Press Releases

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.

While vaccine supplies are limited, it is important North Carolinians continue practicing the 3Ws and get tested for COVID-19 if they have symptoms or have been in close contact to someone with COVID-19. To help reach those who are need of testing, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, in partnership with Labcorp, is piloting a program to provide 35,000 no-cost, home test collection kits to North Carolinians receiving Food and Nutrition Services and/or are disabled and experiencing barriers to getting tested.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has expanded its vaccine data dashboard to provide information on people who have been partially or fully vaccinated through the federal long-term care and retail pharmacy programs. Users will be able to view information about who has been vaccinated through these federal pharmacy programs by county, race, ethnicity, gender and age group, and by week.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced a new phone service helpline for family caregivers in North Carolina caring for those with Alzheimer's or dementia.

In a new PSA released today by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, North Carolina NCAA men's and women's basketball coaches have come together to urge everyone to take their shot against COVID-19. They talk about why they personally chose to get vaccinated and how that helps to protect others.

North Carolina native and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty recently received a COVID-19 vaccine. The seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, and all-time leader in premier series race wins with 200, Petty was vaccinated at a drive-through vaccination center located near his hometown of Level Cross, N.C.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced the launch of statewide open enrollment for NC Medicaid Managed Care. Beneficiaries can enroll online, by calling the NC Medicaid Managed Care Call Center at 833-870-5500 (TTY: 833-870-5588) or through the free NC Medicaid Managed Care mobile app available on Google Play or the App Store. They can also use the mail-in forms sent to them in the enrollment packet.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and its state partners today released the updated breastfeeding support NC Making It Work toolkit.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Public Health today announced 14 medical facilities have been awarded the North Carolina Maternity Center Breastfeeding-Friendly Designation. The designation is based on the World Health Organization's Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, which support initiation, exclusivity and continuation of breastfeeding.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is updating its visitation guidance for long-term care facilities to allow for in-person, indoor or outdoor, visitation in most circumstances. The change aligns with new guidance released this week from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and reflects rapidly improving trends in long-term care facilities.

North Carolina Food and Nutrition Services participants can purchase groceries online using their Electronic Benefit Transfer cards at an additional authorized online EBT retailer, BJ's Wholesale Club. 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 expanded its vaccine data dashboard to provide more demographic data on people who are partially or fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Users will be able to see vaccinations by race, ethnicity, gender and age group by county, by week and since vaccinations began. The information will be displayed on a new tab named “Demographics' on the dashboard.

The North Carolina Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program is one of seven WIC State Agencies to receive a U.S. Department of Agriculture/Tufts Telehealth Intervention Strategies for WIC (THIS-WIC) grant. Selected through a competitive review process, the $1 million grant will use innovative telehealth solutions to deliver nutrition education and breastfeeding support to WIC participants to overcome barriers to access, particularly those encountered in rural settings.

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D., and Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine today at the Wake County Health Department's vaccination clinic at PNC Arena.

New COVID-19 cases in North Carolina long-term care facilities have declined rapidly in the last several weeks. Case rates are down over 15-fold in skilled nursing facilities, adult care homes and other licensed facilities since the peak of transmission in January 2021. Given the rapid decline in new cases, most facilities currently meet criteria to resume indoor visitation while continuing to follow infection prevention recommendations.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will be expanding access to COVID-19 rapid testing in K-12 public schools to protect students, teachers and staff from COVID-19. When schools implement testing combined with the state's strong mitigation strategies, they can detect new cases to prevent outbreaks and reduce the risk of further transmission.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today updated the COVID-19 County Alert System, which shows six red counties — a decrease from 27 red counties on the previous Feb. 22 County Alert System and the fewest red counties in the state since the start of the County Alert System.