Wildlife Oral Rabies Vaccination Program Begins Next Week
News, Press Release September 29, 2021
RALEIGH — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced it is working with the United States Department of Agriculture to help prevent the spread of rabies by distributing oral rabies vaccine for wild raccoons along western North Carolina’s borders with Tennessee, Georgia and Virginia. The annual baiting program, administered by USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, was first conducted in North Carolina in 2005.
Beginning on or about Oct. 5, 2021, more than 500,000 baits containing the oral rabies vaccine will be distributed by fixed-wing aircraft in parts of Ashe, Alleghany, Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Graham Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Swain, Transylvania, Wilkes, and Yancey Counties.
Beginning on or about Oct. 6, 2021, approximately 56,700 baits containing the oral rabies vaccine will be distributed in greater Asheville, Burnsville, Mars Hill, and Waynesville, N.C. by helicopter. In addition, ground teams will distribute approximately 6,100 baits by hand in the city of Asheville.
“The best way to prevent rabies is to avoid contact with wild animals and to vaccinate domestic animals against rabies,” said NCDHHS Deputy State Public Health Veterinarian Erica Berl, DVM MPH. “This important program helps us prevent the spread of rabies among wild animals, which also prevents wildlife from spreading rabies to people and their pets and other animals.”
Baiting should be completed by mid-October, depending on weather and other factors.
The baits consist of a sachet, or plastic packet, containing the oral rabies vaccine. To make the baits attractive to raccoons, the packets are sprinkled with a fishmeal coating or encased inside hard fishmeal–polymer blocks about the size of a matchbox. When a raccoon bites into a bait, the vaccine packet is punctured, and the animal is exposed to the vaccine. This activates the animal’s immune system to produce antibodies that provide protection against rabies infection.
The vaccine does not contain the live rabies virus and cannot cause rabies in any animal. Anyone who comes into contact with the liquid vaccine should wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water and call the phone number listed on the bait for further instructions and referral.
Rabies is most commonly found in wild animals in North Carolina. This poses a risk to people and domestic animals that may come in contact with wildlife. It is a fatal disease in mammals, including people. However, there are highly effective vaccines that prevent infection and illness in people and domestic animals. By North Carolina law, cats, dogs, and ferrets must be vaccinated by four months of age and be kept up to date throughout their lives.
Although the oral rabies vaccine products are safe, the USDA Wildlife Services program has issued these precautions:
- If you or your pet find a bait, leave it where you found it unless it is on your lawn, driveway or other area unlikely to attract raccoons. While wearing a glove or other barrier, you can move the bait to an area of thicker cover where raccoons are more likely to find it and pets are less likely to encounter it.
- Eating the baits won’t harm your pet but consuming several baits might upset your pet’s stomach.
- Do not try to remove an oral rabies vaccine packet from your pet’s mouth, as you could be bitten.
- Wear gloves or use a towel when you pick up bait. While there is no harm in touching undamaged baits, they have a strong fishmeal smell.
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water if there is any chance the vaccine packet has ruptured.
- Instruct children to leave baits alone.
- A warning label on each bait advises people not to touch the bait and contains the rabies information line telephone number.
For more information on rabies prevention or the oral rabies vaccine program, call the USDA Wildlife Services toll-free rabies line at 1-866-487-3297 or the NC Division of Public Health at 919-733-3419.
You can also find information on the USDA website at
www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/wildlifedamage/programs/nrmp/ct_rabies_vaccine_info.
For general information on rabies, please see https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/index.html.
FDA fully approves Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine
Featured News, Featured Stories, News, Press Release August 23, 2021
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine has been known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, and will now be marketed as Comirnaty (koe-mir’-na-tee), for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older. The vaccine also continues to be available under emergency use authorization (EUA), including for individuals 12 through 15 years of age and for the administration of a third dose in certain immunocompromised individuals.
