CHARLOTTE, N.C. — North Carolina's COVID-19 state of emergency is ending in less than two weeks. 

Gov. Roy Cooper has said the emergency status will expire Aug. 15, 29 months after it started. 

Mecklenburg County leaders intend to follow suit. 

This comes at a time when COVID-19 numbers are on the rise. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reports that 61 counties are considered high risk for COVID-19 spread, including Mecklenburg. 

Over the last two weeks, the omicron BA.5 variant has been responsible for many of the cases. Although some feel OK with the lifting of a state of emergency, others feel differently. 

Shara Clark is employed as a home health aide at a sober living house, and she enjoys spending her free time with her loved ones. 

"Family means a whole lot to me," she said. "In the profession I'm in, I make sure to take extra precautions, so I don't bring anything to my children, grandchildren or husband." 

Clark has a 9-month-old granddaughter, Jacey, and 3-year-old grandson, Samir. 

Clark says it's up to her daughter to decide whether her kids should get the vaccine, but she is expressing concerns about the state of emergency being lifted when COVID-19 numbers are climbing. She wonders if the move will encourage some to take the rise in cases less seriously. 

"That's when things get worse," Clark said. 

In the coming weeks, she says her grandson may be enrolled in a day care. 

This has Clark a bit nervous about Samir being around more adults and kids. 

"How are they keeping the children socially distanced?" she said. 

Although Clark struggles with sending her grandson to day care and possibly school, she knows it's something she'll eventually have to do. 

"I don't want to scare myself into him not going to school because my daughter does have to work," she said.