS FEVER, NOT FEELING WELL FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.

BUT SO FAR WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING THAT THAT IS DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE VACCINE.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN A SEVERE ANAPHYLACTIC REACTION OR SEVERE ALLERGIC REACTION HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA.

BUT THAT'S WHAT WE KEEP MONITORING FOR, IT'S WHY WE DO OUR WORK TO UNDERSTAND IF THERE'S ANYTHING IT'S SEE THE VACCINE.

SO NOTHING OFFICIAL YET THAT WE HAD THEN HEARD BACK FROM THE CDC OR THE FDA AS AN AREA OF CONCERN.

SO THAT'S GOOD, I SAID 250,000 PEOPLE HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA HAVE THE VACCINE.

AND IT'S GONE WELL.

>> WE'VE EARLY ON IN THIS PROCESS WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE TESTING.

IT LOOKS LIKE THAT THE TESTING PROCESS IS RUNNING PRETTY SMOOTHLY NOW AND PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO GET A TEST.

IS THAT CORRECT?

>> THAT'S RIGHT, AND LOOK, I WOULD SAY THE SAME THING.

IT FEELS LIKE WE WE HAD THE SAME CONVERSATION FOLKS ARE LIKE WHERE I GET TESTED, I CAN'T GET TESTED THERE'S NO TEST, RIGHT?

WE HAD TO IMPROVE OUR OPERATIONS, REALLY BUCKLE DOWN AND FOCUS WE LEARNED A LOT OF LESSONS FROM THAT, BUT I THINK IT SPEAKS TO THE FACT, AND THIS CAME UP YESTERDAY WHEN SPEAKING TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, WHERE FOLKS ARE ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS.

DO WE HAVE THE SYSTEM THE PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM TO BEST REACT TO THESE KINDS OF CRISES?

OR DO WE HAVE A DECENTRALIZED SYSTEM, WE HAVE THE SYSTEM WE HAVE.

SO I CAN'T CHANGE THE UNDERLYING SYSTEM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CRISIS, BUT I DO THINK IT'S THE RIGHT QUESTION FOR FOLKS TO SAY, "HEY HOW SHOULD THIS HAVE BEEN DONE DIFFERENTLY "IN THE FUTURE?

WHAT ARE THE KINDS OF STRUCTURES THAT WE NEED TO PUT IT IN PLACE ENOUGH IN THE FUTURE?"

NOW I CAN'T CHANGE IT IN THE MOMENT.

WE HAVE A COUNTY BASED SYSTEM WE HAVE A DECENTRALIZED HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.

WE'RE GOING TO USE THAT SYSTEM, WE'RE GOING TO GET BETTER, JUST LIKE TESTING GOT BETTER, IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BUMPY LIKE ANY BIG ROLL OUT LIKE THIS IS GOING TO BE BUMPY IN THE BEGINNING, BUT I DO WANT TO PUT IT OUT THERE TOM THAT I DO THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT CONVERSATION TO HAVE.

I HOPE WE'RE SITTING HERE A YEAR FROM NOW, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING BACK ON COVID AND THE RESPONSE WE'RE THINKING HOW SHOULD THIS GO DIFFERENTLY IN THE FUTURE, I THINK WE NEED TO REMEMBER THESE MOMENTS TO SAY LIKE HOW CAN WE DO BETTER?

>> YEAH AND WE'LL CHUCKLE ABOUT IT AS WE DO ABOUT TESTING.

>> I HOPE SO.

SO FAR AS IT GOES KIND OF WRAPPING UP AND I THINK WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING IS WE SHOULD BE VERY VIGILANT, VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR SITUATION, DON'T HAVE PEOPLE IN OUR HOMES, DON'T GO TO OTHER PEOPLE HOMES, STAY IN, WEAR A MASK, WASH AND WAIT.

>> ALL THE THINGS TOM, SO ALL OF THOSE SO PLEASE, PLEASE BE CAREFUL.

I KNOW THAT EVEN THOUGH VACCINE IS HERE REMEMBER IT IS 2 DOSES.

YOU DON'T HAVE PROTECTION UNTIL 2 WEEKS AFTER YOUR SECOND DOSE SO WE'RE EVEN TALKING ABOUT 6 WEEKS FROM NOW BEFORE YOU REALLY HAVE PROTECTION FROM THAT VACCINE SO EVEN IF YOU GET THAT VACCINE, YOU NEED TO BE TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF AND SO I CAN'T SAY THAT ENOUGH.

PLEASE STAY HOME, PLEASE ONLY BE GOING OUT FOR REALLY ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES, PLEASE WEAR A MASK ALL THE TIME, PLEASE DON'T HAVE ANYONE OVER TO YOUR HOME INDOORS, OR GO TO SOMEONE ELSE'S HOME INDOORS.

IF WE CAN DO THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS WINTER AND WE'RE GOING TO COME OUT STRONGER ON THE OTHER SIDE.

>> AND THIS IS THE TOUGH TIME.

THE WINTERTIME.

>> IT IS.

THIS IS THE TIME.

I DO BELIEVE BY THE SPRING, WE WILL BE IN A DIFFERENT PLACE.

BUT RIGHT NOW THIS IS THIS IS THE HARDEST TIME.

>> WE'RE SCHEDULING AGAIN FOR YOU TO COME BACK AND TALK TO US ON JANUARY 29TH, SO WE THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US SECRETARY COHEN AND BY THE WAY LET US TELL THE VIEWERS, HERE'S WHAT'S GOING TO BE COMING UP NEXT WEEK ON FOCUS ON CORONAVIRUS.

>> IT WAS JUST SAD TO KNOW THAT, AND HURTFUL TO KNOW THAT SHE PASSED AWAY FROM COVID.

>> THE COVID-19 DEATH COUNT IS RISING ACROSS OUR STATE.

HOW ONE NORTH CAROLINA WOMAN IS HONORING HER MOTHER'S LEGACY AFTER PASSING FROM COVID-19.

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