Updates from Gov. Cooper's briefing on COVID-19 and rent and utility assistance:
As of today, we have had 1,003,243 COVID-19 cases; 268 new cases reported since yesterday; 602 people in the hospital; and, sadly, 13,101 people who have died.
Even as more people receive the vaccine and life returns to a more normal pace, many of our fellow North Carolinians are mourning the loss of family and friends. We hold them in our thoughts.
While we still have people getting sick and dying from this disease, cases, hospitalizations and percentage of tests positive are decreasing as vaccinations are increasing. We are working on new ways to get as many people vaccinated as possible.
Almost 80% of people 65 and older have been vaccinated. Children as young as 12 are eligible. We're glad to see young people who want a vaccine so they can stay safe from this virus. That’s more help for our plan to have all students able to attend school in-person this fall.
NCDHHS has begun pilot programs in four counties offering $25 cash cards for anyone who gets vaccinated or drives someone to get their shot. The results show that the financial support is making a difference in getting more people vaccinated.
We’re glad to see private businesses, schools and community groups sponsoring vaccine events on-site. We continue to explore other creative ways to bring people in.
As we continue to see the amazing results from these effective vaccines, please keep talking to your family, friends and neighbors and encourage them to get their shots.
Though a lot of the economic fog caused by this pandemic is lifting, many families across the country are still hurting. To support them, NC created the HOPE program last year to provide assistance with rent and utility payments for families that are struggling to make payments.
We knew that tough times meant demand would exceed the funding we had available. We saw a flood of applications come in very quickly. Ultimately, the program awarded more than $133 million in assistance to help more than 36,000 families statewide.
But we knew that demand outstripped resources and people still needed help. It was good to see Congress follow North Carolina’s lead in recognizing this need and providing additional funds.
Two weeks ago, North Carolina opened a second application period for the HOPE program using funding from the American Rescue Plan, and I’m pleased to announce that checks are already on their way to landlords and utility companies to keep people in their homes with the lights on.
As of today, 924 checks for a total of $1.1 million have already been mailed to help North Carolinians in need, just in the first two weeks.
This second version of the HOPE program is serving low-income renters in 88 North Carolina counties. Twelve additional, mostly larger counties, and five tribal governments received money directly from the federal government to operate their own programs.
But no matter where you live, people needing help can just call one number 888-9ASK-HOPE or visit hope.nc.gov to apply. Previous applicants who received help can re-apply if they still need assistance.
As with the first version of the HOPE program, payments will go directly to landlords and utility companies. In the last two weeks, more than 8,000 people have applied for financial assistance and we expect more awards and checks to go out every day.
I appreciate the work Laura Hogshead and her team, Mike Sprayberry and his team and so many others have done to build capacity and get these funds to those who need help. Now we need to get the word out.
I strongly encourage landlords and utilities across our state to lend a hand to their communities and to participate in these programs so that we can keep people in their homes with their lights on.
For many, life is starting to look more normal. More people are returning to the workforce every day, but child care obstacles and concerns about the virus for people who are unvaccinated are very real.
The need for rental and utility assistance remains. I am real proud that North Carolina is taking steps to support families who need it as we emerge from this pandemic.

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More from @NC_Governor

19 May
Updates from Gov. Cooper’s briefing:
This pandemic brought us a once-in-a-generation challenge. And these funds from the American Rescue Plan have brought us a once-in-a-generation opportunity. Let’s use them to make transformational change for our state.
Simply put, we can revolutionize North Carolina. We can train workers, educate students, connect communities and improve health. We’re building a bridge from response to recovery.
Read 33 tweets
14 May
Updates from Gov. Cooper's COVID-19 briefing:
To date, we've had 989,338 cases; 1,501 new cases reported since yesterday; 926 people in the hospital; and 12,862 people who've died. Our prayers are with those who've lost loved ones & those battling the virus. Fighting this disease & getting people vaccinated is a priority.
Effective immediately, we are lifting all mandatory capacity & gathering limits & social distancing requirements and most mandatory mask requirements. That means in most settings indoors or outdoors the state will no longer require you to wear a mask or be socially distant.
Read 15 tweets
28 Apr
Updates from Gov. Cooper's COVID-19 briefing:
As of today, we have had 965,536 confirmed cases; 1,765 new cases reported since yesterday; 1,117 people in the hospital; and, sadly, 12,619 people who have died. Our prayers are with those who have lost loved ones and who are struggling to fight this cruel virus.
We are grateful that North Carolina continues to hold steady when it comes to our COVID-19 metrics. But while our numbers remain stable, we are not seeing the decline in metrics we would like to see.
Read 13 tweets
26 Apr
Updates from Governor Cooper's State of the State Address:
We gather after a year we could not have imagined. And now we look to a future that can be even better than we imagine. Our response to an unprecedented, once-in-a-generation challenge is showing us clearly that North Carolinians are resilient and ready.
This past year has impacted every single person in our state and required the collective effort of North Carolinians to stay safe & save lives. From the beginning, I pledged that we’d listen to health experts and follow the science to protect our state. And we’ve done just that.
Read 8 tweets
21 Apr
Updates from Gov. Cooper's COVID-19 briefing:
As of today, we have had 952,529 cases; 1,963 new cases reported since yesterday; 1,168 people in the hospital; and, sadly, 12,480 people who have died. Our prayers continue to be with those who have lost friends and loved ones and those who are fighting COVID-19.
We continue to make progress turning the corner on the pandemic. Our COVID-19 trends remain relatively stable, although we've seen slight increases over the past couple of weeks. The fact that our numbers aren’t yet declining reminds us how important it is to stay vigilant.
Read 20 tweets
6 Apr
Updates from Gov. Cooper's COVID-19 briefing:
As of today, we have had 923,430 cases; 870 new cases reported since yesterday; 982 people in the hospital; and, sadly, 12,189 people who have died. Our prayers are with those who have lost loved ones or who are battling this virus.
This week is Public Health Week, and if there’s ever a time to thank our hardworking and dedicated public health workers across the state, it’s now.
Read 14 tweets

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