Raleigh, North Carolina – Gov. Roy Cooper will make statements about the coronavirus pandemic Thursday hours before President Joe Biden is expected to outline a six-pillar plan to combat the Delta variant and encourage more Americans to get vaccinated.
The Biden plan will include building on existing vaccine requirements for federal workers and pressuring private companies to also need shots for employees.
The president is also expected to take steps to expand access to tests and ensure the protection of students in classrooms. Biden is expected to speak at 5 p.m.
The governor will speak at three in the afternoon. His statements come when health officials say 78.2% of residents aged 18 and over in Wake County have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Even with an increase in vaccinations, coronavirus cases continue to increase in North Carolina. The state reported 4,752 cases on Wednesday, 600 more than on Tuesday. The state said 3,790 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, 22 fewer than the day before.
August is one of the worst months in COVID-19 cases in Wake County. According to the latest data, the number of cases increased by about 270% from July to August.
For the week ending Sept. 4, children 17 and under accounted for 31 percent of the state’s new COVID-19 cases. This is the highest percentage since the pandemic began.
County leaders urge anyone, regardless of vaccination status, to get tested if they have any symptoms or if they think they may have been exposed.