>> TEMPERATURES ARE RISING, VACCINATIONS ARE GROWING RAPIDLY, AND COVID CASE NUMBERS ARE DROPPING.

ARE WE ABOUT TO HAVE A MORE NORMAL SPRING?

WE ASK SECRETARY MANDY COHEN ON THIS EDITION ON COVID UNCOVERED.

♪ >> THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING WITH US SECRETARY COHEN.

YOU KNOW I WENT BACK, IT WAS JUST A FEW DAYS MORE THAN A YEAR AGO WHEN WE DID OUR FIRST INTERVIEW ON COVID-19, AND VERY FEW PEOPLE REALLY KNEW ABOUT IT.

>> LOTS OF OPTIMISM GOING ON RIGHT NOW.

PEOPLE FEEL LIKE WE'RE TURNING THE CORNER, WE'VE GOT 18% OF OUR POPULATION HAS HAD AT LEAST ONE DOSE OF VACCINE.

10% WHO'VE HAD BOTH SHOTS.

WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU ABOUT WHEN WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO NORMAL?

>> WELL FIRST TOM, THANK YOU FOR A YEAR OF REALLY HELPING US HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN WHAT'S GOING ON WITH COVID EVEN THE MULTIPLE PRESS CONFERENCES WE DO, IT'S OFTEN HARD TO REALLY DIG INTO SOME OF THE SCIENCE BEHIND WHAT WE'RE DOING, SO I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO TALK WITH YOU WEEK AFTER WEEK, I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG YEAR FOR FOLKS.

BUT AT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE 3 SAFE AND EFFECTIVE VACCINES A YEAR AFTER THIS CRISIS START IS FRANKLY REMARKABLE.

AND I'M SO GRATEFUL TO THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY FOR THAT AND IT'S TO YOUR POINT IT'S SHOWING IN OUR TRENDS ALREADY.

SO WE'RE SEEING OUR CASES GO DOWN, WE'RE SEEING OUR HOSPITALIZATIONS GO DOWN, WE SEE THE PERCENT OF TESTS THAT ARE POSITIVE IS AT SOME OF OUR LOWEST LEVELS IT'S BEEN.

NOW WE'RE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET.

I MEAN THAT'S THE THING I NEED FOLKS TO REMEMBER, BUT WE ARE DOING A GREAT JOB GETTING VACCINES OUT.

I'M PRETTY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT YOU KNOW, WE PRIORITIZE VACCINATING THOSE IN OUR LONG-TERM CARE SETTINGS OUR NURSING HOMES, WE'VE REALLY SEEN A DRAMATIC DECLINE OF SPREAD OF VIRUS IN THOSE SETTINGS, WHICH IS YOU KNOW REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE FOLKS WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE ARE, SO WE'RE DEFINITELY HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, HOWEVER, I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO THIS, YOU KNOW WE STILL HAVE MORE WORK TO DO OVER THE NEXT NUMBER OF MONTHS, I THINK MARCH IS A PARTICULARLY CRITICAL MONTH FOR US TO KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND THEN I SORT OF SEE THE CORNER THAT WE CAN TURN IN THE MONTH OF APRIL.

>> WELL TO YOUR POINT GALLUP JUST FINISHED A SURVEY, I'M SURE YOU SAW IT.

A NATIONWIDE SURVEY, 60% OF THE PEOPLE THAT THEY SURVEYED SAID THAT THE PANDEMIC WAS GETTING A LITTLE OR A LOT BETTER.

ONLY ABOUT 14 TO 26%.

NO, 14% SAY IT'S GETTING WORSE 26% SAY IT'S ABOUT STAYING THE SAME.

I THOUGHT THAT GOVERNOR COOPER HAD A WONDERFUL METAPHOR AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE ON TUESDAY WHEN HE SAID, "WE'RE LIKE THE FOOTBALL PLAYER THAT SEES THE GOAL LINE AND SPIKES THE BALL BEFORE HE CROSSES IT."

WE DON'T NEED TO START CELEBRATING YET.

NOT TOO EARLY RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

WE HAVE TO CROSS THE GOAL LINE AND DON'T WORRY IT WILL BE PLENTY OF TIME TO CELEBRATE ONCE WE CROSS THAT GOAL LINE WE'RE NOT THERE YET, AND TOM TIME THE REASON IS THAT THERE IS STILL A COUPLE OF WILD CARDS.

