Thread by @NC_Governor

Updates from Gov. Cooper's COVID-19 briefing:

https://twitter.com/NC_Governor/status/1417906724564979712

As of today, we have had 1,028,131 cases; 1,434 new cases reported since yesterday; 694 people in the hospital; and, sadly, 13,550 people who have died.

Fueled by the Delta variant, we’ve seen a recent increase in cases, percent positive and hospitalizations. We pray for those who are sick, the people we have lost and the ones they’ve left behind.

The best way to combat this pandemic is with vaccines. In positive news, we have hit a new milestone today. 60% of North Carolina adults 18 and over have received at least one dose of the vaccine. That’s good.

This summer it’s been uplifting to see so many people safely getting back to the things they love. Hugging their grandkids, taking vacations, gathering with friends, going to sporting events, visiting their favorite local shops in person.

Vaccinations are making this possible. While this disease is still with us, the more people get vaccinated, the less it has to affect our day-to-day lives. Thanks to safe and effective vaccines that are free and everywhere, North Carolina has entered a new phase of this pandemic.

This new phase is marked by a focus on getting as many people vaccinated as possible. It will literally save their lives. The vast majority of new cases & hospitalizations are among people who haven't been vaccinated. It’s clear vaccines work & are our best weapon to fight COVID.

For our part, the state of North Carolina, in partnership with health care providers, community groups and faith organizations, will keep pulling out all the stops to get more people vaccinated.

I’ve been able to visit vaccine sites all across our state, and I’m grateful for the staff and volunteers who are making it easy to get vaccinated. In some places, you don’t even have to get out of your car to get a shot.

As we enter this new phase, the current Executive Order will expire at the end of the month. Although we will no longer have a statewide mask mandate, we expect people to be smart, follow public health guidance and do what works.

Today, we are releasing strong protocols for schools as they plan for the year ahead. Local school districts should continue to protect students and staff by requiring masks and testing as outlined in @NCDHHS guidance that Dr. Cohen will be explaining in a minute.

@ncdhhs The most important work our state will do next month is getting all our school children back into the classrooms safely for in-person learning. That’s the best way for them to learn, and we want their school days to be as close to normal as possible after a year of disruption.

@ncdhhs But many students can’t get their shots because children under 12 can’t be vaccinated yet. We all need to work together to keep our younger children in the classroom and safe. One way to protect them is to get vaccinated yourself.

@ncdhhs If you are eligible and you get your first shot today, you can be fully protected by the start of school and less likely to infect your child. We also know from extensive research that the spread of COVID-19 in schools last year was low because students and staff wore masks.

@ncdhhs The guidance in the toolkit strongly states that schools should require masks indoors for everyone – students and teachers – in kindergarten through 8th grade. It also directs schools to ensure unvaccinated high school students and teachers wear masks indoors.

@ncdhhs Studies have shown that masks can slow the spread of this virus among those who are unvaccinated – that hasn’t changed. We know masks work. The health, safety and ability of our students to learn in person depends on school leaders following this guidance.

@ncdhhs We've seen statewide numbers on cases & hospitalizations on the rise over the last three weeks. This pandemic is not behind us yet. We'll continue listening to experts as we share recommendations and tools. If the pandemic worsens & additional action is necessary, we'll take it.

@ncdhhs The best way to stop the disease from spreading and keep our numbers down is to get more people vaccinated. We have made so much progress against this virus, and now is not the time to ignore it.

@ncdhhs Even if you have been vaccinated, take it upon yourself to encourage others to get a shot. I’m confident that we can clear whatever hurdles remain and emerge from this pandemic stronger than before.

@ncdhhs Getting our kids back in the classroom for full-time, in-person instruction is critical. And this health guidance will help schools do it safely.

@ncdhhs Thanks to these safe and effective vaccines, we can make sure the darkest days of this pandemic are behind us. Now, to turn the final corner of this disease, we need everyone to get their shot. It could save your life and the life of someone you love.