On Thursday, Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger called for restaurants and salons to reopen in North Carolina, in opposition to the advice of public health experts like state DHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen. NCDP Communications Director Austin Cook issued the following response: 

“The coronavirus outbreak has taken more than 80,000 American lives and continues to spread across our country. The day Phil Berger earns a degree in medicine, science or public health is the day we’ll take his thoughts on this pandemic seriously.”