Category: Public Health

Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19

As published by NCDHHS and can be found here.

What is a coronavirus? What is COVID-19?

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause illness in animals and humans. Human coronaviruses commonly circulate in the United States and usually cause mild illnesses like the common cold. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease that was identified in Wuhan, China, and is now spreading throughout the world. Learn more about COVID-19 from NCDHHS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

How does it spread and what can I do to prevent it from spreading?

Coronaviruses like COVID-19 are most often spread through the air by coughing or sneezing, through close personal contact (including touching and shaking hands) or through touching your nose, mouth or eyes before washing your hands. Learn more from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about how COVID-19 spreads and how to protect yourself and your community from getting and spreading respiratory illnesses.

Follow these common-sense measures to protect yourself and others from spreading viruses, including COVID-19:

  • Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds at a time.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are ill.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
  • Do not reuse tissue after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose.
  • Clean and disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched.

Should I wear a mask?

The CDC does not recommend that people who are healthy wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory viruses. Facemasks should be used by people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and other respiratory illness like flu to protect others from getting infected. Healthcare providers and others taking care of people with COVID-19 should wear appropriate personal protective equipment.

Should I worry about opening packages from places where there’s been an outbreak?

Currently there is no evidence to support transmission of COVID-19 associated with imported goods and there have not been any cases of COVID-19 in the United States associated with imported goods.

Can you get COVID-19 from touching contaminated objects?

Possibly, if you touch a surface with the virus on it, and then touch your mouth, nose or eyes. However, this is not likely to be the main way the virus spreads.

Is a vaccine available?

Currently there is no vaccine to protect against COVID-19. The best way to protect yourself from respiratory diseases like COVID-19 is to take common-sense precautions. These include frequent hand washing, avoiding touching your face, covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze and making sure you have gotten your annual flu shot. There is work underway to develop a vaccine.

 

NC Updates on COVID-19

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services are consistently providing updates to share information with citizens regarding COVID-19 and it’s impact.

Updated 4/28/2020 at 12:43pm with updates from NC DHHS.

NCDHHS Announces Carolina Community Tracing Collaborative

Raleigh, N.C.

Apr 27, 2020

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) announces today the Carolina Community Tracing Collaborative, a new partnership with Community Care of North Carolina (CCNC) and the North Carolina Area Health Education Centers (NC AHEC) to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

This new initiative builds on the long-standing relationship NCDHHS has with both organizations. The Carolina Community Tracing Collaborative is part of Governor Roy Cooper’s initiative to slowly lift restrictions by focusing on testing, tracing and trends. This collaborative will build upon existing local health department tracing efforts to help meet the surge in demand for contact tracing staff expected as COVID-19 testing increases.

“Extensive contact tracing is a key strategy for North Carolina to stay ahead of the curve,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen, M.D. “Our local health departments are North Carolina’s experts doing this essential detective work and slowing the spread of COVID-19 in our communities. This collaborative will be a critical addition to our state’s capability to do widespread contact tracing and ease restrictions.”

Contact tracing is the process of supporting patients and notifying contacts of exposure in order to stop chains of transmission. When a person tests positive for COVID-19, contact tracing identifies who that individual may have been in contact with so those people can take precautions to avoid infecting others. Contact tracing is a core disease control measure that has been used for decades by local and state health departments, including during the response to COVID-19.

Selection of a partner for this activity was based on the entities’ ability to recruit a locally-based workforce, experience training a workforce and in field outreach, prior experience working with North Carolina’s local health departments and ability to work with North Carolina data systems.

CCNC has over 20 years of experience supporting North Carolina’s primary care delivery system through care management and practice support programs. The NC AHEC program has for nearly 50 years worked through a network of 10 Regional AHECs to develop and implement educational programs that recruit, train and retain North Carolina’s health workforce. They will work with Partners in Health, a nonprofit organization with extensive experience in contact tracing that has deployed a nationally recognized model in their home state of Massachusetts. All three will coordinate with and build upon the contact tracing expertise and workforce available in the local health departments.

“We are excited to partner with DHHS and with local health departments and to use our deep roots in North Carolina to help with this important work,” said CCNC President Tom Wroth, M.D., MPH.

“Supporting the educational and training needs of local and state public health has always been a focus of our work and this project builds on the long-standing partnership between AHEC and public health,” said NC AHEC Director Hugh Tilson, JD, MPH.

Through this collaborative, up to 250 additional local staff will be hired and trained initially to support contact tracing efforts with the potential to add more. The collaborative will work with local health departments to deploy trained contact tracing staff to areas where they are most needed.

Recruitment will start immediately; interested applicants should visit the collaborative’s webpage. Special consideration will be given to those who are unemployed, have community engagement experience and live in the communities that they will serve. Successful contact tracers require excellent communication skills with an empathetic mindset.

Updated 3/21/2020 at 3:57pm with updates from NC DHHS https://www.ncdhhs.gov/covid-19-case-count-nc

NC Cases*

NC Deaths

NC Completed Tests**

US Cases***

US Deaths***

184

0

5,276

15,219

201

* This number reflects positive results from all tests, including the NC State Laboratory of Public Health and all hospital and commercial labs.

** This number reflects testing completed by the NC State Laboratory of Public Health and reporting hospital and commercial laboratories.

