Good afternoon and sorry about the technical delay. I want to thank you for joining todays update on cover 19 in North Carolina. When ctb is providing a stream for sign leg was at unc tv. Org. 13,868oday, we have confirmed cases. 515 people in the hospital. And 527 deaths. At every Briefing Since our states first death, i have shared the number of fatalities due to covid19. As North Carolina moves into phase one today, i want to everyone to remember what those numbers mean. Every time our state counts another death, a family and a community descend into mourning. I want to share with you some of their stories. One of them belongs to a man from montgomery county, known as officer bud. He served as a sheriffs deputy and School Resource officer for 14 years and was in good health, never missing work or calling in sick. One person described him as a superhero. A local mom recalled how he sat and talked with her son, who was frequently bullied and had found himself alone at the school dance. Officer bud made home visits if he was worried about a students home life that might be troubled. His motto was, anything for the kids. He died march 31 at the age of 43. One friend suggested that in death, he was still protecting his community by raising awareness of this virus. Alexander reginald pettiway joined the Durham CountySheriffs Office and served as an officer there for 23 years. He died in april from covid19 at the age of 55. He was well respected by his colleagues and described as a unique gentle soul who will be missed by all. Lloyd lam of leicester served in the army, and after retiring, spent time as a sams club greeter. He rode the school bus from helping disabled children get on and off the bus, always there to look out for them and protect them. He died on march 28. Janice greene. She owned dance restaurant. Restaurant. An employee said she was not just your boss but a friend forever. Her community told stories of her looking out for people in need, serving up a meal and helping them with a little gas money. She would send food whenever a family had a funeral. Jan died on easter sunday. These are just a few of the stories running deep in communities across the state right now. As we make decisions and debate issues surrounding this virus, we must realize that each number represents the death of a real person. Covid19 is a lethal threat. It is a cruel virus causing grave harm and sometimes in sometimes otherwise healthy people. Separating people from their loved ones at the darkest of hours. And taking our everyday heroes away from us. But what we have learned in their deaths and from research is how to limit the spread of the virus. I urge everyone to do what we know works and to stay vigilant. Even though today at 5 00 p. M. , North Carolina moves into phase one, know that the stayathome order is still in effect. It is still better to stay home if you can. However, in phase one, there are more allowable reasons to leave home, including to engage in commerce and help give the economy a boost. We can enter phase one because the indicators we laid out two weeks ago, the data and the science, show that we can. What is different . Phase one is a careful, modest step to reigniting our economy while keeping important safety rules in place. The gathering limit of 10 people remains in effect, but more businesses can be opened and people are allowed to visit them with important safety rules in place. State parks will be open, too. We still need to keep certain businesses closed or limited during this phase. Public Health Experts have explained that anyplace where people sit or stand still for more than 10 minutes, especially indoors, greatly increases the risk of spreading this virus. As we go out more, we must all get used to the three ws, wearing a Face Covering, waiting waiting six feet apart from others, and washing our hands frequently. This is the Face Covering that i wear here at Emergency Operations center and all of us wear. A Face Covering helps protect other people around you, so where the Face Covering, wait six feet apart, and wash your hands. I think the weather will be nice this weekend for mothers day. I hope everyone can get out and get some fresh air and sunshine. But be smart. Protect yourself and your loved ones. This week marked special recognition for several important groups of people. And it turns out that we honor many of our heroes at the same time every year. Nurses, Law Enforcement officers, correctional officers, and teachers, all share the same appreciation week. This pandemic has taught us how truly valuable the people who work in these jobs are. We are grateful for them and all of our First Responders and frontline workers. They are showing us how teamwork, dedication, and sacrifice will get our state to the other side of this pandemic. With me today is the secretary of health and human services, dr. Mandy cohen, our secretary of Public Safety safety, director of emergency management, nicole fox and karen magoon are our sign language interpreters. Behind the scenes, jackie and jasmine are our Spanish Language interpreters. Dr. Cohen. Dr. Cohen thank you, governor. As we prepare to move into phase one, the modified stayathome order, we remain laser focused on our testing, tracing, and trends. Earlier this week, we shared where we were on trends. Today, i want to go through where we are on testing. When we outline the path forward to ease restrictions back in april, we said we wanted to double our day over day testing from about 2500 to 3000 tests per day, to 5000 to 7000 tests per day, and