“The FDA’s approval of this vaccine is a milestone as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. While this and other vaccines have met the FDA’s rigorous, scientific standards for emergency use authorization, as the first FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine, the public can be very confident that this vaccine meets the high standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality the FDA requires of an approved product,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. “While millions of people have already safely received COVID-19 vaccines, we recognize that for some, the FDA approval of a vaccine may now instill additional confidence to get vaccinated. Today’s milestone puts us one step closer to altering the course of this pandemic in the U.S.”
Since Dec. 11, 2020, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine has been available under EUA in individuals 16 years of age and older, and the authorization was expanded to include those 12 through 15 years of age on May 10, 2021. EUAs can be used by the FDA during public health emergencies to provide access to medical products that may be effective in preventing, diagnosing, or treating a disease, provided that the FDA determines that the known and potential benefits of a product, when used to prevent, diagnose, or treat the disease, outweigh the known and potential risks of the product.
FDA-approved vaccines undergo the agency’s standard process for reviewing the quality, safety and effectiveness of medical products. For all vaccines, the FDA evaluates data and information included in the manufacturer’s submission of a biologics license application (BLA). A BLA is a comprehensive document that is submitted to the agency providing very specific requirements. For Comirnaty, the BLA builds on the extensive data and information previously submitted that supported the EUA, such as preclinical and clinical data and information, as well as details of the manufacturing process, vaccine testing results to ensure vaccine quality, and inspections of the sites where the vaccine is made. The agency conducts its own analyses of the information in the BLA to make sure the vaccine is safe and effective and meets the FDA’s standards for approval.
Comirnaty contains messenger RNA (mRNA), a kind of genetic material. The mRNA is used by the body to make a mimic of one of the proteins in the virus that causes COVID-19. The result of a person receiving this vaccine is that their immune system will ultimately react defensively to the virus that causes COVID-19. The mRNA in Comirnaty is only present in the body for a short time and is not incorporated into – nor does it alter – an individual’s genetic material. Comirnaty has the same formulation as the EUA vaccine and is administered as a series of two doses, three weeks apart.
“Our scientific and medical experts conducted an incredibly thorough and thoughtful evaluation of this vaccine. We evaluated scientific data and information included in hundreds of thousands of pages, conducted our own analyses of Comirnaty’s safety and effectiveness, and performed a detailed assessment of the manufacturing processes, including inspections of the manufacturing facilities,” said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “We have not lost sight that the COVID-19 public health crisis continues in the U.S. and that the public is counting on safe and effective vaccines. The public and medical community can be confident that although we approved this vaccine expeditiously, it was fully in keeping with our existing high standards for vaccines in the U.S.”
FDA Evaluation of Safety and Effectiveness Data for Approval for 16 Years of Age and Older
The first EUA, issued Dec. 11, for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for individuals 16 years of age and older was based on safety and effectiveness data from a randomized, controlled, blinded ongoing clinical trial of thousands of individuals.
To support the FDA’s approval decision today, the FDA reviewed updated data from the clinical trial which supported the EUA and included a longer duration of follow-up in a larger clinical trial population.
Specifically, in the FDA’s review for approval, the agency analyzed effectiveness data from approximately 20,000 vaccine and 20,000 placebo recipients ages 16 and older who did not have evidence of the COVID-19 virus infection within a week of receiving the second dose. The safety of Comirnaty was evaluated in approximately 22,000 people who received the vaccine and 22,000 people who received a placebo 16 years of age and older.
Based on results from the clinical trial, the Pfizer vaccine was 91% effective in preventing COVID-19 disease.
More than half of the clinical trial participants were followed for safety outcomes for at least four months after the second dose. Overall, approximately 12,000 recipients have been followed for at least 6 months.
The most commonly reported side effects by those clinical trial participants who received Comirnaty were pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, fatigue, headache, muscle or joint pain, chills, and fever. The vaccine is effective in preventing COVID-19 and potentially serious outcomes including hospitalization and death.
Additionally, the FDA conducted a rigorous evaluation of the post-authorization safety surveillance data pertaining to myocarditis and pericarditis following administration of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine and has determined that the data demonstrate increased risks, particularly within the seven days following the second dose. The observed risk is higher among males under 40 years of age compared to females and older males. The observed risk is highest in males 12 through 17 years of age. Available data from short-term follow-up suggest that most individuals have had resolution of symptoms. However, some individuals required intensive care support. Information is not yet available about potential long-term health outcomes. The Comirnaty Prescribing Information includes a warning about these risks.
