Schools Should Urge Teachers, Students To Get Vaccinated: Cooper

NORTH CAROLINA — North Carolina's hospitalization rate has virtually tripled in the recent weeks, and as the number of new COVID-19 cases continues to increase day over day, the state's top elected official is no longer mincing words.

"I can't stress this enough — the sharp rise in our numbers is driven by the unvaccinated," Gov. Roy Cooper said Wednesday.

North Carolina added another 3,413 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, increasing the percent of positive tests to double digits. Hospitalizations rose to nearly 1,600.

"Today’s percent positive of cases is 12.2 percent — much higher than our 5 percent threshold, and our highest since the winter surge," Cooper said.

Cooper is eyeing ground level vaccine mandates as a means to turn the tide. Last week, he announced that cabinet level state workers will be required to provide verification that they've been vaccinated, or face weekly testing and mandatory mask policy.

Some companies and local governments, such as Mecklenburg County, are following suit with their own vaccination verification policies.

SEE ALSO: NC To Require Vaccination Proof From State Workers: Gov. Cooper

"Agencies are already starting to collect information from their employees. As a state employee myself, I’ve provided my vaccination card to my department," he said Wednesday. "I’ve also strongly encouraged private businesses to do the same and many are stepping up. A number of businesses are requiring vaccines for their workers, and I applaud that."

He said he also hopes schools in the state will also follow the lead.

"As K-12 schools prepare for the new school year, I encourage school boards to ask their staff and eligible students get vaccinated as well," he said.

While numbers of new COVID cases and hospitalizations continue to rise, there is some good news, Cooper said. The number of first-dose vaccinations administered in the state has increased 42 percent in the past couple of weeks.

"We can't rest until this pandemic is behind us," Cooper said. "The only way that happens is we get enough people vaccinated that we push this virus off the cliff."

Until then, he said, the focus will be on increasing lagging vaccination rates. As of Aug. 4, about 42 percent of adults in the state were still not fully vaccinated against COVID.

"Yeah, you're making the decision not to be vaccinated but what you're doing is you're putting everybody else at risk because you've made this decision, and you're continuing to foster this virus in the community," he said. "We want to continue to do things that encourage people to get vaccinated, and we'll do that until this pandemic is behind us."

SEE ALSO:

• Health Care Workers Protest Novant, Atrium Health Vaccine Mandate
• How North Carolina Ranks In New COVID-19 Hospitalizations
• Mecklenburg County Workers Now Required To Wear Masks Indoors
• Lowe's Now Requiring Workers Wear Masks Indoors In U.S. Stores