we hit our goal. Seven of the last 10 days, we are testing close to 6000 People Per Day on average. We rank 15th in the nation in total number of tests completed. Now, while i think we are on the right track, i am not at all satisfied where we are. The governor and i want to see more testing across the state, particularly in our underserved communities. I have a few updates on some new supports for testing from the federal government that will help us moving forward. Last week, we were able to secure Sample Collection supplies from the federal government, including 300,000 swabs and 224,000 viral transport media. We will begin distributing these to our partners across the state. Good news. We are also working with the federal government and some Corporate Partners to bring additional testing sites to North Carolina. Walmart and walgreens have opened federally supported testing sites in durham and pick pit counties. This week. Month, walmart and Harris Teeter will open additional sizing columbus, cumberland, edgecombe, guilford, hope, jacquard, and wilkes county. Also good news. The tests at these sites are paid for by the federal government so there is no cost for the people getting tests. Another great piece of news. You can sign up for testing at these sites by making an appointment on their web portal. I also want to thank our commercial and hospital labs right here in the state of North Carolina who are partnering with us and with one another in unprecedented ways. We have a shared goal of statewide testing in all 100 counties. Leaders from these labs as well as representatives from Health Care Organizations and folks from our team have been meeting regularly to try to achieve this goal. They have already expended Laboratory Capacity and are developing recommendations to increase testing, particularly for our vulnerable population. They have also established a Scientific Study council evaluating new test methods. As we continue to ramp up testing, the funding provided in the states covid19 relief bill will help, but there is plenty more work to do ahead of us. I look forward to working with the General Assembly when they return to do all we can to protect the health and wellbeing of North Carolina ians. As we prepare to move to phase one, i have received questions as to why more businesses and more activities are not included in this first phase. Given the nature of this virus, given its highly contagious and can be dangerous and sometimes deadly for some, we need to approach the easing of restrictions in a measured way. That is why in phase one as the governor mentioned, he started with lower risk activities where people are largely Walking Around and where it is easiest to social distance, at places like a Clothing Store or florist. Hint, it is mothers day. In two weeks, we will reassess where we are on our trends and hopefully be able to move to phase two or we can layer on some of the higher risk activities where you may not be able to social distance or you are sitting for more prolonged periods of time. Sittings, such as at a restaurant or worship services, those activities still have risks. We will need to do all the things we can to keep from spreading the virus as we do those additional activities. As we move into phase one this evening, you should still stay home if you can. If you do leave, remember your your three ws, wear, wait, wash. Wear a clock Face Covering if you will be with other people. Wait six feet apart. And avoid close contacts. Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer. Follow the three ws, not just for you but also as we approach mothers day this weekend. Make sure you do the three ws for your mom or grandma. Yes i am throwing in a little , mom guilt out there but i know moms everywhere want to protect their families and loved ones during this difficult time. One of the easiest gifts you can give your mom or grandmother is one where she can know you are doing your part to protect those around you. I want to wish a very happy mothers day to my fellow moms and in particular to my mom. Love you, mom. Thanks. Gov. Cooper and now we will hear from mike sprayberry. Mike thank you, governor. Thank you for your leadership. Good afternoon. Today is day 60 of the covid19 response by the state emergency center. Yesterday, we received the good news that fema has approved our extension request for the noncom noncongregant sheltering program until june 6. This allows for reimbursement of hotels, motels and other types of sheltering for people at higher risk for covid19 people , needing to be isolated, or people needing a place to recover. Currently, 37 counties are using the program to house about 550 people. As we continue to obtain personal protective equipment, teams delivered to 36 counties and two Health Care Preparedness coalitions yesterday. Shipments included masks, gloves, face shields, goggles, hair and shoe covers, as well as gowns. As we begin to restrictions and as we begin to ease restrictions and plan for the months ahead, we are working with our partners on forecasting downstream needs to support our health care partners, Public Safety agency, and other Critical Infrastructure as far as ppe. Also, as we close out hurricane preparedness week, we want to make sure your family knows how to get information from reliable sources and has multiple ways to receive emergency information when Severe Weather threatens. Noaa radio will alert you when Severe Weather threatens. To turn on your emergency settings on your smartphone. Receive emergency messages like these will allow you