SPECIAL RAPPORT.
WE’RE TAKING A PAUSE NOW TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM GOVERNOR ROY
COOPER AND HIS COVID-19.
GOVERNOR ROY COOPER AND THE CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE.
GOV. COOPER: 1353 PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL.
SADLY, 11,288 PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIED.
EVEN AS NORTH CAROLINA BATTLES ITS WAY OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC, WE
KNOW PEOPLE ARE STILL SICK AND SADLY STILL DYING FROM THIS
DISEASE AND OUR PRAYERS ARE WITH THEM.
BUT, I AM PLEASED TO REPORT THAT NORTH CAROLINA’S COVID-19
NUMBERS HAVE DECLINED AND REMAIN STABLE.
LAST WEEK, WE TOOK CAREFUL, DELIBERATIVE ACTION TO EASE BUT
NOT LIFT RESTRICTIONS TO MOVE OUR ECONOMY FORWARD, WHILE AT
THE SAME TIME STILL PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH.
THAT MEANS WE MUST CONTINUE WORKING TO KEEP OURSELVES AND
EACH OTHER SAFE BY WEARING A MASK AND SOCIAL DISTANCING.
THESE SIMPLE MEASURES ARE STILL OUR BEST TOOLS FOR SLOWING THE
SPREAD OF THIS VIRUS UNTIL MORE PEOPLE ARE VACCINATED.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT HEALTH OF HUMAN SERVICES AND HEALTH
PROVIDERS CONTINUE TO WORK EXTREMELY HARD TO GET PEOPLE
VACCINATED IN A WAY THAT IS FAST AND FAIR.
OUR WORK IS GETTING NOTICED.
LAST WEEK, THE KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION RELEASED A REPORT
SHOWING NORTH CAROLINA AS THE NUMBER ONE STATE IN THE NATION
FOR VACCINATING PEOPLE 65 AND UP.
AS OF TODAY, MORE THAN 60% OF OUR SENIORS HAVE RECEIVED A
VACCINE.
THERE IS MORE GOOD NEWS.
THE JOHNSON & JOHNSON ONE-SHOT VACCINE IS NOW AUTHORIZED AND
WILL BE HERE THIS WEEK IN NORTH CAROLINA.
IT’S A REAL ADVANTAGE THAT THIS IS ONLY ONE-SHOT AND MORE EASILY
STORED.
IT HAS SHOWN TO BE VERY EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING
HOSPITALIZATION AND DEATH IN COVID-19.
WE EXPECT RECEIVE 80,000 DOSES BEGINNING TOMORROW.
OUR CONSTANT REQUEST FOR MORE VACCINES HAS BEEN ANSWERED.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS STANDING UP A FEMA SUPPORTED
VACCINATION SITE IN GREENSBORO TO OPEN MARCH 10.
IT WILL BE OPEN 12 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AND WILL
PROVIDE UP TO 3000 VACCINATIONS A DAY FOR EIGHT WEEKS WITH
ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY SITES AND MOBILE VACCINATION CLINIC IN
GUILFORD AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES TO REACH UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES.
OUR STATE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAMS ARE HARD AT
WORK GETTING THE SITE READY AND WE ARE WORKING HARD WITH FEMA.
THAT IS THE KIND OF PARTNERSHIP WE WELCOME AND EXPECT IN THIS
FIGHT AGAINST THE PANDEMIC.
GIVEN THE CURRENT RATE OF VACCINATIONS, INCREASED SUPPLY,
MANY PROVIDERS SAY THEY CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT PHASE OF VACCINATION
SO I AM ANNOUNCING TODAY ALL FRONT-LINE ESSENTIAL WORKERS IN
GROUP THREE WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THE VACCINE STARTING
TOMORROW, MARCH 3.
THIS INCLUDES FIRST RESPONDERS AND EMERGENCY PERSONNEL SUCH AS
POLICE, FIREFIGHTERS, RESCUE WORKERS, PEOPLE WORKING IN
MANUFACTURING, FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, GOVERNMENT WORKERS
AND OUR CLERGY.