Ongoing Safety Monitoring
The FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have monitoring systems in place to ensure that any safety concerns continue to be identified and evaluated in a timely manner. In addition, the FDA is requiring the company to conduct postmarketing studies to further assess the risks of myocarditis and pericarditis following vaccination with Comirnaty. These studies will include an evaluation of long-term outcomes among individuals who develop myocarditis following vaccination with Comirnaty. In addition, although not FDA requirements, the company has committed to additional post-marketing safety studies, including conducting a pregnancy registry study to evaluate pregnancy and infant outcomes after receipt of Comirnaty during pregnancy.
The FDA granted this application Priority Review. The approval was granted to BioNTech Manufacturing GmbH.
Related Information
Health Officials Encourage Parents to Get Preteens and Teens Up to Date on Immunizations
Community, Press Release July 13, 2021
RALEIGH — Governor Roy Cooper has proclaimed July Adolescent Immunization Awareness Month to highlight the importance of immunizations for North Carolina’s preteens and teens. As teachers, parents and students are preparing for the start of the 2021-22 school year, public health officials remind parents and guardians to ensure their teens and preteens are current on all their vaccinations and encourage health care providers to take steps to ensure their young patients are up to date.
Over the past year, well child health care visits have decreased in some cases due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Data shows many North Carolina youth are behind on immunizations for vaccine-preventable diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria, meningococcal meningitis, measles and HPV. As of June 29, only 25% of youth ages 12-17 have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is collaborating with partners, including the North Carolina Pediatric Society, North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians and local health departments on an awareness campaign to help ensure adolescents are protected from vaccine-preventable diseases — including COVID-19.
“As children move into their preteen and teen years, they become more susceptible to certain diseases, making it especially important to stay current with immunizations. At the same time, preteens and teens tend to have fewer visits to their doctor’s office, increasing the chance that they are not up to date,” said Dr. Jessica L. Triche, FAAFP, president of the NC Academy of Family Physicians. “This decrease in immunizations accelerated among adolescents during the pandemic, when stay-at-home orders went into effect.”
For preteens ages 11-12, the following four vaccines are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
- Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4) to protect against some of the bacteria that cause meningococcal disease, including meningitis.
- Tdap vaccine to protect against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough).
- Human papillomavirus vaccine to help protect from HPV infection and cancers caused by HPV.
- Influenza vaccine to protect against the flu at the onset of the flu season.
An important change was implemented for the 2020-21 school year. A booster dose of MCV4 is now required at age 16 and before entering the 12th grade. Depending on risk factors, some teens may also need serogroup B meningococcal vaccine. Parents with teenagers should talk to their pediatrician or family physician about which vaccines are appropriate.
In addition to routine vaccines, everyone 12 years and older is now eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine.
“This vaccine is very safe and effective and can be given at the same time as vaccines required for school,” said State Health Director and NCDHHS Chief Medical Officer Dr. Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson, MPH. “We encourage all parents to talk with their preteen’s or teen’s doctor about this important vaccine and its benefits.”
“Adolescent Immunization Awareness Month is an important reminder for families to make sure their children are up to date on vaccines,” said Dr. Christoph Diasio, FAAP, president of the NC Pediatric Society. “Even if parents were delayed in getting their children in due to COVID-19, now is the time to schedule well child and vaccination appointments, especially for year-round schools and sports.”
We encourage all parents to talk with their child’s pediatrician, family practitioner or health care professional to know what vaccinations are due and make sure their kids are protected. During that same visit, parents can talk with their physician about the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine for their children, ages 12 years and older. Many pediatricians and family practitioners will provide the COVID-19 vaccine for all eligible family members, as well as their adolescent patient(s), during that same visit.