FIRST IS HOW QUICKLY ARE WE ABLE TO GET VACCINE OUT AND THAT IS NOT A FACTOR THAT WE HAVE CONTROL OVER, THAT IS SIMPLY A MATTER OF SUPPLY IF WE HAD MORE VACCINE WOULD BE GETTING OUT MORE VACCINE.

WE'RE LIMITED BY THE SUPPLY WE GET.

AND SO WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT WHILE WE ARE VACCINATING AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN, YOU SHARED SOME GREAT NUMBERS, WE'VE GOTTEN OUT ALMOST 3 MILLION DOSES, A MILLION PEOPLE FULLY VACCINATED THAT'S GREAT.

BUT REMEMBER WE'RE A STATE OF MORE THAN 10 MILLION PEOPLE, SO WE STILL HAVE WORK TO DO, SO THAT'S ONE.

BUT THE SECOND IS WE KNOW THIS VIRUS IS CHANGING.

AS WE DO OUR WORK THE VIRUS DOES ITS WORK AND ITS WORK IS TO CHANGE IT TRIES TO EVADE OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM, IT EVADES THE VACCINE.

AND SO WE HAVE TO JUST BE ALERT FOR THAT.

I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT REALLY AFFECT OUR TRENDS AT THIS POINT.

BUT WE WANT TO BE ON ALERT, PARTICULARLY IN THE MONTH OF MARCH AND I THINK THE MORE WE CAN KEEP VIRAL SPREAD LOW IN THE MONTH OF MARCH AND GET THOSE VACCINES OUT QUICKLY, MY HOPE IS THAT THOSE VARIANTS THOSE CHANGES IN VIRUS WILL GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPREAD ACROSS OUR STATE AND THEN WE'LL BE IN A BETTER PLACE BECAUSE WE KNOW THOSE VARIANTS ARE MORE CONTAGIOUS AND WE ALREADY KNOW COVID IS SO CONTAGIOUS.

OR EVEN MORE CONTAGIOUS AND MORE SERIOUS.

>> WELL THAT BRINGS UP A GOOD POINT.

HOW PREVALENT ARE THOSE VARIANTS THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING?

ARE THERE POCKETS WHERE IT'S WORSE THAN OTHERS?

WHAT'S THE SITUATION WITH THEM?

>> YEAH, WHEN WE LOOK AROUND THE COUNTRY, THEY'RE DEFINITELY POCKETS WEARING IT IS WORSE THAN OTHERS.

NORTH CAROLINA, SO FAR IS NOT ONE OF THOSE POCKETS AND I WANT TO KEEP IT THAT WAY.

I THINK THEY'RE SEEING NEW YO -- NOT SURPRISING NEW YORK, CALIFORNIA, SOME OF THE MORE DENSELY POPULATED PLACES WHERE THERE'S MORE TRAVEL IN AND OUT OF THE COUNTRY, THEY'RE SEEING MORE OF THOSE VARIANTS, WE'RE NOT WE ARE SEEING THEM HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA, BUT SO FAR WE HAVE NOT SEEN THEM IN A CONCENTRATED AREA AND THAT'S GOOD, BUT WE HAVE TO KEEP UP THAT WORK, KEEP THEM LOW, PARTICULARLY IN THE MONTH OF MARCH AS WE GET OUT MORE VACCINE AND THAT'S WHY I SAY APRIL FEELS LIKE THAT TIME FOR ME WHERE I REALLY SEE THAT THE CORNER TURNING, IF YOU WILL, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SPIKE THE FOOTBALL YET IN APRIL, BUT THE CORNER TURNING IS REALLY FOR ME IN APRIL.

>> YOU KNOW THAT MIGHT BE THE GOVERNOR MAY HAVE STARTED SOME SPIKING THE FOOTBALL.

LET ME STEP BACK IN JUST A SECOND HERE BECAUSE LAST TIME WE VISITED I ASKED YOU IF YOU COULD PUT YOUR FINGERS ON WHY THE NUMBERS OF CASES NUMBERS OF HOSPITALIZATIONS PERCENT POSITIVE WAS COMING DOWN.

AND YOU WERE A LITTLE BIT RELUCTANT SAYING IT WAS PROBABLY A LITTLE TOO SOON TO IDENTIFY THAT.

CAN YOU NOW TELL A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHY THIS IS COMING DOWN WHILE WE'RE SEEING BETTER NEWS?

>> WELL, I THINK IT'S 2 THINGS; ONE IS WE ARE PAST THE HOLIDAYS BECAUSE WE KNOW DURING THE HOLIDAYS WE HAD HUGE SPIKES.

