As new COVID cases decline, Cohen says NC wants to ease restrictions while staying safe Adam Wagner, The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) Feb. 23—North Carolina officials are trying to find ways to ease public health restrictions as coronavirus case counts continue to decline and the number of people vaccinated statewide continues to rise, Dr. Mandy Cohen told a legislative committee on Tuesday. "Our trends are moving in the right direction, and we know we want to reassess where we are in terms of easing restrictions," said Cohen, Secretary of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, to the N.C. House Health Committee.