Press Releases

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced a significant milestone in the fight against COVID-19. Seventy percent of North Carolinians age 18 and older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Residents in three western counties impacted by the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred can apply for help buying food through the Disaster Food and Nutrition Services (D-FNS), or Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) beginning Monday, Oct. 4, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced.

Today, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services updated North Carolina county vaccination data from the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Indian Health Services and Federal Bureau of Prisons to reflect the county of residence for the person vaccinated. This will result in the vaccination rate changing for several counties on the North Carolina COVID-19 Dashboard.

Beginning Oct. 4, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ COVID-19 Support Services Program, along with the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina will provide food assistance to North Carolinians in 34 counties who face food insecurity resulting from the need to isolate or quarantine due to COVID-19. Additionally, NCDHHS is expanding program eligibility to North Carolinians in those counties who are at high risk for severe illness due to COVID-19, as defined by the CDC.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today, Sept. 30, at 5 p.m. will host a live fireside chat and tele-town hall on NC Medicaid and COVID-19 testing, treatment and prevention, including safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines.

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.

North Carolina’s Community Health Worker Initiative will expand as part of the CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion's Community Health Workers for COVID Response and Resilient Communities (CCR) initiative. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services was awarded a total of $9 million with $3 million per year distributed over the next three years.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced households enrolled in the Food and Nutrition Services program will see their benefits increase by 25% beginning Oct. 1, 2021, as part of a national re-evaluation of benefit amounts by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. More than 1.6 million people are enrolled in FNS in North Carolina.

To strengthen and extend protections against severe illness, North Carolinians at high risk for serious illness or exposure who have been fully vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech (COMINARTY) vaccine for six months or more can now receive a COVID-19 booster shot.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper issued Executive Order 234 extending, but not waiving, proof-of-immunization and health assessment documentation deadlines for school and child-care facilities. To ensure children are not excluded from school because of increased demands on health care providers amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the order will give students and families more time to complete their required vaccines and health assessments. Vaccinations and health assessments are essential to protecting public health and should not be skipped or ignored.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) today announced the hiring of Victor Armstrong as the Department’s first ever Chief Health Equity Officer. NCDHHS created the position as well as the Office of Health Equity to lead its focus to advance health equity and reduce disparities in opportunity and outcomes for historically marginalized populations.

Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus has recently been identified in eastern North Carolina. Horses in three counties — Brunswick, Pender and Onslow — were recently diagnosed with EEE. In addition, EEE virus was detected in a mosquito sample from New Hanover County. No human cases of EEE have been identified in North Carolina so far this year.

Advisors to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today the Pfizer-BioNTech (COMIRNATY) COVID-19 booster shot is safe, effective and recommended for individuals who have been fully vaccinated for at least six months and are: 65 years and older; at high risk of severe COVID-19; and, at high risk of occupational exposure. 

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced four new locations offering monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for treatment of COVID-19 managed by local organizations in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, bringing the number of sites in the state offering this therapy to more than 200. FEMA will also help staff one existing site. This partnership will give more North Carolinians access to monoclonal antibody treatment, which can decrease the likelihood of hospitalization related to COVID-19 if taken early.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved North Carolina’s request for a hot food waiver for Food and Nutrition Services recipients in three western counties that experienced widespread damage due to Tropical Storm Fred.

Healthier Together, a public-private partnership between the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and NC Counts Coalition, released the second round of funding of up to $500,000 for community-based organizations to apply for grants to help North Carolina achieve its goal of delivering equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. Grants will range from $10,000–$25,000 each (or up to $60,000 for collaborative proposals).

In response to actions taken by the Union County Board of Education, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services issued a letter to the Board’s Chair outlining required COVID-19 control measures all schools in the state must implement to protect student, staff and community health and noting that failure to comply may prompt legal action.

The annual holiday parade at J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center, scheduled for Dec. 2 has been cancelled to ensure the health, safety and well-being of the residents at the state-operated center for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Public health officials with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services are urging North Carolinians to protect themselves, their families and those around them by getting vaccinated against Influenza as the state enters flu season while experiencing a surge of COVID-19 caused by the Delta variant.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is seeing a sharp increase in COVID-19 clusters among school sports teams. For the period between July 1 and Sept. 2, 2021, clusters among school sports teams accounted for 45% of all clusters in North Carolina middle and high schools, despite most school sports activities not beginning until August as schools began the fall semester. School sports teams are urged to follow NCDHHS guidance for youth sports.