WE'RE COMING DOWN OFF OF THE HOLIDAYS, I THINK THAT FOLKS ARE WEARING MASKS MUCH MORE CONSISTENTLY.

AND 3RD THE VACCINES ARE HAVING IMPACT, AND THE MORE VACCINES WE GET IT EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT HELPS US AT EVEN MORE.

I THINK JUST NOW THOUGH AT AS WE GOT INTO THE END OF FEBRUARY BEGINNING OF MARCH IS REALLY WHEN WE HAD PEOPLE FULLY VACCINATED SO I THINK NOW IS WHEN WE'RE STARTING TO REALLY SEE THE BENEFITS OF HAVING PEOPLE BE FULLY VACCINATED.

I HOPE TO SEE OUR TRENDS CONTINUE.

I WILL SAY THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE TRENDS NATIONWIDE FOR OUR WHOLE COUNTRY, THERE'S BEEN A SLOWING OF THE PROGRESS AND SO WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR EYE ON THAT.

NOW NORTH CAROLINA HAS NOT SEEN THAT SAME SLOWING WE HAVEN'T PLATEAUED BUT THE REST OF THE COUNTRY REALLY HAS PLATEAUED, SO AGAIN WHAT SHOULD WE ATTRIBUTE THAT TO I THINK THAT'S THAT COMBINATION OF WHAT ARE WE SEEING WITH THOSE VARIANTS AND HOW QUICKLY CAN WE GET VACCINE MANUFACTURED AND OUT.

SO NORTH CAROLINA IS STILL HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

I AM NOTING THE FACT THE REST OF THE COUNTRY HAS PLATEAUED A BIT AND WE DON'T WANT THAT HERE IN NORTH CAROLINA, WE WANT TO KEEP DRIVING THAT DOWN SO WE CAN.

KEEP MAKING PROGRESS.

>> DON'T WANT TO GO THERE.

WHAT WAS IT?

YESTERDAY WE HAD FEWER THAN A 1000 NEW CASES REPORTED?

>> I KNOW!

>> THE PERCENT POSITIVE IS DOWN IN THAT 4 TO 5% RANGE THAT YOU'VE BEEN WANTING SO BADLY EVER SINCE THIS GOT STARTED.

NOW THERE'S SOME NAYSAYERS WHO ARE SAYING, "YEAH, THE REASON WHY THAT PERCENT "POSITIVE IS DOWN BECAUSE WE'RE JUST NOT TESTING IS MUCH AS WE WERE BEFORE."

IS THAT ACCURATE?

>> WELL WE ARE DEFINITELY TESTING LESS.

I THINK THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE LESS FOLKS WITH SYMPTOMS AND ARE SICK.

BUT REMEMBER THE PERCENT POSITIVE TAKES THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.

IT'S A PERCENT OF THE TOTAL TESTS SO IF YOU SHRINK THE TOTAL TEST YOU DO, YOU STILL -- THAT IS WHY IT'S AN IMPORTANT METRIC TO LOOK AT IN COMBINATION WITH OUR CASES.

BECAUSE I DO KNOW WE'RE DOING LESS TESTING SO ARE WE SEEING LESS CASES BECAUSE WE'RE DOING LESS TESTING OR IS THERE TRULY LESS VIRUS, AND I THINK IT'S LOOKING AT THAT CASE NUMBER AND THE PERCENT POSITIVE TOGETHER THAT REASSURES ME THAT I THINK THAT ARE OUR NUMBERS ARE GOING DOWN AND I WOULD SAY I THINK THERE'S ALSO A SEASONAL COMPONENT TO THIS.

WE ALWAYS KNEW THAT THERE WOULD BE, LIKE THE FLU.

SO I'M HOPEFUL AS WE GET INTO MORE OF THE SPRING AND THE SUMMER JUST LIKE FLU WILL BE A NATURAL DECLINE IN THE VIRUS.

SO WE HAVE ALL THE THINGS HEADING IN THE POSITIVE DIRECTION FOR US.

BUT THAT'S WHY I SAID, MARCH FOR ME IS STILL A VERY PIVOTAL MONTH WHERE WE HAVE TO WORK HARD AT AT SLOWING THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS.

>> ON MONDAY THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL RELEASED SOME NEW GUIDELINES SO FAR IS ACTIVITIES WERE CONCERNED.

YOU ADDRESSED THOSE IN YOUR PRESS BRIEFING ON TUESDAY, BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.

