Gov. Roy Cooper visited a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Department of Public Health Tuesday and held a press conference with Cumberland County and City of Fayetteville leaders urging everyone to get the COVID-19 vaccination.

Cooper toured the COVID-19 vaccination clinic and thanked the frontline public health workers. He was joined by Public Health Director Dr. Jennifer Green, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners Charles Evans and Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin during the press conference.

“Vaccines work. Vaccines will get us to the other side of this pandemic. Vaccines will keep people healthier, and vaccines will help our economic recovery. I am grateful to the frontline healthcare workers that are here now making sure the shots get administered,” Cooper said.

“If you are not vaccinated, please don’t wait another day to get your shot,” Chairman Evans said. “Each day you wait, you are putting yourself at greater risk of contracting the highly contagious and dangerous Delta variant.”

“We urge you to get vaccinated,” Dr. Green said. “Community transmission in Cumberland County is high.”

“Not only do your actions and decision not to take the vaccine impact you, it impacts your friends, your families, your neighbors and your co-workers,” Mayor Colvin said. 

Commissioners Receive Update

Gov. Cooper’s visit came one day after Health Director Green gave a COVD-19 situation update to the Board of Commissioners. Dr. Green reported a sharp increase in COVID-19 Infections and hospitalizations in Cumberland County. New infections are occurring almost entirely among the unvaccinated.

Cumberland County is in the Orange Tier (Substantial Community Spread) in the North Carolina COVID-19 Alert System. The COVID-19 positive test rate is at 15.4%. The target rate recommended by the World Health Organization is 5%. There have been 32,787 cases and 336 deaths in Cumberland County since the beginning of the pandemic.

“All of our metrics are moving in the wrong direction,” Dr. Green told commissioners.

All children and adults age 12 and up are eligible to take the COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccines (Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer) are available at the Cumberland County Department of Public Health Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vaccines are available by appointment only, but same-day appointments are available. To schedule an appointment, go to cumberlandcounync.gov/covid19/vaccination. If you need assistance making an appointment, call 910-678-7657.