Urges Other Government Agencies and Private Employers to do the Same
RALEIGH – Today, Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. announced that state government would begin verifying vaccination status of its workers. Employees not vaccinated are required to wear a mask and be tested at least once a week. Today’s announcement comes as North Carolina’s latest upswing in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations is driven by unvaccinated North Carolinians.
“Until more people get the vaccine, we will continue living with the very real threat of serious disease, and we will continue to see more dangerous and contagious variants like Delta,” said Governor Cooper.
NCDHHS updated guidance encourages private sector businesses to, at a minimum, verify vaccination status for their workers as well. The requirement for state government employees applies to cabinet agencies and is included in Executive Order 224.
“There is only one way out of this pandemic and that is vaccination. Our trends are accelerating at an alarmingly fast rate and the highest rates of viral spread are happening in areas with low vaccination rates and among those who are not fully vaccinated,” said Secretary Cohen. “If you are already vaccinated, I call on you to urge your unvaccinated family and friends to get their shot now. It is not an understatement to say that you will save lives by doing so.”
The NCDHHS updated guidance reminds unvaccinated people that they need to continue practicing the three Ws – wear a mask in all indoor public settings, wait six feet apart in all public settings and wash hands often. In addition, unvaccinated people should not gather with other unvaccinated people who do not live with them. If they do, they should stay outside and keep 6 feet of distance. In addition, unvaccinated people should not travel.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new mask guidance this week based on levels of transmission in communities. The new maps designate counties as areas of low (blue), moderate (yellow), substantial (orange) or high (red) transmission. Moving forward, everyone in a red or orange county in North Carolina, including those who have been vaccinated, should wear a mask in public indoor settings.
Additionally, in accordance with the updated CDC guidance, all K-12 schools should require universal masking, regardless of vaccination status. NCDHHS is updating its guidance for schools to align with this recommendation.
To date, North Carolina has administered nearly 9.8 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, with 57 percent of the adult population fully vaccinated. 61 percent of adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine, including 86 percent of North Carolinians 65 and over.
“There is only one way out of this pandemic and that is vaccination.”
Not so.
RECALL COOPER! MARK ROBINSON FOR GOVERNOR! #LetUsBreathFreshAir!
Bring on the fear mongering!! Bet they are still using PCR tests to determine positive cases despite being recalled. Maybe they should go back to testing vaccinated people for covid too so that they can’t only blame the unvaccinated… that would be way too transparent for this administration!
Our Body, Our Choice. Have we not heard that from our Socialist Democrat’s in the past before and that this is a very personal choice.
Don’t get the vaccine, it’s your choice. I read that from this article. You don’t HAVE to work for State government, it’s your choice.
I also read in EO that people who wish not to get vaccinated have an out and are just required to be tested weekly.
I don’t think anyone complaining either read this article and/or does not know how to read.
People should not be required to get the jan or be subjected to medical procedures against their will! I hope all state employees who do not agree quit and send the gov to a complete halt!
That slogan only applies to State-sanctioned butchery.
Federal and state employees next will be Joe Citizen.
They will not stop at this like trying to take our guns.
They are after veterans with a gun brace.
Where does it stop.It will stop when the Demo”s are out of office.
How can you state that unvaccinated people are the cause when those who are vaccinated can still catch, spread, and suffer from the virus? This is just becoming a fear mongering back and forth game. Give people information and let them make their own choice with their own body!
I agree with you, Kyle. I know of two people that were fully vaccinated that caught Covid. One of them then passed it on to his daughter and son-in-law.
It’s kind of ironic that the same people who don’t care about others are the ones complaining about this. Folks, you still have a choice. You can get the vaccine like you should and work for the state, or you can risk your life and others and not work for the state. It’s simple.
No one “should” get the vaccine unless they chose to.
JOCOBoozer, America is was founded on the individual’s liberty, not “collective care”.
All of your comments have the distinct odor of communism sprinkled with unmistakable notes of genocide 🇨🇳.
Oh my, I upset someone. Don’t care. I never said anything about individual liberty being at stake. Now you’re trying to drag me into communism? Lol. You have a choice – I already outlined it. If you don’t care about other people then that’s your choice. It’s sad that you don’t think other people are worth being healthy, but it is what it is.
Oh, it’s jocosnoozer BTW. Might want to learn some spelling.
Also, you’re disgustingly wrong if I have anything to do with genocide. What a terrible accusation; it really says a lot about the person who said that.
This is what happens when YOU make assumptions about an entire group of people….those people get to make assumptions about YOU.
If you can’t stand the heat, JOCOBoozer, then stay out the kitchen, and the especially your liquor cabinet, at least before making drunken assumptions in a public forum.
Lastly, I can tell by your conniving and overly dramatic statement that you like playing the victim. You’re like Johnston County’s very own Jussie Smollett. 🤭😂😜
No, I don’t like it when people personally attack me online. You’re the one doing the attacking here, not me. It’s a shame you think that’s acceptable online behavior.
And I’m not a drunk. I don’t drink alcohol, and I never have.
I wasn’t making assumptions about a group of people. Rather, I was referring to other nonsensical comments on this page. You’re the one jumping to conclusions.
I’m not mad. Really, I’m not. Please take a minute to calm down and stop being so rude. It’s not productive, and it’s not appreciated. We’re adults, right? If so then we should all be able to discuss things as adults.
NICE!!!!!!!!
Don’t get the vaccine, it’s your choice. I read that from this article. You don’t HAVE to work for State government, it’s your choice.
I also read in EO that people who wish not to get vaccinated have an out and are just required to be tested weekly.
I don’t think anyone complaining either read this article and/or does not know how to read.
Roy cooper does not have the authority to tell us what we can and cannot do with our bodies. He wants to take away our freedom. We need to stand up for our rights . We have to think about our children and grandchildren.we have to come together as a country and stand together for our freedom as our fathers and grandfathers have done. We need to make sure we vote and stand up for our country by getting communist people out of this country. Stand up for you freedom. You don.t have to take the vaccine that is your decision.
Who says you have to take the vaccine? That is absolutely your right, and this doesn’t change that.
Don’t get the vaccine, it’s your choice. I read that from this article. You don’t HAVE to work for State government, it’s your choice.
I also read in EO that people who wish not to get vaccinated have an out and are just required to be tested weekly.
I don’t think anyone complaining either read this article and/or does not know how to read.
I am curious what will constitute proof. The Vax card is available to print online…and easy to fill in.
Kinda reminds me of what people went thru in the 1930’s. Does Papers Please remind you all if something.
The vaccine is emergency use authorized only. We live in a free country, if you choose to get the vaccine it’s your choice, if not it’s your choice. Do your own research, read the informed consent, look at vaccine ingredients know what you’re putting in your body. Look at VAERS website to see number of deaths from vaccine and adverse reactions. The virus has a 99% recovery rate. Then make your choice.
Everyone should be very grateful that they’re not being asked to storm the beaches at Normandy.
Just being asked to get vaccinated and wear a mask to protect themselves, their families, their co-workers and their community.
I’d rather storm the beaches than comply with the mask and vax. At least it’s fighting for a good cause and not complying with a tyrant just to give the appearance of keeping others safe. Covid has a 99.9% survival rate. I’m high risk, got covid and Lived! So did my husband and kids. Along with many other people I know.
So delighted you and family did so much better than the 620,000 dead Americans and their families! Congratulations!
Yup we did as well as the other 35,000,000+ people in the us who also “managed” to survive this. And by the way I was treated with augmentin when I went to the er with covid pneumonia! If augmentin works why are so many dying? Because they have preexisting medical conditions that make them more susceptible to complications even from the flu!