More information, including a list of all required North Carolina school immunizations, from kindergarten through 12th grade is available at www.immunize.nc.gov/family. Additional information on vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases is available on the CDC’s website. The COVID-19 North Carolina Dashboard provides an overview of additional COVID-19-related information and metrics the state is monitoring.
The Vaccines for Children program offers free vaccines to families who cannot afford to pay for their children’s vaccines (through 19 years of age), and federal law requires most private insurance plans, including Medicaid, to cover recommended preventive services such as vaccinations at no out-of-pocket cost. The COVID-19 vaccine is available to everyone, regardless of ability to pay or immigration status.
COVID-19 Supports Still Available for Youth and Young Adults Transitioning from Foster Care
Community, Press Release May 12, 2021
RALEIGH — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is encouraging young adults (Ages 18-21) eligible for the state’s extended foster care program who left the program during the COVID-19 Pandemic due to their age to apply for re-entry to receive available services and support.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, signed into law Dec. 27, 2020, continues to provide emergency relief to young people in or transitioning from foster care who are struggling because of the pandemic.
“The COVID-19 pandemic created challenges for us all and these challenges are especially complex for young adults transitioning from foster care,” said Carla McNeil, Child Welfare Permanency Planning Section Chief. “We want to encourage all young adults, who are currently or were formerly in foster care, to take full advantage of the supports and resources available to them so they can achieve optimal success.”
Some of the services and supports provided by the Foster Care 18 to 21 and the NC LINKS programs include funding to assist with the following expenses:
- Transportation
- Rent
- Supplement income
- Food and other basic household needs
Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, young adults ages 18–21 who exited the Foster Care 18 to 21 program during the pandemic due to their age must be provided the opportunity to re-enter the program. This applies to young adults 21 and older who left the program during the COVID-19 public health emergency, as defined under this law as between Jan. 27, 2020–April 20, 2021.
Young adults are allowed re-entry and access to services under this federal requirement until Sept. 30, 2021.
These young adults, and those who have remained in the program during the pandemic, should not be terminated from or denied entry into the program due to currently failing to meet the education or employment eligibility criteria.
NCDHHS’ Division of Social Services and local departments of social services are committed to the well-being of all North Carolina’s children, youth and young adults. The Child Welfare Services’ Foster Care 18 to 21 program and the NC LINKS program support the state’s youth and young adults in accessing the tools necessary to transition to an independent, self-sufficient adult.
For more information about how youth and young adults can access the Foster Care 18 to 21 and NC LINKS programs, contact your local department of social services; the State LINKS Program Coordinator, Erin Conner at [email protected] or (919) 801-0369; or the Foster Care 18 to 21 Program Coordinator LeAnn McKoy at [email protected] or (919) 527-6375.
N.C. Households Can Get Help With Monthly Internet Bills From Federal Program
News, Press Release May 5, 2021
RALEIGH: North Carolinians can get critical help to pay for high-speed internet from a $3.2 billion federal program opening in May for families and households working, learning and shopping from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Many North Carolina families struggle to afford high-speed internet,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said. “The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program will help bridge the digital divide so that people in need can get online to talk with their doctors, learn remotely, find or do work, and connect with friends and family.”
The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBBP) gives a discount of up to $50 a month to a household’s internet bill. That increases to $75 a month for those living on tribal lands. Eligible households can also get a one-time discount of $100 toward the purchase of a laptop, tablet or desktop computer through participating providers.
Enrollment in EBBP will open on May 12. Households with an income at or less than 135 percent of federal poverty guidelines are eligible for the EBBP. A household also qualifies if at least one member participates in a federal benefits program such as Medicaid, SNAP, or Lifeline, receives benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program, lost a job or a significant amount of income in the past year, received a Federal Pell Grant, or is part of an internet service provider’s low-income or COVID-19 program.
“Affordability is one barrier among the inequities that prevent numerous North Carolina residents and households from accessing high-speed, high-quality internet,” Jim Weaver, North Carolina Department of Information Technology (NCDIT) secretary and state chief information officer, said. “This benefit can spur demand for building infrastructure to bring that service into areas of the state that have little or no access to broadband.”
