Emergency Preparedness and Response:
February 17, 2021

Winter Weather Headed Our Way

Orange County Emergency Services operations team and partners are making final preparations to provide support should the need arise. YOU should too! Remember to have at least a 72 hour supply of food, water, and essential medications.

As much as a quarter inch of ice accumulation is possible particularly along and north of I-85. Road conditions are likely to be hazardous Wednesday night into Friday morning.

In This Episode: Vaccine Planning and Orange County Business Contest

Public Health Chat

This video was filmed on February 10th, 2021. It contains a COVID-19 update by Orange County Health Director, Quintana Stewart, a talk with Emergency Services Director, Kirby Saunders about the COVID-19 vaccination plan (beginning at 3:49), and lastly Environmental Health Director Victoria Hudson shares a contest to show love and appreciation for Orange County businesses (beginning at 10:14). More information about COVID-19 vaccines in Orange County, NC may be found at www.orangecountync.gov/getyourshot

PreK-12 School Personnel and Child Care Workers Become Eligible for the COVID-19 Vaccine Feb. 24

Governor Roy Cooper announced Feb. 10 that childcare workers, educators and school personnel in pre-K through grade 12, including private and charter schools, will be eligible to receive a COVID vaccine beginning Feb. 24. Other frontline essential workers listed in Group 3 will become eligible Mar. 10.

“This gradual approach will allow the state to balance the number of people in Group 3 with the limited supply,” Cooper said. “Educators and childcare providers will be the first members of Group 3 eligible to receive the vaccine. They have worked throughout this pandemic.”

Orange County Health Department will work with the two public school systems, private and charter schools and childcare providers within the county to develop a plan to vaccinate eligible staff. More information about the process will be available soon on the Orange County website.

Orange County continues to register individuals in Groups 1 and 2 (healthcare workers and long-term care providers and anyone 65 or older). Our base weekly allotment of vaccine will continue to be used for this group until we have exhausted the waiting list.

With the limited vaccine supply, it is unlikely that all eligible staff in this new group will receive the vaccine on the dates they become eligible under the State’s new prioritization framework.

OCHD keeps an updated list of local vaccine providers on our website: https://www.orangecountync.gov/2617/Vaccine

We encourage people to get appointments with other vaccine providers that may have vaccine available for appointments.

“Moving to the next phase is good news,” Cooper said. “The challenge continues to be the very limited supply of vaccine. We are continuing to push for more.”

FDA: Beware of Fraudulent Coronavirus Tests, Vaccines, and Treatments

While we work together to slow the spread of coronavirus disease (also called COVID-19), some people might be tempted to buy or use questionable products that claim to help diagnose, treat, cure, and even prevent COVID-19.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued Emergency Use Authorizations for two COVID-19 vaccines. Additionally, the FDA is working with other vaccine and drug manufacturers, developers, and researchers to help expedite the development and availability of medical products – such as additional vaccines, antibodies, and medicines – to prevent or treat COVID-19.

Meanwhile, some people and companies are trying to profit from this pandemic by selling unproven and illegally marketed products that make false claims, such as being effective against the coronavirus.

These fraudulent products that claim to cure, treat, or prevent COVID-19 haven’t been evaluated by the FDA for safety and effectiveness and might be dangerous to you and your family.

The FDA is particularly concerned that these deceptive and misleading products might cause Americans to delay or stop appropriate medical treatment, leading to serious and life-threatening harm. It’s likely that the products do not do what they claim, and the ingredients in them could cause adverse effects and could interact with, and potentially interfere with, essential medications.

The FDA has also seen unauthorized fraudulent test kits for COVID-19 being sold online. You will risk unknowingly spreading COVID-19 or not getting treated appropriately if you use an unauthorized test.

For more information on COVID-19, visit:

Treatments and Vaccines for COVID-19
The FDA is working with medical product developers to rapidly advance the development and availability of more vaccines and additional treatments for COVID-19. So far, the FDA has approved only one treatment for COVID-19. (For information on vaccines, visit this FDA page.)

Although there are investigational COVID-19 vaccines and treatments being studied in clinical trials, these products haven’t yet been fully tested for safety or effectiveness, or received FDA approval.

Fraudulent COVID-19 products can come in many varieties, including dietary supplements and other foods, as well as products claiming to be tests, drugs, medical devices, or vaccines.

The FDA has been working with retailers to remove dozens of misleading products from store shelves and online. The agency will continue to monitor social media and online marketplaces promoting and selling fraudulent COVID-19 products.

For example, the FDA and the Federal Trade Commission issued warning letters to companies for selling fraudulent COVID-19 products. The products cited include teas, essential oils, tinctures, and colloidal silver.

The FDA is actively monitoring for any firms marketing products with fraudulent COVID-19 diagnostic, prevention and treatment claims. The FDA is exercising its authority to protect consumers from firms selling unauthorized products with false or misleading claims. The FDA may send warning letters, or pursue seizures or injunctions against people, products, or companies that violate the law. We are also increasing our enforcement at ports of entry to ensure that fraudulent products do not enter the country through our borders.

In addition, the FDA is monitoring complaints of fake coronavirus treatments and tests. Consumers and health care professionals can help by reporting suspected fraud to the FDA’s Health Fraud Program or the Office of Criminal Investigations.

How to Protect Yourself and Your Family From Coronavirus Fraud
The FDA advises consumers to be cautious of websites and stores selling products that claim to prevent, treat or cure COVID-19.

Products marketed for veterinary use, or “for research use only,” or otherwise not for human consumption, have not been evaluated for safety and should never be used by humans.

