Press Releases

NCDHHS Updates COVID-19 Guidance for Colleges and Universities

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services updated guidance for institutions of higher education, further emphasizing that colleges and universities must work to reduce risk of viral spread of COVID-19 both on and off campus.

NCDHHS Sends Additional COVID-19 Testing Capacity to Counties

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced its selection of an additional vendor — StarMed Urgent and Family Care, P.A. — based in North Carolina, to continue surging COVID-19 testing capacity in the state.

NCDHHS Encourages WIC Participants to Use Food Benefits During COVID-19

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is encouraging North Carolinians who are enrolled in the federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to use their food benefits during COVID-19 to support good nutrition for their families. All WIC participants are getting monthly food benefits automatically added to their eWIC account because of the pandemic.

NCDHHS Corrects COVID-19 Testing Totals After Identifying LabCorp Reporting Discrepancy; No Impact to Key Metrics

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced corrections to the state’s daily and cumulative completed COVID-19 test counts after discovering a discrepancy between electronic and manual reporting of testing data that had been submitted by LabCorp.

Executive Order Extends School Immunization, Health Assessment Deadlines in Response to COVID-19 Access Disruptions

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper issued Executive Order 156 extending, but not waiving, proof-of-immunization and health assessment documentation deadlines for school and child-care facilities.

North Carolina Offers Expedited Funding to Increase Community Non-Congregate Shelter Options During COVID-19

The North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Management and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced a new, expedited reimbursement program that aims to expand non-congregate sheltering options in communities across the state.

North Carolina Has First Reported SARS-CoV-2 Positive Case in Dog

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has received its first reported case of a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 positive dog in North Carolina. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans. 
 

NCDHHS Selects Vendors to Supervise 250+ New Community Health Workers in 50 Counties with COVID-19 Hot Spots

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) today announced its selection of seven vendors to hire and manage over 250 Community Health Workers, who will be deployed in 50 targeted counties to connect North Carolinians affected by COVID-19 with needed services and support.

NCDHHS to Pay for Ongoing Testing of Nursing Home Staff; Codifies Requirement for Biweekly Nursing Home Staff Testing

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) today took additional steps to protect nursing home residents and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic by issuing a Secretarial Order requiring biweekly staff testing and announcing continued state funding for staff testing through November. The order mandates the existing recommendation for biweekly testing.

NCDHHS COVID-19 Community Testing Events Continue; No Cost for Testing

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has 38 upcoming community testing events.

COVID-19 Hospitalization Data Correction

As part of ongoing quality control measures, NCDHHS identified an error in our hospitalization data for the Metrolina Healthcare Preparedness Coalition (MHPC) for July 25 through July 31. This data has been corrected.

NCDHHS Announces Annual Participation in USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, Nutrition Services Branch announces its annual participation in the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), ensuring children and adults continue to have access to good nutrition. NCDHHS is committed to providing nutritious food especially in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and USDA flexibilities are in place to facilitate meeting participants’ needs during this challenging time.

Heat Illness-Related Emergency Department Visits Rise with High Temperatures in NC

According to the North Carolina Division of Public Health (DPH), there have been 1,205 heat-related hospital emergency department visits reported since May 1, 2020. The NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is encouraging people to take precautions to avoid heat exhaustion and other heat-related illnesses, especially on hot days. 

New Immunization Rule to Protect Students from Meningitis Takes Effect in 2020-21 School Year

Effective Aug. 1, 2020, a booster dose of meningococcal conjugant vaccine (MenACWY) is required for students entering the 12th grade in public, private or religious schools in North Carolina. Students who do not meet this requirement may not be allowed to attend school until they receive the booster dose.

Funding Available to Help North Carolinians with Energy Bills During Hot Summer Months

Funding is now available to help North Carolinians in crisis pay cooling or heating bills or secure cooling or heating resources.

Executive Order Returns Regulatory Authority for Skilled Nursing to NCDHHS Secretary

Today, Governor Roy Cooper issued an Executive Order returning regulatory authority for skilled nursing facilities to the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS). Current restrictions remain in place as NCDHHS collaborates with industry and advocacy organizations, monitors progress and evaluates options to best protect the health and wellbeing of staff, residents and their loved ones.

NCDHHS Adds New Hospital Data to Interactive COVID-19 Dashboard

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services unveiled an updated COVID-19 Dashboard that includes more granular information about hospital capacity and hospitalization trends, both statewide and broken down by region. These new hospitalization data will provide additional insight into North Carolina’s hospital capacity in the COVID-19 pandemic.  

NCDHHS Expands Free Testing Sites in Underserved Communities

Governor Roy Cooper announced that the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) today has approved a third vendor, NC Community Health Center Association (NCCHCA), to expand free COVID-19 testing to historically marginalized communities that currently have limited testing sites. So far, Vidant Health and Orig3n, Inc. have coordinated more than 60 testing events through this initiative with eleven additional events scheduled for today.

NCDHHS Selects Additional Vendors to Expand Testing and Contact Tracing for COVID-19

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) selected 13 businesses to join its pool of qualified vendors to support the state’s response to COVID-19, bringing the total number of vendors to 39.

Governor Cooper Announces NCDHHS Spanish Language Website and Tools to Check for COVID-19 Symptoms

Today, Governor Roy Cooper announced that the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) launched new online tools to help Spanish-speaking North Carolinians to determine if they should consider being tested for COVID-19 and help individuals monitor their symptoms if they have tested positive for or been exposed to COVID-19.