CDC SAYS, IF YOU'VE HAD YOUR SHOTS THEN YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WEAR MASK IN THE COMPANY OF SOMEONE ELSE WHO'S HAD THEIR SHOTS.

IF YOU'VE HAD YOUR SHOTS AND SOMEONE ELSE HASN'T, IT'S OKAY TO BE WITH ONE OTHER PERSON.

ELABORATE ON THAT A LITTLE BIT AND GIVE US YOUR SLANT AS TO HOW WE IN NORTH CAROLINA OUGHT TO BEHAVE BECAUSE OF THOSE GUIDELINES.

>> SURE SO FIRST IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE FULLY VACCINATED.

FOR PFIZER AND MODERNA THAT MEANS GETTING TWO VACCINES AND THEN WAITING FOR AT LEAST 2 WEEKS AFTER YOUR SECOND DOSE.

FOR THOSE WHO GET JOHNSON AND JOHNSON, THE ONE SHOT, WHICH IS THE ONE I GOT, IT'S 2 WEEKS AFTER THAT ONE DOSE THEN YOU'RE FULLY VACCINATED.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS IS YOU CAN BE AROUND OTHERS WHO ARE VACCINATED, BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE AROUND PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT VACCINATED, YOU STILL NEED TO BE CAREFUL.

SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE AROUND FOLKS WHO ARE UNVACCINATED THEY SAY REALLY KEEP IT TO ONE HOUSEHOLD AND MAKE SURE THOSE PEOPLE ARE LOW RISK.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHY.

WHY DID THEY DO THAT?

AND THEY SAID PLEASE KEEP WEARING MASKS IN PUBLIC.

WHY DID THEY SAY THAT?

YOU'RE VACCINATED.

WHY DO YOU NEED TO DO THAT?

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND.

IT'S BECAUSE WHEN WE DID THE RESEARCH ON THESE VACCINES, THEY ONLY LOOKED AT PEOPLE WHO HAD COVID AND HAD SYMPTOMS, SO WERE THEY COUGHING, DID THEY LOSE THEIR SMELL AND THEIR TASTE?

THEY HAVE A FEVER?

THEY ONLY LOOKED AT SYMPTOMATIC PEOPLE.

THEY DIDN'T LOOK TO SEE THAT IF YOU HAD THE VACCINE COULD YOU STILL HAVE COVID BUT NOT HAVE SYMPTOMS?

BE ASYMPTOMATIC?

SO IT WE STILL NEED TO UNDERSTAND BETTER IF YOU'VE HAD THE VACCINE IS IT POSSIBLE THAT YOU COULD HAVE COVID, NOT HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS, WHICH IS GOOD, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET SICK, YOU PERSONALLY YOU'VE HAD THE VACCINE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET SICK, BUT COULD YOU STILL GIVE IT TO OTHERS AND NOT KNOW IT?

THAT'S THE IMPORTANT KEY HERE.

WE REALLY DON'T HAVE GOOD EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT BEING VACCINATED KEEPS YOU FROM BEING ABLE TO SPREAD IT TO OTHERS.

NOW YOU WON'T KNOW THAT YOU HAVE IT CAUSE YOU WONT HAVE SYMPTOMS AND THAT'S GREAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET SICK, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL IF YOU GET A VACCINE.

HOWEVER, IF YOU'RE AROUND OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE UNVACCINATED, IT'S POSSIBLE YOU COULD SPREAD IT TO THEM.

NOW I WANT TO SAY I THINK THAT MORE SCIENCE IS COMING OUT ON THIS TO SHOW US THAT EVEN VACCINATION IS GOING TO CUT DOWN ON TRANSMITTING THE VIRUS AT ALL.

SO THAT IS GOOD NEWS, BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE THAT DATA YET.

SO HANG IN THERE AS WE GET MORE DATA.

>> STAY TUNED.

WE'VE LEARNED LOTS OF NEW TERMS DURING THE LAST YEAR, ONE OF THEM IS THE WORD EFFICACY.

DOCTOR FAUCI TWICE TO ROLL THAT WORD OUT FAIRLY FREQUENTLY DO WE HAVE ANY MORE EVIDENCE ABOUT HOW LONG THIS VACCINE AFTER YOU'RE FULLY VACCINATED?

HOW LONG YOU'RE PROTECTED?

ARE WE GOING TO NEED BOOSTER SHOTS?

WHAT'S THE LATEST ON THAT?