Administered by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the program was created by Congress in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 to help Americans access healthcare, jobs, classrooms and businesses during the pandemic. Many types of providers, including those offering landline and wireless broadband, are offering the discount. The FCC gives extensive guidance for providers seeking to participate.
The NCDIT Broadband Infrastructure Office (BIO) offers guidance on how North Carolina households can apply for the benefit and how providers in the state can participate in it.
The FCC’s consumer site has detailed information on how households can qualify and apply for the program. Households can also see a list of participating providers in their state. Governor Cooper has called on internet service providers in North Carolina to participate in the program so that more North Carolinians can afford to get online.
The EBBP will end six months after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declares the pandemic is over or when the program uses all its $3.2 billion funding, whichever happens first. Providers must notify consumers at least 30 days before the discount ends and must let consumers opt-in to continue service before charging them a higher rate.
To help get high-speed internet service to even more North Carolinians, NCDIT’s Broadband Infrastructure Office is currently conducting a survey to gather better data on broadband availability and quality in the state. All North Carolinians are encouraged to take the five-minute survey by visiting ncbroadband.gov/survey or calling 919-750-0553.
Governor Cooper Outlines Timeline for Lifting State’s COVID-19 Restrictions
News, Press Release April 21, 2021
RALEIGH: Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. laid out a timeline for lifting current pandemic restrictions today. With stable trends and continued vaccination success, the state expects to lift mandatory social distancing, capacity, and mass gathering restrictions by June 1. The Governor plans to issue an executive order next week outlining safety restrictions for the month of May.
“Each shot in an arm is a step closer to putting this pandemic in the rearview mirror,” said Governor Cooper. “North Carolinians have shown up for each other throughout this entire pandemic and we need to keep up that commitment by getting our vaccines.”
North Carolina continues to focus on distributing vaccines quickly and equitably. This fast and fair approach to getting shots in arms is the best way to beat this pandemic, protect one another, boost the economy and make it possible for restrictions to be lifted.
To date, the state has administered over 6.5 million vaccines. 46.9 percent of adults are at least partially vaccinated, and 35.1 percent are fully vaccinated. More than 76 percent of people 65 and older have had at least one shot.
With vaccine now widely available across the state – often with no wait for an appointment, all North Carolinians 16 and older can plan to take their shot. The state anticipates lifting the mask mandate and easing other public health recommendations, once two thirds of adult North Carolinians have received at least one vaccine dose and if trends remain stable.
“We are at an exciting moment. We now have enough vaccine for everyone,” said Secretary Cohen. “If you are 16 and older, it is your turn to join the more than 3.6 million North Carolinians who have already taken their first shot. It’s up to you to get us to the two thirds goal as quickly as possible so we can live with this virus and begin to put this pandemic behind us.”
Gov. Cooper and Sec. Cohen urged North Carolinians continue to get vaccinated and exercise good judgment even when restrictions are lifted. Businesses should continue to follow voluntary health recommendations and North Carolinians should continue to take safety measures in order to boost the economy, keep children in schools and protect each other.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released statistics indicating that North Carolina is among the states with the fewest deaths and fewest job losses per capita.
State health officials are continuing to monitor the presence of COVID-19 and its more contagious variants in North Carolina, which is why it is important to continue to follow the state’s mask mandate and continue to practice safety precautions, including the Three Ws—wear a mask, wait 6 feet apart, and wash hands often.
All of NC residents 16 and older vaccine eligible on April 7
News, Press Release April 1, 2021
North Carolina has announced an accelerated timeline for moving to Groups 4 and 5 for COVID-19 vaccine eligibility.
The rest of Group 4 became eligible March 31. This includes additional essential workers and people living in other congregate settings such as student dormitories. Essential workers include frontline workers and workers who do not have to be in-person for work in an expanded range of sectors such as construction, energy, financial services and public works. A complete list is available here. All North Carolinians age 16 and older will be eligible to be vaccinated beginning on April 7.
