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North Carolina extends modified Stay At Home order as numbers begin to stabilize in an effort to continue to slow the spread

Executive orders for “to-go” or delivery sales of mixed beverages and evictions moratorium also extended

RALEIGH – Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen today announced that North Carolina’s Modified Stay At Home Order, requiring people to be at home from 10 pm – 5 am, will be extended. Face covering requirements and restrictions on individuals gathering in both indoor and outdoor settings are still in place. Executive Order No. 189 will be in effect through at least Sunday, February 28, 2021 at 5:00 p.m.

The extension of Executive Order No. 190 allowing for the sale of “to-go” or delivery of mixed beverages will continue to help businesses that are struggling right now. The extension of Executive Order No. 191 will help families have the ability to stay in their homes, a critical component of slowing the spread of the virus.

The Executive Orders for “to-go” or delivery sales of mixed beverages and the evictions moratorium both received concurrence from the Council of State.

“With more than 3,300 people in the hospital, and the percent of positive tests in double digits, we know this virus is still spreading,” said Governor Cooper. “And with at least one new contagious variant of COVID-19 in our state, we still have work to do. We cannot let our guard down, especially in these cold winter months.”

In addition to the Modified Stay at Home Order, the DHHS secretarial directive remains in effect. People should stay home and only leave for essential purposes such as buying food, accessing health care, and going to school or work.

“The 3 Ws are as essential as they have always been,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. “Remember people can have COVID-19 and not know it. The best way to protect those around you is to act as if you do have the virus and could be contagious. That means always wearing a mask – over your mouth and nose, always waiting apart from others, and always washing your hands frequently.”

North Carolina continues to administer Covid-19 vaccines across the state. As of today, 99.8% of all first doses received by the state were reported as being administered and 859,695 total doses have been administered. Vaccine supply continues to be very low and the state is hopeful for more vaccine to be on the way. On a call with Governor Cooper and other governors yesterday, the Biden Administration committed to increase vaccine shipments to the states by 16% over the next 3 weeks.

On Tuesday, NCDHHS expanded its vaccine data dashboard to provide information about vaccine doses allocated to and received by the state and updated guidance to ensure equitable distribution and speed of administration.

North Carolinians can find out when they will be eligible to get their vaccine through a new online tool, Find My Vaccine Group. The screener walks users through a series of questions to determine which vaccine group they fall in. Learn more about North Carolina’s vaccine rollout at YourSpotYourShot.nc.gov.

On January 23, NCDHHS reported the first identified case of B.1.1.7 COVID-19 Variant in North Carolina. Early data suggest that this variant may be more contagious than other variants and state health officials continue to recommend staying at home when possible and practicing the 3 “W’s:” Wear a face covering, Wait 6 feet apart and Wash your hands.

Dr. Cohen provided an update on North Carolina’s data and trends.

Trajectory in COVID-Like Illness (CLI) Surveillance Over 14 Days
• North Carolina’s syndromic surveillance trend for COVID-like illness is decreasing, but high.

Trajectory of Confirmed Cases Over 14 Days
• North Carolina’s trajectory of cases is stabilizing, but high.

Trajectory in Percent of Tests Returning Positive Over 14 Days
• North Carolina’s trajectory in percent of tests returning positive is leveling, but high.

Trajectory in Hospitalizations Over 14 Days
• North Carolina’s trajectory of hospitalizations is leveling, but high.

In addition to these metrics, the state continues building capacity to adequately respond to an increase in virus spread in testing, tracing and prevention.
Testing
• Testing capacity remains high.

Tracing Capability
• There have been more than 666,000 downloads of the exposure notification app, SlowCOVIDNC.

Personal Protective Equipment
• North Carolina’s personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies are stable.

Read Executive Order No. 189 and the FAQs.

Read Executive Order No. 190 and the FAQs.

Read Executive Order No. 191 and the FAQs.

View the slides from today’s briefing.

Pender County COVID Vaccine Information Center opens telephone line for questions

BURGAW – Today Pender County Health and Human Services opened a new phone line dedicated to taking calls exclusive to COVID-19 vaccination information. The phone number is 910-663-4200.