>> WELL SO OBVIOUSLY WE'RE ONLY A YEAR INTO THIS ENTIRE PANDEMIC AND SO WE'RE LESS THAN A YEAR INTO SEEING NOW VACCINES WORK IN THE LONG TERM, PLUS WE KNOW THIS VIRUS IS CHANGING SO I THINK THERE ARE 2 FACTORS THAT ARE GOING TO GO INTO WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE TO HAVE A BOOSTER.

IS THIS VIRUS CHANGING ENOUGH THAT IT IS GOING TO EVADE THE VACCINE IN A WAY THAT SUBSTANTIAL, AND WE'LL NEED A BOOSTER?

WE ALREADY KNOW THAT VIRUSES DO THAT.

THAT'S WHY WE GET A FLU SHOT EVERY YEAR SO THIS IS NOT NEW, THIS IS NOT UNIQUE.

WE GET A FLU SHOT EVERY YEAR BECAUSE THE FLU CHANGES.

IT IS LIKELY THAT COVID WILL CHANGE.

THE QUESTION IS IT CHANGING FAST ENOUGH WHERE WE NEED A BOOSTER EVERY YEAR?

IS IT 18 MONTHS?

WE DON'T KNOW THAT YET.

SO THAT'S ONE QUESTION.

IS THE VIRUS CHANGING, THE SECOND IS WHAT IS OUR OWN BODIES DOING IN TERMS OF IMMUNITY?

HOW LONG DOES THAT LAST?

AND I THINK THAT ONLY A TIME TIME WILL TELL AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, BUT SO FAR IT LOOKS LIKE WE DO GET GOOD IMMUNITY FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, HOWEVER, IT IS THE VIRUS THAT IS CHANGING.

WE HAVE AN IMMUNITY TO THE VIRUS.

FROM 2020.

DO WE HAVE IMMUNITY TO THE VIRUS IN 2021 IS THE QUESTION, AND WE'LL HAVE TO KNOW THAT AS WE GO FORWARD.

>> LAST WEEK.

THE STATES OF TEXAS AND MISSISSIPPI ISSUED RELAXATION ON THEIR MASK MANDATES, TEXAS IS FULLY OPENING ALL RESTAURANTS AND BARS AND SO FORTH LIKE THAT.

ARE YOU CONCERNED THAT PERHAPS PEOPLE IN NORTH CAROLINA ARE GOING TO SEE THIS AND FEEL LIKE THEY'VE GOT PERMISSION TO RELAX WEARING MASK ALSO AND DISTANCING AND WASHING HANDS AND WANT TO START CONGREGATING IN LARGE CROWDS?

DOES THAT BOTHER YOU?

ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT?

>> WELL TOM, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A LONG YEAR AND I GET THAT.

FOLKS ARE TOTALLY DONE WITH ALL THIS COVID STUFF AND ARE FRUSTRATED AND WANT TO GET BACK TO NORMAL, AND THE ISSUE IS WERE SO CLOSE.

IT FEELS AWFUL TO SEE MORE PEOPLE GETTING COVID ARE DYING FROM COVID WHEN WE KNOW WE HAVE THESE NEW TOOLS TO PROTECT PEOPLE WITH VACCINES.

SO YOU KNOW WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING IS PROTECTING EACH OTHER UNTIL WE CAN GET A VACCINE WIDELY AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE AND WE'RE NOT THERE YET, BUT I THINK THE NEWS WE HAVE SEEN FROM THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IN TERMS OF INCREASES IN MANUFACTURING, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE VACCINE WIDELY AVAILABLE BY THE MONTH OF JUNE.

SO THAT IS NOT THAT FAR FROM NOW.

SO I JUST THINK WE NEED TO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BEING CAUTIOUS BECAUSE I WOULD HATE TO LOSE NORTH CAROLINIANS AT A MOMENT WHERE WE'RE RIGHT -- I'M GOING BACK TO MY FOOTBALL METAPHOR.

WE'RE RIGHT ON THAT GOAL LINE.

YOU CAN SEE IT, YOU'RE ABOUT TO CROSS IT, GOSH, I WOULD HATE TO LOSE NORTH CAROLINIANS IN THIS MOMENT, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROTECT PEOPLE.

IN JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS HERE WE'RE GOING TO GET MORE AND MORE VACCINE EACH AND EVERY WEEK, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN, SO JUST HANG IN THERE WITH US WEAR MASK A BIT MORE AND I TRUCK TRUST ME, WE ARE GOING TO GET TO A MOMENT WHERE WE CAN EASE MORE AND FEEL LIKE THINGS ARE CLOSER BACK TO NORMAL, BUT LET US GET VACCINES TO EVERYONE WHO WANTS THEM FIRST.