The accelerated timeline will allow the state to double down on its “fast and fair” approach to getting shots into arms. Healthier Together, a new public private partnership with the NC Counts Coalition, will help increase the number of individuals from historically marginalized populations that receive COVID-19 vaccinations and provide a foundation for a longer-term framework for health equity.
When it’s your spot to get your shot, you can find participating vaccine providers at MySpot.nc.gov. Previously eligible groups – health care workers, long-term care staff and residents, people 65 and older, frontline essential workers, and higher risk people – will continue to be prioritized.
Visit YourShotYourSpot.nc.gov (English) or Vacunate.nc.gov (Spanish) for more information about the vaccines, including answers to frequently asked questions.
Not sure what vaccine group you’re in? Visit FindMyGroup.nc.gov and sign up to receive vaccine updates. You can also contact the COVID-19 Vaccine Help Center toll-free at 1-888-675-4567.
Motorcycle chase ends in drug arrest
News, Press Release March 2, 2021
Governor Mobilizes NC National Guard for Deployment in Raleigh and DC
News, Press Release January 13, 2021
RALEIGH: Governor Roy Cooper has mobilized approximately 550 from the NC National Guard to assist with upcoming security needs in Washington, DC and North Carolina. The Governor mobilized approximately 350 National Guard personnel for duty here in North Carolina, beginning this weekend to support state and local authorities and protect the well-being of residents, property, and the right to peacefully assemble and protest.
At the request of federal authorities, North Carolina will also send 200 National Guard personnel to assist civil authorities and local law enforcement in Washington, DC prior to and during the Presidential Inauguration on Jan. 20. This deployment is in addition to an already-planned 10-person joint communications team working to support the inauguration. The Guard will be deployed for approximately seven to eight days. This decision is based on threats of significant large-scale protests in D.C.
North Carolina is one of dozens of states providing personnel to Washington, DC in the next week. NC National Guard personnel have extensive experience in domestic operations and will not be operating as front-line law enforcement. The types of missions the NC Guard will perform are providing site security, establishing checkpoints and protecting critical infrastructure.
“Ongoing security concerns in Washington, DC and state capitals around the nation following last week’s attack on the US Capitol must be taken seriously, and I will deploy necessary resources to keep North Carolinians safe. I have spoken with state and federal authorities and thank the men and women of the North Carolina National Guard for their continued service to our state and nation,” said Governor Cooper.
Suspect arrested after multi-county car chase
News, Press Release January 8, 2021
North Carolina Introduces COVID-19 County Alert System
News, Press Release November 17, 2020
RALEIGH: Governor Roy Cooper and Dr. Mandy Cohen, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) announced a new COVID-19 County Alert System to pinpoint counties with the highest levels of viral spread and offer specific recommendations to bring numbers down. This system will help give local leaders another tool to understand how their county is faring and to make decisions about actions to slow viral spread. The map will be updated every four weeks.
“By pinpointing counties with high virus transmission and asking everyone in those counties to work with us and do more right now to slow the spread of the virus, we can succeed,” Governor Cooper said. “It can help bring down their case rates, keep their communities safer, save lives and keep their hospital systems working.”
“It’s going to take all of us working together to avoid tightening restrictions like so many states are now doing,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen. “The COVID-19 County Alert System gives North Carolinians an easy way to see how their county is doing and know what they can do protect their family and neighbors and slow the spread of this virus.”
The system uses metrics informed by the White House Coronavirus Task Force and North Carolina’s key metrics to categorize counties into three tiers:
Yellow: Significant Community Spread
Orange: Substantial Community Spread
Red: Critical Community Spread
Because no one metric provides a complete picture, the COVID-19 County Alert System uses a combination of three metrics: case rate, the percent of tests that are positive, and hospital impact within the county.
To be assigned to the red or orange tier, a county must meet the threshold for case rate for that tier AND the threshold for either percent positive OR hospital impact.