toreceive emergency messages like Evacuation Orders from your state or local government or serious warnings from the National Weather service. If you live in a coastal county, check your new know your zone website. See if you live in a predetermined evacuation zone. Visit knowyourzone. Nc. Gov. Enter is knowyourzone. Nc. Gov. Enter your address in the searchable map. Find the designation of your zone and remember it. Then if an Evacuation Order is , issued, be sure to follow it. At the website, you can also find our brandnew North Carolina hurricanes guide with much more information to help you prepare and stay safe during the upcoming hurricane season. I would also like to echo governor coopers and dr. Cohens comments regarding the moves to phase one this weekend. Be sure to stay distanced and stay safe as you go about your new activities at parks or stores. Remember to wear a cloth face mask covering, wait at least six feet apart, and wash your hands often. Wear, wait, and wash. Dont forget to look out for as alwaysdont forget to look out for your family, friends, and neighbors. Recognize your mom and the moms in your life on mothers day with kindness and cooperation. We will all get through this together as one team, one mission, and one family. Thank you, governor. Gov. Cooper thank you, mike. Wel now take questions from the media. If you could identify yourself and your organization when you ask us, we appreciate it. Well take the first question. Our first question will be from North Carolina public radio. Hi, governor. This is liz from North Carolina public radio. I wanted to ask, what is the state doing to monitor outbreaks and protect staff and inmates at state prisons, particularly given that treasurer followells program to test fell through earlier this week and we are waiting on more information from the department of Public Safety about the measures that theyre taking to protect inmates and staff . Gov. Cooper first, we want to make sure that protecting inmates and corrections staff is at the forefront of our efforts. First we want to make sure that protecting inmates and corrections staff is at the forefront of our efforts. And we know that part of that is testing. We know that we need to do more testing all across the state. And im gonna and we know that part of that secretary hooks talk about that specific situation. Secretary hooks if you could come forward. Thank you governor, thank you for the question as well just as the governor said testing is a vital part of our overall fight for covid19. Our teams in department of Public Safety continue to work with state health plan and the leadership. Treasure falwell as we develop plans to do alternative testing. We have not come to a full develop plan, but we are having great discussions. We just opted not for operational concerns not to do less testing on those facility grounds. Thanks very next question place. Ashley tally wre out. Governor doctor cohen had 2 quick question for you. First have your key that are requiring businesses to have their after that people feel more comfortable going to their place of business. And secondly if youre able to address something reporter jeff fisher daft about earlier this week have you gotten any closer toward making record public Meat Processing plant for the safety of the workers and the public. Thank you. We want to make sure that employees are protected all across our state and weve had lots of conversations with businesses and i think that they know that it is important. For them to make sure that their employees are wearing Face Coverings in order to protect other employees. And i think that if we see that this is not being done on that we could make this mandatory but i will let doctor cohen addressed that and the the other question too. Thank you governor and thanks for the questions so get that is correct that the Face Coverings highly highly encouraged but not required. We know that there are circumstances where folks may have difficulty with breathing or other medical conditions that would not be conducive to Face Covering so we did not make that mandatory but as the governor said if we see that folks are not complying with this again its an act of kindness to your fellow and 2 others around you so we hope everyone will be wearing those Face Coverings as far as what were doing related to our Food Processing plants and as you know that those companies that are have now been directed by the president of the United States to remain open. We know to run those factories that that the workers need to be in closer contact. So our work at Public Health has been to continue to help these organizations protect their workers. That includes everything from screening them on the way in with the temperature checks making sure that they are wearing Face Coverings of the appropriate masks, putting up barriers where thats appropriate potentially slowing down the production line of it to allow for more social distancing. So weve been working in providing that assistance. The federal government. The cdc is actually giving us some additional personnel to help us do that working go to the site to make sure that folks are following these guidelines and as we go forward we will continue to do that work obviously this industry thats highly regulated by the department of agriculture. And we have heard folks request for some additional information. And numbers we want to make sure anything that we put on our website have accurate numbers have complete numbers and again these are businesses that are not regulated by dhs not requir