SO I THINK THE SUMMER WILL FEEL VERY DIFFERENT.

>> THE BIG VARIABLE IN ALL THIS AND HOW FAST IT TAKES PLACE BETWEEN HEARING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IN READING IS SUPPLY.

THE VACCINATION SUPPLY.

LAST WEEK WE GOT 80,000 DOSES OF THE J&J VACCINE YOU HAD YOUR J&J VACCINE.

WE ARE RAMPING UP SHOTS, YOU SAID YESTERDAY IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE THAT YOU'RE GETTING ASSURANCE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WE'RE GOING TO START GETTING EVEN MORE PFIZER AND MODERNA IN THE WEEKS TO COME.

IS THERE ENOUGH VACCINE NOW?

ARE WE ABLE TO HANDLE THE CROWDS?

CAN WE IN FACT DELIVER VACCINES TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT WANT IT?

>> NOT QUITE YET.

THINGS ARE DEFINITELY IMPROVING AND WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS RIGHT NOW TOM TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT PRIORITY GROUP BECAUSE FOR ME THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT GROUP WE HAVE TO GET TO.

IT'S FOLKS WHO HAVE A CHRONIC DISEASE THAT MIGHT PUT THEM AT HIGHER RISK FOR COVID.

SO THEY'RE UNDER 65, BUT THEY MAY HAVE A CHRONIC DISEASE.

THEY HAVE CANCER, THEY HAVE DIABETES THEY HAVE SOMETHING THAT PUTS THEM AT HIGHER RISK SO I REALLY WANT TO GET TO THIS GROUP AND SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO HEAR GOOD NEWS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

WE ALSO HAVE ADDITIONAL VACCINE COMING IN DIFFERENT CHANNELS.

REMEMBER WE HAVE VACCINE GOING TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE WALGREENS OUT THERE, OUR CVSs, A NEW FEMA SITE IN GREENSBORO, SO WE ARE LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS NOW AND I'M HOPEFUL WE'LL BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY GO SOONER TO THAT NEXT GROUP WHICH IS GROUP FOR.

BUT WE STILL A LOT OF FOLKS TO GET TO.

>> GROUP FOUR IS SUPPOSED TO, THE WAY IT'S PLANNED, OPEN UP ON MARCH 24TH.

YOU SEE ANYTHING THAT LEADS YOU TO BELIEVE WE COULD BE DELAYED FROM THAT OR MAYBE EVEN GET TO IT SOONER?

>> WE DEFINITELY WON'T BE DELAYED.

MARCH 24TH WOULD BE THE LATEST.

I'M ACTUALLY LOOKING TO ACCELERATE THAT.

WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR VACCINE PROVIDERS RIGHT NOW TO UNDERSTAND IF WE CAN ACCELERATE AND GO FORWARD.

SO IF ANYTHING, I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE UP THAT DATE SOONER.

>> TALK ABOUT THIS FEMA VACCINE ROLLOUT, THIS MASS ROLLOUT.

3,000 SHOTS PER DAY?

THIS IS BEING DONE IN GREENSBORO.

IT STARTED ON WEDNESDAY.

HOW LONG DO YOU ANTICIPATE THIS FEMA PROGRAM TO CONTINUE?

>> YEAH, IT'S GREAT PARTNERSHIP AND IT BRINGS EXTRA DOSES TO OUR STATE WHICH I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR.

SO IT'S BEEN A GREAT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE STATE AND OUR LOCAL PARTNERS ON THE GROUND HERE, BUT YEAH, 3,000 VACCINES A DAY WILL START IN GREENSBORO, AND THEN ULTIMATELY WE ACTUALLY HOPE TO DO A COUPLE OF OTHER SITES.

SO WE'LL KEEP THE GREENSBORO SITE AND THEN ACTUALLY DO A COUPLE OF SATELLITE SITES IN ALAMANCE AND A COUPLE OF OTHER LOCATIONS JUST TO GET EVEN FURTHER AROUND THE STATE.

SO THAT'S REALLY GREAT.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE HERE FOR 8 WEEKS.

SO 3,000 DOSES A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK, 8 WEEKS.

SO THAT'S GREAT.