*** These numbers are provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and are updated by the CDC at 4 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Updated 3/19/2020 at 1:48pm with updates from Gov. Cooper

NC 2-1-1 to Provide Assistance for COVID-19

Governor Roy Cooper today announced NC 2-1-1 by United Way of North Carolina as a resource for people to call for assistance related to the COVID-19 coronavirus.

NC 2-1-1 is an information and referral service that families and individuals can call to obtain free and confidential information on health and human services resources within their community. NC 2-1-1 operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year and resources are available in most languages.

“Services like NC 2-1-1 are critical during times of emergency,” said Governor Cooper. “North Carolinians can now call 2-1-1 to get the information they need while we continue working together to prevent the spread of this virus.”

North Carolinians can text COVIDNC to 898211 to receive general information and updates about COVID-19. Sign up now to get regular alerts on the rapidly evolving situation and North Carolina’s response.

NC 2-1-1 can refer callers to the organizations in their local community best equipped to address their specific health and human services needs including food, shelter, energy assistance, housing, parenting resources, health care, employment, substance abuse treatment, as well as specific resources for older adults and for persons with disabilities, and much more. Simply dial 2-1-1 or TTY 888-892-1162 for assistance.

NC 2-1-1 cannot provide direct medical services, and COVID-19 can only be diagnosed by a health care professional. If you suspect you or someone you care for may have symptoms or have been exposed to the virus, you should contact your health care provider. If you do not have a provider, you can call your local health department, free and charitable clinics or a Federally Qualified Health Clinic for guidance.

People should only call 9-1-1 if they are experiencing an emergency. 9-1-1 centers across North Carolina have been receiving general questions and other non-emergency calls related to COVID-19. Please do not call 9-1-1 unless you have an emergency.

For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 in North Carolina, go to ncdhhs.gov/coronavirus.

Due to anticipated high call volume, those seeking general information about COVID-19 are strongly encouraged to sign up for texts. People who are trying to locate specific services would benefit by calling. To learn more about NC 2-1-1, visit https://www.nc211.org/.

Updated from https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/public-health/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-response-north-carolina/nc-updates

All North Carolinians can prepare for COVID-19 by getting the latest information directly from reliable sources. The COVID-19 outbreak has been accompanied by a flood of misinformation from unreliable sources. Be thoughtful about what you read or hear about the virus and make sure you are separating rumor from fact before you act.

Turn to these sources for reliable information:

If you have specific questions or concerns related to coronavirus, call 866-462-3821 for more information. In the event of an emergency, please call 9-1-1.

 

COVID-19 Mitigation Guidance

Raleigh

On Monday, March 9, 2020, NC DHHS confirmed 5 new cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Wake County, increasing the statewide total to 7. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) is taking proactive steps to protect the health of our community by making recommendations that are meant to slow the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak and reduce the number of people infected.

We understand these actions will have a significant impact on the lives of people in our communities. NC DHHS is making these recommendations based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), current actions by other States, and the most up-to-date epidemiologic information we have to protect the public’s health. This is a critical moment in the growing outbreak of COVID-19 in North Carolina when such measures can potentially impact the spread of the disease. The recommendations should be implemented immediately and extend through March 31, 2020. We are monitoring the situation closely to determine whether these recommendations will be extended beyond March 31st.

HIGH-RISK PERSONS
NC DHHS recommends that people at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 should avoid large groups of people as much as possible. This includes gatherings such as concert venues, conventions, church services, sporting events, and crowded social events. People at high risk should also avoid cruise travel and non-essential air travel.

People at high risk include anyone:

  • Over 65 years of age, or
  • with underlying health conditions including heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes, or
  • with weakened immune systems.

The following recommendations pertain to persons and establishments STATEWIDE.

1) CONGREGATE LIVING FACILITIES
NC DHHS recommends that all facilities that serve as residential establishments for high risk persons described above should limit visitors and restrict all visitors who have respiratory illness or potential exposure to COVID-19. These establishments include: nursing homes, independent and assisted living facilities, correctional facilities, and facilities that care for medically vulnerable children.

2) MASS GATHERING OR LARGE COMMUNITY EVENTS
NC DHHS recommends that event organizers:

  • Urge anyone who is sick to not attend.
  • Encourage those who are at high risk, described above, to not attend.
  • Adopt lenient refund policies for people who are high risk.
  • Find ways to give people more physical space to limit close contact as much as possible.
  • Encourage attendees to wash hands frequently.
  • Clean surfaces with standard cleaners.

3) ALL TRAVELERS
NC DHHS recommends that all travelers returning from countries and US states impacted by COVID-19 follow DHHS guidance on self-monitoring:

4) SCHOOLS
NC DHHS is NOT recommending pre-emptive closure of schools and childcare centers at this time.

The following recommendations pertain to persons and establishments in the TRIANGLE area.

5) WORKPLACE SETTINGS
NC DHHS recommends that employers and employees use teleworking technologies to the greatest extent possible. Additionally, employers should:

  • Urge employees to stay home when they are sick and maximize flexibility in sick leave benefits.
  • Consider staggering start and end times to reduce large numbers of people coming together at the same time.

6) MASS GATHERINGS, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL EVENTS
NC DHHS recommends that organizers of mass gathering events that primarily draw high-risk persons, including those that attract older adults, should consider cancelling or postponing these events.