COVID-19 numbers are rising in North Carolina Throughout spring and summer, we saw far fewer patients in hospitals as vaccines rolled out and more people got outside. Author: Megan Allman (WFMY News 2 Digital) Published: 10:24 PM EDT July 28, 2021 Updated: 10:26 PM EDT July 28, 2021 RALEIGH, N.C. — Just as people started dropping their masks, federal health officials are recommending you keep it on. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its mask guidance on Tuesday, saying even if you're vaccinated, but live in an area where COVID-19 cases are surging, you should still wear a mask. That's just about everywhere in the U.S., including North Carolina.