JUST ANOTHER RESOURCE FOR OUR STATE AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT ONCE THE FEDS SEE HOW GREAT WE ARE IN NORTH CAROLINA, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE ARE, THAT THEY'LL EVEN CONSIDER EXPANDING THAT SITE AND MAYBE WE CAN EVEN DO MORE AT THAT SITE BECAUSE WE DEFINITELY COULD EVEN SCALE UP FURTHER THAN WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE TEAM AND THE WORK THERE I KNOW, EVERYONE'S WORKED HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT GETS OFF AND NOT JUST GET SHOTS OUT FAIR, BUT WE'VE WORKED REALLY REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE REACHING THE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT.

YEAH, SO MORE THAN 50% OF THOSE APPOINTMENTS WERE HELD FOR HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.

SO AFRICAN AMERICANS, HISPANICS, YEAH.

>> DO YOU HAVE TO GET AN APPOINTMENT FOR THAT FEMA SITE?

AND IF YOU DO, HOW DO YOU ABOUT, OBTAINING AN APPOINTMENT?

>> YES, YOU DO HAVE TO GET AN APPOINTMENT THERE IS AN ONLINE FORM THAT YOU CAN FILL OUT WE'D BE HAPPY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ALL THAT THE NOTES BUT YOU CAN ALSO CALL OUR CALL CENTER AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE FEMA SITE AS WELL.

>> SO GOING TO THE DHHS WEBSITE WILL GIVE YOU INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE FEMA SITE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> YEP!

YOU CAN GO TO FIND MY MY VACCINE, MY VACCINE PROVIDER ON OUR SITE AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET THAT INFORMATION.

>> VERY GOOD.

YEAH, YOU MOVED INTO THE DISCUSSION I WANTED TO HAVE NEXT WHICH IS PEOPLE OF COLOR.

MINORITIES.

EARLY ON, AND BY THE WAY THE I DON'T THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTAND NORTH CAROLINA WAS SORT OF A PIONEER IN UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WERE NOT REACHING OUT TO MINORITY GROUPS.

WE RECOGNIZED FAIRLY EARLY ON WE WERE NOT SERVING THESE MINORITY COMMUNITIES AND I THINK YOU TOLD ME OFF THE AIR THAT REVEREND DOCTOR WILLIAM BARBER HELPED POINT THAT OUT TO YOU IN EARLY JANUARY.

WE ARE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED NOW FOR NUMBER ONE, HAVING THE STATISTICS ON THIS AND KEEPING UP WITH IT.

BUT I THINK ALSO HEARD IN THIS PRESS CONFERENCE ON TUESDAY.

THE GOVERNOR SAID OR YOU SAID.

LAST WEEK 20% OF ALL OF THE VACCINATIONS WE GAVE WERE TO THE MINORITY COMMUNITIES.

>> YEAH, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE WORK AND IT'S TAKEN A COLLECTIVE EFFORT AND WE'VE HAD TO EMBED EQUITY INTO EVERY SINGLE PART OF OUR VACCINE EFFORT.

THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT EDUCATION, BUT IT'S ABOUT ACTUALLY GETTING VACCINE INTO COMMUNITIES WHERE IT'S VERY ACCESSIBLE AND NOT ONLY HAVE 20% OF VACCINES GONE INTO AFRICAN AMERICAN ARMS LAST WEEK IT'S DONE THAT FOR THE LAST 4 WEEKS, SO EVERY WEEK FOR THE LAST 4 WEEKS, WE HAVE BEEN VACCINATING AT LEAST 20% OF OUR TOTAL VACCINES HAVE GONE INTO THAT THE ARMS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS WHICH IS GREAT.

THEY REPRESENT ABOUT 21% OF THE POPULATION SO WE'RE DOING ABOUT 21, 22% OF VACCINES GOING TO THEM.

SO THAT'S GOOD IN TERMS OF EQUALITY, BUT WE'RE STILL NOT NOT THERE ON EQUITY BECAUSE WE KNOW THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN HARDER HIT BY COVID AND SO WE KNOW WE STILL HAVE MORE WORK TO DO AND AS YOU MENTIONED THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO THERE.

BUT WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF IMPROVEMENT WE WERE SEEING ONLY ABOUT 3% A VACCINES GOING TO HISPANIC COMMUNITY AND LAST WEEK WE SAW IT JUMPED TO 7%.

SO WE'RE MAKING IMPROVEMENTS.

BUT WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET.

>> PRESIDENT BIDEN IS EXPECTED TO BE SIGNING THIS 1.9 BILLION DOLLAR COVID RELIEF PACKAGE.

