What will Triangle school systems do in light of new CDC mask guidance?

That's a significant change and departure from what North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper outlined for our state's schools just last week. Many school systems will likely reevaluate their policies in the coming weeks with parents and families likely to have to navigate another school year impacted by COVID-19.

"It gives me relief but also it kind of gives me pause," said Kira Kroboth, a parent with children in the Wake County Public Schools System. "Just last week they said they wouldn’t change anything unless the science dictated it and now this week, okay we’re changing it. And it’s all over the news. And I have so many people I know sick with it."

North Carolina Coronavirus dashboard - Maps, charts and data

The WCPSS board will vote on staff recommendations regarding face coverings at an Aug. 3 meeting. Durham Public Schools will continue to require all staff and students to wear face coverings and follow physical distancing recommendations of at least 3 ft. when possible.

Area universities tell students, staff to mask up, but only Duke is requiring vaccinations

"When you’ve got a surge in infections, you need to use the public health tools at your disposal to break the cycles of transmission to bring cases down," Yamey said. "Masking is one of those tools."

WRAL's Nia Harden recently observed that 24 out of 50 shoppers at the Harris Teeter and Walmart stores in Cary were wearing masks. Many said they were concerned about the Delta variant and had been wearing masks regularly.

Roughly 60 percent of the state's adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine with 57 percent fully vaccinated. Last week, Mandy Cohen with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said less than a quarter of students ages 12 to 17 were fully vaccinated in the state. Cohen called that rate "way too low."

Locations, phone numbers to get your COVID shot in central NC