- Case Rate: The number of new cases in 14 days per 100,000 people
- Percent Positive: The percent of tests that are positive over 14 days
- Hospital Impact: A composite score based on the impact that COVID-19 has had on hospitals including percent of COVID-19 hospitalizations, COVID-19 related visits to the Emergency Department, staffed open hospital beds, and critical staffing shortages over 14 days
|
|
Counties that do not meet criteria for red or orange are categorized as being in the yellow tier (significant community spread) and should continue to be vigilant to prevent further spread of COVID-19. Recommended Actions The Alert System includes recommendations for individuals, businesses, community organizations and public officials in every county, as well as specific stepped-up recommendations for orange and red counties. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NCDHHS provides safety guidelines as early voting begins
Community, News, Press Release October 15, 2020
RALEIGH — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is providing guidelines for voters and local polling locations to help protect the health of North Carolinians during the voting process. In addition, NCDHHS and the NC Department of Public Safety Division of Emergency Management provided personal protective equipment to local election boards and locations.
North Carolina residents who plan to vote in-person should wear a face mask and keep it on throughout the voting process, stay 6 feet apart from others while at the polling location, and wash their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before and after voting.
“Everyone should make their voting plan, and just like going to the grocery store, take your mask and wait apart from others. I’ll be voting in person during early voting,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D.
NCDHHS also issued guidelines to local polling locations to protect people while they vote, work or volunteer at voting locations. Masks are required in public and voting places must have enough masks to provide one to anyone who does not have one. If a voter has an exception for wearing a mask, election workers should try to accommodate them and should not turn voters away.
Election workers at voting locations must routinely clean and disinfect high-touch areas, such as doors, tables and chairs, with an EPA-approved disinfectant for SARS-CoV-2 — the virus that causes COVID-19 — especially during peak voting times. Many locations are providing single-use pens to voters.
The guidelines, adapted from the CDC’s Considerations for Election Polling Locations and Voters, also require elections officials to post signage at each voting place reminding voters and workers about social distancing by staying at least 6 feet away from others. Officials are required to provide physical markers, such as tape on floors or signs on walls, to help ensure people remain at least 6 feet apart.
Additionally, county boards of elections must:
- Require election workers and observers to wear a mask when social distancing is or may not be possible, unless they state an exception applies.
- Require election workers to encourage people to wear a mask while they vote or campaign and offer masks to those who are not wearing them.
To monitor the health of elections workers, county boards of elections are required to:
- Immediately separate and send home election workers who have symptoms when they arrive at work or become sick during the day.
- Conduct daily symptom screening of workers before opening the voting place each day.
- Post signage at the main entrance asking people who have a fever and/or a cough not to enter. Signage from the NCDHHS Know your Ws campaign is available to download.
All 100 county election offices have received gloves and face shields for poll workers; disposable masks for workers and others who do not have a mask; and hand sanitizer, disinfectant spray and paper towels. Anheuser-Busch and McDonald’s donated a portion of the hand sanitizer to the Association of State Election Directors. NCDHHS and NCDPS are providing the rest of the supplies and equipment. Additionally, the NC State Board of Elections is sending single-use pens to county election offices for use as needed.
Interim Guidance for Election Voting Locations and guidelines for Voting Safely During COVID-19 can be found at https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/guidance#election-voting.
Cross county vehicle pursuit results in methamphetamine bust
News, Press Release February 28, 2020
CLAY COUNTY, N.C. – Clay County Sheriff’s deputies seized nearly half a pound of methamphetamine after suspect abandoned their vehicle and fled on foot on Feb. 27. The next day, law enforcement tracked the individual to Towns, County, Ga.
On the afternoon of Feb. 27, 2020, deputies with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office attempted a traffic stop on a Chevrolet Malibu on Fires Creek Road in Hayesville. When the deputy initiated the traffic stop, the suspect immediately fled the area and lead deputies on a high-speed chase for several miles. Deputies attempted using “spike strips” but were unsuccessful. Deputies pursued the vehicle from Fires Creek Road to Carter Cove Road and into Georgia from West Gum Log Road. The suspects pulled into a driveway of a residence and fled on foot from the scene. Clay County, Towns County, and Union County deputies continued to search the area but were unable to locate the driver of the vehicle.