THIS WEEK.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT'S IN IT SO FAR AS US IN NORTH CAROLINA BEING ABLE TO FIGHT COVID?

WHAT THINGS ABOUT THAT PACKAGE GIVE YOU SOME SOME HOPE?

>> WELL, I THINK IT'S A TREMENDOUS PACKAGE THAT ALLOWS US TO RESPOND, BUT ALSO TO RECOVER.

I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST PACKAGE THAT IS REALLY STARTING TO THINK ABOUT THE RECOVERY ASPECT AND WE KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO BE LONG.

WE KNOW THAT THIS YEAR HAS BEEN HARD IN SO MANY WAYS TO OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, IT'S BEEN HARD IN THE EDUCATION SPACE IN OUR KIDS.

SO I THINK THIS IS A REALLY COMPREHENSIVE EFFORT TO TRY TO MAKE SURE WE CAN CONTINUE TO RESPOND AND MAKE SURE RESPONDING TO THE CRISIS IN THE MOMENT, ALSO TO BUILD BACK BETTER TO USE THAT PHRASE TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE'RE ABLE TO RECOVER AND WE CAN DO IT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE NEVER GET PUT IN THIS SITUATION AGAIN.

NOW WE HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO RESPOND TO FUTURE CRISES BUT MAKE SURE THAT ECONOMICALLY THAT WE ARE ALSO MAKING SURE WE'RE STRONG.

I'M PARTICULARLY EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE PROVISIONS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON CHILDREN AND YOUNG FAMILIES IN THERE.

TOM, YOU KNOW WELL BEFORE COVID THAT WE HAD A FOCUS, PARTICULARLY IN MY DEPARTMENT BUT ACROSS THE COOPER ADMINISTRATION TO FOCUS ON CHILDREN AND YOUNG FAMILIES, I'M REALLY EXCITED IN THIS PACKAGE THAT NOT ONLY ARE THERE TAX CREDITS FOR FAMILIES FOR FOR CHILDREN WHICH IS EXCITING, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR CREATIVE THINKING ABOUT HOW WE SUPPORT CHILDREN AND YOUNG FAMILIES THAT WE'RE EXCITED TO DIG INTO.

>> SO WE'VE GOT ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT.

I'M ASSUMING THE MESSAGE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO THE ADVANCE FORWARD ONCE AGAIN IS THE 3 W'S.

>> OF COURSE.

I SAID MARCH IS AN IMPORTANT MONTH WE GOT US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STILL KEEPING THE VIRUS LEVEL LOW AS WE PROTECT EACH OTHER WHILE WE GET VACCINES OUT QUICKLY, AND WHEN A VACCINE IS OFF THE WHEN IT IS YOUR TURN PLEASE GET A VACCINE AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN I KNOW YOU WANT TO HUG YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS.

I'M SO EXCITED TO HUG MY PARENTS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN A YEAR.

LATER THIS MONTH BECAUSE WE'RE BOTH FULLY VACCINATED SO GET YOUR VACCINE SO YOU CAN HUG PEOPLE AGAIN.

THAT'S WHERE WE ALL WANT TO BE.

SO GET VACCINATED WHEN IT IS YOUR TURN AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN THERE'S GOING TO BE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THAT OVER THE NEXT NUMBER OF MONTHS.

>> BOY, YOU JUST LIKE I SAID EARLIER, YOU JUST FEEL SOME OPTIMISM AND THERE'S MORE TO COME.

WE'VE JUST GOT TO KEEP ON KEEPING ON FOR A WHILE DON'T SPIKE THE BALL YET AS YOU SAID.

THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN SECRETARY COHEN FOR VISITING WITH US WE ALWAYS LEARN SO MUCH WHEN WE HAVE A CHANCE TO REALLY GET YOU TO EXPLAIN TO US IN DEPTH.

OUR NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED TO BE MARCH 24TH, BUT RIGHT NOW, HERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A SNEAK PEEK AS TO WHAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT NEXT WEEK ON COVID UNCOVERED.

>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, WHERE IT CAME FROM.

I KNOW WHEN IT HIT ME, IT PUT ME DOWN.

>> AFTER 69 DAYS ON LIFE SUPPORT, MARTIN TAYLOR IS RECOVERING AFTER WINNING HIS FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19.

WE HEAR FROM THE WAKE COUNTY MAN, AND LEARN WHY DOCTORS ARE CALLING HIM A WALKING MIRACLE.

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