NC’s governor: Unvaccinated people are driving resurgence of COVID-19 Two days after the Centers for Disease Control issued new guidance for mask wearing, Governor Roy Cooper stopped short of issuing a new statewide mask mandate and instead focused on vaccine verification. Starting September 1st, cabinet-level state employees under the governor’s purview will be required to provide proof of vaccination. Employees not vaccinated are required to wear a mask and be tested at least once a week. Cabinet agency workers who provide proof that they are fully-vaccinated do not have to mask-up, however, masks are encouraged even for those workers in public places indoors.