Pete Kaliner

Follow-up reporter Q: What factors would you look at to move to Group 3? Gov: Vax team has been fixated on getting Group 1 vax'd. Team is working through that process. Cohen: Talking to vax providers about what they see on the ground. (Briefing ends.) #NCpol

WCNC reporter Q: How much Group 1 & 2 have been vax'd? Cohen: Looks like 50% of 65+ population. Not really sure about health care workers. #NCpol

AP reporter Q: Hearing about Virginians are coming across border to get vax. Can counties prevent that? Cohen: Vax is a federal asset. Jurisdiction is not meant to prevent people from getting vax. CDC clarified guidance this morning. Team is digging into now. #NCpol

Cohen: Depending on layout of classrooms, schools, students who choose to continue remote... not just a hybrid/not hybrid distinction. #NCpol

Follow-up reporter Q: Concerns that data used to encourage schools to re-open was from hybrid districts & now some districts are opening full-time. Cohen: No matter what school, everyone has to wear masks, cleanings, 6' distancing. #NCpol

Cohen: We have more capacity to distribute. But we have to wait for J&J approval. #NCpol

WTVD reporter Q: What steps has NC taken in setting up J&J vax. Gov: We know ease of administering J&J vax (1 dose & no cold storage requirements as Pfizer & Moderna vax). Feds want to wait on FDA. We hope it gets authorized. We want it. #NCpol

Gov: We have a good distribution system set up. We need more supply. #NCpol

Follow-up reporter Q: What have we heard from feds about timeline to get more vax to NC? Gov: Was on phone today. Admin promised us to do everything they could to increase supply. Good thing about Biden taking over is a 3-week window of how many doses we're getting. #NCpol

Gov: 83% of deaths are among 65+ year olds. You'll hear specific dates for frontline workers in coming days. #NCpol

WSOC reporter Q: Clarification: A lot of concerned teachers. When do they get vax? Move them up? Gov: Top priority is getting kids safely back in classroom. New research now tells us schools can re-open. We need to do more for teachers. Bonuses for teachers. #NCpol

Cohen: Limited vax supply. Frustrating. Vax mfg can deliver 3x as much as we're getting. Gov: #NCpol

WWAY reporter Q: How many doses does NC get? How do you allocate based on age? Gov: Limited supply. High demand. Cohen: We get about 150k/week. Feds say we're getting +5% increase. About 120k are distributed based on county pop. Bump ups for 65+ and minorities. #NCpol

WRAL reporter Q: Wake County planning 1st mass vax. 10k doses requested. Will state provide that? Cohen: That's a big number. Limited supply. I'll have to check. Wake has gotten lower amount of vax in recent weeks. #NCpol

Cohen: We are not short on vax providers. We are short on vax supply. Wal-Green will have vax at end of this week at 300 stores. Small allocation in each store selected by Wal-Greens. Appointments being taken. High demand. Website issues. About 100 doses at each site. #NCpol

WRAL reporter Q: Your EO expands who can administer vax? Wal-Greens sites? Gov: EO gives Cohen authority to expand types of people who can give vax. That's to get ready for increased supply (ie: Johnson & Johnson vax). #NCpol

Follow-up reporter Q: Vax allocation methodology? Gov: We tell providers to vax in proportion to racial population. Cohen: Methodology uses racial & age data. We want events to target underserved communities. #NCpol

Gov: Not sure about the fencing. We want it open to people. With the insurrection & attack on the US Capitol, the level of threat has been raised. I'll look into it. #NCpol

N&O reporter Q: Frontline workers vax timeline? Why is fencing around NC capitol still up? Gov: 83% of deaths are aged 65+ We're vax'ing those people 1st. Along with healthcare workers. Working on getting more supply. Working on precise dates. #NCpol