Personnel is standing by 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday to answer calls regarding the pandemic.

“The Pender County Health Department has taken thousands of calls,” said Carolyn Moser, Pender County Health and Human Services Director. “This new telephone number will help us to better serve our residents.”

 

Important COVID-19 Vaccination Roll-out Information

COVID-19 VACCINATION ROLL-OUT INFORMATION

The Pender County Health Department is receiving limited quantities of COVID-19 vaccine.

We are no longer taking names for future appointments.  If you have been placed on our call list, we will be contacting you to schedule an appointment.

We ask that you monitor the county’s website or Facebook page and the local news for updates on vaccine availability and that you call for an appointment at that time.  (910) 259-1230

In addition, our plans are to offer online appointment scheduling in the near future.

Vaccinations will be offered at two locations:  the health department in Burgaw and the Hampstead Annex.

 

IMPORTANT:

You cannot receive the COVID-19 vaccine if:

  • You have tested positive for COVID within the last 30 days
  • You have received a vaccine of any kind (other than for COVID) in the last 14 days
  • You have pending test results due to an exposure.

 

Pender County Health Department continues vaccinations for residents 75 years and older

BURGAW- Upon the arrival of the first shipments of the COVID-19 vaccine, the Pender County Health Department has administered nearly 1000 vaccinations to health care workers caring for COVID patients, staff responsible for cleaning COVID-19 areas, and residents 75 years or older. Those receiving the first round of the vaccine have been scheduled for their second round 28 days later.

“We schedule appointments in conjunction with the supply of vaccine that we receive from the state,” said Carolyn Moser. “We are following the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) guidelines, which prioritizes groups by age, vocation, and high risk of exposure.”

Moser stressed the health department will not move to the next phase and group without meeting the needs of the current phase in which they are vaccinating, Phase 1 b, Group 1.

All appointments for the week of January 11 are filled.

“We are asking residents in Phase 1 b, Group 1, to call the health department and leave their name and number. We will return their call to schedule an appointment.  However, the number of patients we can see will be dependent upon how many doses of the vaccine we receive in the next shipments,” explained Moser.

According to health department staff, interest in receiving the COVID-19 vaccination has been overwhelming. The department has added multiple phone lines to accept calls. If residents receive a busy signal, please call back.

The health department number is 910-259-1230.

Count On Me NC- Join and Support the Effort!

The Count On Me NC program is focused on providing the necessary knowledge and information needed to manage COVID-19 within businesses as restrictions are relaxed. These free courses provide a consistent approach based on state and national guidelines. The voluntary program is designed to incorporate the best available science in social and physical distancing, employee health and cleaning, sanitizing and disinfection and is presented in an easy format in both English and Spanish. Each of these short training sessions are under 30 minutes and delivered online in an engaging and interactive format. Participating businesses will be recognized on the website CountOnMeNC.org

NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) Highlights of Phase 1

On May 5th, Governor Cooper modified North Carolina’s Stay At Home Executive Order, transitioning the state to Phase 1 of slowly easing COVID-19 restrictions. Executive Order 138 begins on Friday, May 8 at 5:00 pm.

 

Highlights of Phase 1 include:

 

  • Any retail business may open at 50 percent capacity. Businesses will be required to practice social distancing, perform frequent cleanings, provide hand sanitizer when available, screen workers for symptoms and more.
  • People may leave their homes for commercial activity at any business that is open.
  • Certain businesses remain closed, including bars, personal care businesses, entertainment venues, and gyms. Restaurants may only continue to serve customers for drive-through, take-out and delivery.
  • Teleworking is still encouraged for businesses that can practice it.
  • Cloth face coverings are recommended when you leave the house and may be near other people who are not family or household members.

 

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) created several materials to help businesses navigate Phase 1, including:

 

  • NCDHHS Checklist for Business Owners
  • Interim Guidance for Owners, Staff, and Patrons of Businesses
  • Symptom Screening Checklist
  • Templates to Meet Required Signage

 

DHHS also previewed a new campaign, Know Your Ws! While North Carolinians should still stay home, if they go out, they should know their Ws: Wear. Wait. Wash.

