Press Releases

Governor Roy Cooper ordered the people in the state of North Carolina to stay at home for thirty days, until April 29, 2020, in another step to slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Governor Cooper’s Executive Order No. 121 takes effect on Monday, March 30 at 5 p.m. 

For people who think they might have COVID-19 and have mild symptoms, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends they stay home and call their doctor for medical advice. Most people who get COVID-19 will have mild illness and recover at home. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has developed a new fact sheet to help North Carolinians know what to do if they are sick.

The White House granted Governor Roy Cooper’s request late Wednesday for a federal disaster declaration for the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic in North Carolina. The declaration provides Public Assistance to all 100 North Carolina counties, allowing local governments, state agencies and eligible non-profits to be reimbursed for costs involved in responding to the outbreak of the Coronavirus.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is reporting the first COVID-19 associated deaths. 

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) Division of Health Benefits (NC Medicaid) will temporarily increase payments rates to long-term care providers and facilities to support them in caring for Medicaid beneficiaries who are at high risk of serious illness from COVID-19. Medicaid will also be temporarily increasing rates to behavioral health, intellectual and developmental disability and specialized therapy providers for vulnerable children and adults in outpatient and residential settings.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has partnered with the North Carolina Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) network to launch a hotline to provide child care options for children of critical workers who do not have access to typical care because of COVID-19 closures.

Governor Cooper directed $50 million in school funding flexibility to help public schools and support the greatest needs to serve students during the COVID-19 crisis. Governor Cooper has ordered North Carolina public schools to remain closed to in-class instruction through May 15. 

In a letter to President Trump, Governor Roy Cooper has requested a major disaster declaration for the State of North Carolina due to the continuing impacts of COVID-19 on North Carolina.“It’s important that we help North Carolinians stay protected from the health impacts of COVID-19 and recover economically from the financial impacts this crisis is having on our state,” Cooper said.

With schools closed to in-person instruction, many children across North Carolina are getting their daily meals from school districts and community partners. All 115 public school districts – many working with community partners such as food banks and faith-based entities – have approved plans to serve meals to children in North Carolina. As of March 22nd, more than 1,165 schools had already served 1.2 million meals and 6,500 snacks.

Governor Roy Cooper ordered tighter limits on gatherings and extended school closures statewide to May 15, 2020.