North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper encouraged schools and local governments to end mask mandates Thursday, citing widespread vaccine availability and decreasing COVID-19 metrics statewide.
"The last couple of months, omicron overran the nation quickly," Cooper said during a Thursday briefing from Raleigh. "Now, just about as fast as the numbers peaked, they're falling. This variant is clearly more contagious, yet generally causes less severe illness, particularly to people who are vaccinated and boosted. And now people know how to gauge their level of risk and best protect themselves."
Cooper's recommendation comes one day after Mecklenburg County commissioners unanimously voted to drop the county's indoor mask mandate.
READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/north-carolina-mask-guidance-update-governor-roy-cooper-coronavirus-omicron-surge/275-451e982f-cb43-49c1-8d75-8924ededa58c
With a day to spare, North Carolina state lawmakers successfully passed new versions of congressional and legislative maps for approval by a trial court.
State lawmakers were given a deadline of Feb. 18 to create new maps after the North Carolina Supreme Court struck down the first proposals, calling them unconstitutional.
The new maps will now go to a three-judge panel in Wake County Superior Court on Friday. Judges have until Feb. 23 to approve or reject the legislature's new proposals.
The congressional proposal gives North Carolina Democrats a better chance to pick up more seats in the state.
READ MORE: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/politics/north-carolina-politics/north-carolina-lawmakers-new-redistricting-maps/275-be93afc9-7091-48dc-883a-5f42c6868033
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