 

  • Wear a face covering,
  • Wait 6 feet apart from other people.
  • Wash your hands often and

 

A Know Your Ws flyer is available in English and Spanish. More materials will be coming.

 

Executive Order 138

FAQ about the Executive Order

Presentation from May 5th Press Announcement

Fact Sheet on What’s New in Phase One

FAQ on Cloth Face Coverings

Business Materials

May is National Foster Care Month – have you considered becoming a foster parent?

The Pender County Department of Social Services is seeking individuals and families to provide loving and stable temporary homes for children in the foster care program. #NationalFosterCareMonth

 

For more information please contact:

Annie Murphy, Social Worker

Pender County Department of Social Services

(910) 259-1331 or amurphy@pendercountync.gov

Governor Cooper Proclaims April 2020 Alcohol Awareness Month in North Carolina

Talk It Out NC Honors Alcohol Awareness Month by Encouraging Families to Start the Conversation about Underage Drinking

RALEIGH, N.C. – (April 6, 2020) Governor Roy Cooper issued a proclamation declaring April Alcohol Awareness Month in North Carolina. The proclamation coincides with a nationwide effort to educate Americans about the dangers of alcoholism and issues related to alcohol… all while families are staying home together.

Talk It Out NC, a state-sponsored initiative to reduce underage drinking, is taking the opportunity to encourage families in North Carolina to start the conversation about underage drinking. The program is launching several new initiatives to reduce the underage drinking problem in our state.

NC Alcohol Awareness Month Initiatives:

Engage Families During Pandemic Lockdown

Right now, when families are home together, is an opportune time in the fight against underage drinking. Talk It Out ambassadors are making virtual appearances across the stateto help families tackle what can sometimes seem like a daunting discussion.

“Students are home from school right now, and many of their parents are home from work — it’s the perfect time for families to talk about the consequences of underage drinking,” says Deputy Director of Education and Outreach for the ABC Commission Jim Van Hecke. “At the same time, Talk It Out is honoring Alcohol Awareness Month by encouraging students to Take the Pledge against underage drinking through several new initiatives.”

Social Media Blitz

Talk It Out is acknowledging Alcohol Awareness Month with engaging posts on all its social media platforms. These posts encourage families to talk about alcohol and keep the lines of communication open.

Alcohol Education Project

Talk It Out is also working with the North Carolina Association of ABC Boards to share information about an alcohol education project with the public. It is part of the Boards’ mission to ensure members of the public are well informed about the societal issues related to the consumption of alcohol.

School- and Faith-Based Initiatives

Although attendance at schools and churches is on hold right now, Talk It Out is planning for the future. The program is in the process of organizing school-based and faith-based initiatives for future engagement opportunities. Talk It Out’s ambassadors will connect with schools and churches in their communities to talk about underage drinking.

New Partnerships

April is also Alcohol Responsibility Month, and Talk It Out is partnering with the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (Responsibility.org) to eliminate underage drinking. The Foundation released encouraging statistics that result from positive conversations between parents and their kids about alcohol:

Alcohol Awareness in North Carolina:

Source: Alcohol Awareness Month Proclamation

  • According to the Centers for Disease Control, the level of excessive drinking in North Carolina is trending upward.
  • Neuroscience tells us that the developing adolescent brain is far more sensitive to alcohol than the mature adult brain and underage alcohol use can negatively impact student success and athletic performance.
  • Excessive alcohol consumption in North Carolina costs over $7 billion a year in health care costs
  • Prevention efforts throughout North Carolina have helped raise the average age at which young people begin to use alcohol, yet 27% of high school students still report drinking in the last 30 days.

Talk It Out encourages families to keep the lines of communication about underage drinking open with helpful tips.

Starting the Conversation:

  • Ask open-ended questions and really listen to their answers without interrupting or jumping to conclusions.
  • Take advantage of all kinds of situations, like a celebrity appearing in the news for drunk driving or a plotline in a TV show that involves alcohol.
  • Start a conversation in the car. Some teens feel more comfortable when they don’t have to make eye contact.
  • Make kids part of the conversation. Don’t make it a lecture.

View complete article here

To learn more visit: www.talkitoutnc.org

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