On Feb. 28, Clay County Sheriff’s Office received information that the suspected driver was in hiding at a Towns County residence. Deputies and investigators with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office assisted Towns County Sheriff’s Office in apprehending the suspect at that residence and took him into custody.
Zachary William Hart, 22 of Warne, had outstanding Orders for Arrest from Randolph County, N.C. for Resisting Public Officer, Expired/No Inspection, and Assault on a Female, as well as probation warrants from Georgia. He was also charged with a felony, Flee to Elude Arrest with Motor Vehicle, Possession with Intent to Manufacture Sell, and Deliver Methamphetamine and Traffick In Methamphetamine from the vehicle pursuit from the previous day. He is currently incarcerated in Towns County Detention Center awaiting extradition to North Carolina.
Fetch Your News will update this story as more information becomes available. Please remember that everyone is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Armed Suspect Surrenders Without Incident
News, Police & Government October 4, 2019Hayesville, NC – On Oct. 3, 2019, a patrol deputy with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a residence in the Snoozy Park area of Brasstown, NC to conduct a civil standby, which turned into an armed suspect denying a homeowner entry into her home.
Civil standbys are typically a routine performance of duty to keep the peace between parties involved in civil and or domestically related disputes. Many of these are performed annually without incident.
The civil standby was anything but typical. The male subject, 54-year-old Tommy James Anderson of Brasstown was reported to have armed himself with a rifle and allegedly refused the homeowner entry into her residence. The homeowner reported that she heard a gunshot from within the residence and breaking glass. Anderson allegedly pointed the firearm at her before she called law enforcement.
Once deputies were on scene Anderson refused to leave the residence and surrender to law enforcement. A standoff then ensued that lasted approximately 3 hours. A perimeter was established around the residence to contain the suspect and prevent any compromise of the community’s safety or involvement of neighboring properties.
The perimeter included a section of Old Hwy 64 West which the NC State Highway Patrol secured and detoured traffic in a safe route around the scene. An NC State Wildlife Officer working in the same area also responded to support Clay County Deputies. A negotiator from the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office was called to the scene and was able to effectively talk with Anderson over a loudspeaker. Macon County Sheriff’s Office also sent a member of their SWAT team to the scene to evaluate and prepare for their response if needed.
At approximately 4:50 p.m., Anderson came out of the residence unarmed and surrendered himself to law enforcement without incident. Anderson is being charged with Felony possession of a Firearm by Convicted Felon and Misdemeanor Assault by Pointing a Gun. At the time of this release, a bond or court date had not been set. Domestic Violence related charges require a 48-hour hold time before the Defendant can have a bond set by the Magistrate Judge. Anderson has previous convictions in Clay and Cherokee County NC for Felony drug charges dating back to 2000.
Collins Praises Isakson Legacy
Announcements, Politics August 29, 2019|
GAINESVILLE, Ga.—Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) released the following statement after Senator Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) announced he will resign from the U.S. Senate at the end of 2019 after 40 years of public service. “Johnny Isakson has been a standard of public service and statesmanship for decades in Georgia. He’s always drawn on his extensive roots in our state to deepen his advocacy for all Georgians. Johnny faithfully remembers the forgotten, including America’s veterans. I’ve looked up to him as a mentor and still work to emulate him.” |
||||||
|
### |
||||||
|
PRESS RELEASE: Speaker David Ralston Thanks Senator Johnny Isakson
Announcements, Politics August 28, 2019
Speaker David Ralston Thanks Senator Johnny Isakson
ATLANTA – Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) issued the following statement on the news that Georgia’s senior United States Senator Johnny Isakson will resign from office at the end of the year:
“The loss of Johnny Isakson from public life will leave a void in Georgia which is beyond comprehension. While I respect his reasons, I feel a tremendous sense of personal sadness – Johnny is a mentor, role model and friend. Over a distinguished career in the Georgia House, Georgia State Senate, State Board of Education, U.S. House and U.S. Senate, Johnny Isakson demonstrated that civility and reasonableness are virtues that will never go out of style. My family and I will continue to pray for Johnny, Dianne and the Isakson family.”