Press Releases

North Carolina leaders, including Governor Roy Cooper and Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. will take the virtual stage at the 2021 Opioid Misuse and Overdose Prevention Summit on May 4-6, 2021. Hundreds of national, state and local community leaders are coming together to discuss the integral role North Carolina’s communities play in prevention and response efforts across the state.

As the weather continues to warm up, state health officials urge North Carolinians to “Fight the Bite” by taking measures to reduce their risk of tick- and mosquito-borne infections. Preliminary data generated by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Public Health indicate that in 2020, there were 957 confirmed, probable or suspected cases of tick-borne diseases in North Carolina and 46 cases of domestically acquired and travel-associated mosquito-borne diseases.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced it is expanding eligibility for food assistance benefits to help college students who are struggling to purchase food and stay in school during the pandemic.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Health Service Regulation today announced it has made a new temporary pathway available for individuals who worked in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic as temporary nurse aides to be listed on the Nurse Aide I Registry.

As of April 27, 2021, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services in partnership with the NC Department of Public Instruction has provided more than $1 billion of groceries to more than a million children impacted by school closings during the pandemic. North Carolina was one of the first four states to receive federal approval of the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program when it launched.

Following a thorough safety review, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration have confidence that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is safe and effective in preventing COVID-19 and recommend its continued use to prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is recommending that providers in the state resume administration of the vaccine now that the CDC and FDA have reaffirmed its safety.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the Bringing Summer Back get-out-the-vaccine campaign that will engage community organizations across the state to fully vaccinate as many people as possible by summer.

Healthier Together, a public-private partnership between North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and NC Counts Coalition, is releasing a Request for Proposals for community-based organizations to apply for grants ranging from $5,000 - $20,000 (or up to $50,000 for collaborative proposals). Grants will support groups that will help North Carolina achieve its goal of delivering equitable access to vaccines.

More than 100,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered through the federally supported vaccination center that opened March 10, 2021 in Greensboro, N.C. The center has been successful in reaching underserved communities with recipients praising the staff and service.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today updated the COVID-19 County Alert System, which shows one red county — an increase from zero on the previous April 1 County Alert System. Today’s update also lists 20 orange counties (previously 21 counties in the April 1 report), 48 yellow counties (previously 47), 30 light yellow counties (previously 31) and one green county (previously one). These updates account for 18 counties having moved up a tier (toward red) since the last report, 19 counties having moved down a tier (toward green) and 63 counties remaining in the same tier.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has begun mailing reminder notices to Medicaid beneficiaries that open enrollment for NC Medicaid Managed Care ends on May 14. The notices are being sent to encourage beneficiaries to choose a primary care provider and a health plan for their families’ care in preparation for the launch of NC Medicaid Managed Care on July 1.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is updating its vaccine data dashboard to align with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and provide additional information on people who have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

North Carolina Food and Nutrition Services participants can now purchase groceries online using their Electronic Benefit Transfer cards at an additional authorized online EBT retailer, Publix Super Markets Inc. This flexibility will allow participants to buy food while promoting social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and will help families with transportation and mobility barriers.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has released the following statement regarding the CDC and FDA's joint statement on Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine: "Our primary concern is the health and safety of all North Carolinians. Out of an abundance of caution, we are following the recommendations of the FDA and CDC and have paused the administration of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine until we learn more. The safety system in place is working as it should. If you have an appointment for Pfizer or Moderna, please go to your appointment as planned. If you have an appointment for Johnson & Johnson, your appointment will be rescheduled."

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Wake County Public Health Department to investigate a limited number of reactions that were reported during Johnson & Johnson vaccinations at PNC Arena on Thursday, April 8. Analysis by the CDC did not find any safety issues or reason for concern; and the CDC recommends continuing to administer the vaccine.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today released findings from recent public opinion research on COVID-19 vaccine risks, rewards and vaccination motivations across the state.

North Carolina's work to reach underserved and historically marginalized populations and deliver equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines is a model approach for the country, according to a new report released this week by the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy and the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA).

Highlighting the importance of healthy, caring connections and the presence of protective factors in families and communities, Governor Roy Cooper declared April as Child Abuse Prevention Month in North Carolina.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Public Health and Graham, Macon and Swain County Health Departments are asking anyone in these three counties who sees odd or sick-acting raccoons, skunks or foxes to call their local animal control or health department for collection and rabies testing. The testing is part of a larger effort to support the Oral Rabies Vaccination zone.

Through the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' COVID-19 Support Services Program, more than 35,000 households received relief payments, food, transportation to and from testing sites or additional supports to help them isolate or quarantine during the pandemic.