OUR ESSENTIAL FRONT-LINE WORKERS HAVE REMAINED ON THE JOB ROUTE
THIS PANDEMIC AND I AM GRATEFUL FOR THEIR WORK
WE ARE ALSO ANNOUNCING SOME MEMBERS OF GROUP OR WILL BE
ELIGIBLE BEGINNING MARCH 24.
WE WILL OPEN GROUP FOR FIRST FOR PEOPLE WITH MEDICAL CONDITIONS
THAT PUT THEM AT A HIGHER RISK FOR SEVERE COVID-19 ILLNESS.
THE THIRD VACCINE AND IMPROVING VACCINE SUPPLY FOR THE ONES WE
ARE ALREADY GETTING WILL HELP US GET MORE PEOPLE VACCINATED MORE
QUICKLY.
AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE, WE STILL DON’T HAVE ENOUGH VACCINE.
THEY HAVE TO WAIT FOR AN APPOINTMENT EVEN IF TODAY’S
ACTION MEANS YOU ARE ELIGIBLE TO GET VACCINATED PEOPLE ARE IGOR
-- EAGER TO GET VACCINATED AND STILL HAVE TO WAIT AND PLAN.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE THIS QUICKLY BECAUSE OF THE GREAT
WORK OF THE PEOPLE OF NORTH CAROLINA.
THE DEDICATION SHOWN BY DOCTORS, NURSES, PHARMACIES AND OTHERS,
INCLUDING THE DHHS THAT STAFF AND LOCAL HEALTH APARTMENT
ACROSS THE STATE.
THE PATIENT SHOWN BY PEOPLE TO GET THE SHOT.
THE TRUSTED VOICES FOR SETTING GOOD EXAMPLES AND ENCOURAGING
AND HELPING OTHERS THIS HAS COME TOGETHER TO MAKE VACCINE
ADMINISTRATION FAST AND FAIR.
WE ARE PLEASED TO SEE ALL OF THE EDUCATORS STEP FORWARD FOR
VACCINES OVER THE PAST WEEK.
IT IS GOOD TO SEE MORE SCHOOL SYSTEMS GETTING STUDENTS BACK
INTO THE CLASSROOM AS WE HAVE URGED.
SCHOOL SYSTEMS THAT HAVE NOT SET DATES TO RETURN ARE BEING PUSHED
TO GET CHILDREN AND EDUCATORS INTO THE CLASSROOM.
LEARNING IN PERSON IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS WEEK TO MORE ACTION TO MAKE SURE THAT
HAPPENS IN A SAFE WAY.
WITH DECLINING AND STABILIZING COVID DATA, A NEW VACCINE, A NEW
FEMA SITE IN OUR STATE, THE RECENT INCREASES IN TOTAL
VACCINE SUPPLY AND THE EASING OF RESTRICTIONS, THERE ARE MANY
REASONS TO FEEL HOPEFUL.
HOWEVER, EVEN IF WE CONTINUE TO MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, WE
KNOW THAT PROGRESS -- NEW COVID VARIANTS ARE INTERSTATE AND
VACCINES ARE NOT WIDELY AVAILABLE NOW WE ALL MUST
CONTINUE TO WEAR OUR MASKS AND USE GOOD JUDGMENT.
IF WE COMMIT TO READ KEEPING OURSELVES AND OUR SEVERED --
OURSELVES SAFE, WE CAN SAVE LIVES AND GET TO THE OTHER SIDE
OF THIS PANDEMIC ALSO WITH ME TODAY IS OUR SECRETARY OF HEALTH
AND HUMAN SERVICES.
OUR SECRETARY OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
OUR DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND COMMISSIONER OF
PRISONS.
WE HAVE OUR SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS.
BEHIND THE SCENES, JACKIE AND JASMINE ARE THE SPANISH LANGUAGE
INTERPRETERS.
I WILL NOW RECOGNIZE