For example, the FDA is aware of people trying to prevent COVID-19 by taking a product called chloroquine phosphate, which is sold to treat parasites in aquarium fish. Products for veterinary use or for “research use only” may have adverse effects, including serious illness and death, when taken by people.
Here are some tips to identify false or misleading claims.

Be suspicious of products that claim to treat a wide range of diseases.
Personal testimonials are no substitute for scientific evidence.
Few diseases or conditions can be treated quickly, so be suspicious of any therapy claimed as a “quick fix.”
If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
“Miracle cures,” which claim scientific breakthroughs or contain secret ingredients, are likely a hoax.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19, follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines, and speak to your medical provider. Your health care provider will advise you about whether you should get tested and the process for being tested in your area.

If you have a question about a treatment or test found online, talk to your health care provider or doctor. If you have a question about a medication, call your pharmacist or the FDA. The FDA’s Division of Drug Information (DDI) will answer almost any drug question. DDI pharmacists are available by email, druginfo@fda.hhs.gov, and by phone, 1-855-543-DRUG (3784) and 301-796-3400.

The sale of fraudulent COVID-19 products is a threat to the public health. If you are concerned about the spread of COVID-19, talk to your health care provider and follow the advice of FDA’s federal partners about how to prevent the spread of this illness.

Why Is It Still So Important to Get Tested?

More than 40% of COVID cases come from someone who was not feeling sick when they infected others.

Watch a short video that shows why it is so important: https://youtu.be/4lhJqt1pLIk

There continues to be free daily testing in Chapel Hill and Hillsborough:
https://www.orangecountync.gov/2451/testing

*Testing sites will be closed on Thursday, February 18th due to winter weather.

Black History Month

'Should we say Black, African-American, or People of Color?'
By Marie Beech

Should we say Black? African American? people of color...

You can say Black.

I'm Black, Black, Blackity, Black! It's part of my identity, and I'm proud of it. No hesitation or remorse necessary.

Discomfort with saying Black- like reluctance to acknowledge race, privilege, and oppression- may reveal internalized anti-Blackness. Alternatively, some people avoid the saying Black in an attempt to be polite, because they believe the term is disrespectful.

Regardless of intention, side-stepping the word Black communicates that it's taboo.

"It seems rude to say Black."

Black is an insult if Black is a bad thing. Do you think being Black is bad?

Destigmatize Black. Black is good.

Some people believe that African American is the more politically correct term. African American is a correct term, not the correct term.

The terms "Black" and "Black people" are generally accepted as respectful, while "Blacks" is not. Remember, a proper term doesn't guarantee proper use. If someone tells you that you've misused the term Black or used it disrespectfully, earnestly listen to them.

We love being Black.

We hate being oppressed.

See the difference?

Black or African-American?

Some people may identify with their African roots and prefer "African American." Most Black people prefer "Black" over "African American," because we can't trace our lineage, or we don't identify as African. "African American" isn't more proper than "Black." They are different, and Black is its own (legitimate) culture.

Keep in mind, language is and always will be dynamic. Terminology that was standard in the past is no longer acceptable. Continually learn and adapt out of respect for people's identities. A person's identity is theirs, so use whatever language they want you to use. Ask them in an appropriate setting if you're unsure.

Anti-Blackness is pervasive.

Often times, it takes the covert form of disassociating or "removing" someone's Blackness. Here are common examples:

· "You don't talk like you're Black"
· "You don't act Black"
· "I don't think of you as Black"
· "You're white on the inside"
· "How Black are you? What percentage?"
· "You're not like other Black people"

And you think that's a compliment? What does that say about what you think of my race?

Context and usage

Do not reduce Black people to our race.

I love having Black as part of my identity. I don't like when Black is made to be my entire identity. For example:

· "She's Black, so she must want to talk about my Black friends, 'insert racial stereotype,' etc."
· "So I have this coworker- he's Black-and anyway..."

Doing this leads to wrongful assumptions, racial stereotyping, othering, and erasure of individuality. Black people are not a monolith.

Black is not a dirty word.

Black is not a dirty word, repeated 10 times in different colors

Free Rides to Vaccination Sites

GoTriangle is offering free shared rides to and from COVID-19 vaccination sites within our service area for those who have vaccination appointments.
Please call 919-485-7582 at least 24 hours in advance to schedule your ride to the site and when you are ready to be taken home from the site. Please note that you may be sharing rides with others and that masks and social distancing are required.

When you call to schedule your ride, please have proof of appointment and name of vaccination center ready. Let us know if you have any special ride requirements.

https://gotriangle.org/covid-19-updates-0

Johnson & Johnson's Covid-19 vaccine, how it works and why it matters

By Jen Christensen, CNN
Updated 5:35 PM ET, Fri January 29, 2021

(CNN) A third Covid-19 vaccine, one made by Johnson & Johnson, could be authorized for use in the United States in the near future.

Data about the single-shot vaccine released Friday, and the company is now collating its data to apply to the US Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization.

The vaccine was made through a collaboration of J&J's Belgium-based vaccine division, Janssen Pharmaceutical, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and it works a bit differently.

Here's what's known about how it works and how it will fit into the mix of vaccines.

How effective is it?

Johnson & Johnson's Covid-19 single-shot vaccine was shown to be 66% effective in preventing moderate and severe disease in a global Phase 3 trial, the company announced Friday.

The vaccine is 85% effective overall at preventing hospitalization and death in all regions where it was tested.

Its efficacy against moderate and severe disease ranged from one country to another: 72% in the US, 66% in Latin America and 57% in South Africa. This was measured starting one month after the shot.

In South Africa, 95% of cases in the trial were due to a variant known as B.1.351, which is known to be more contagious and carries mutations that may make the virus less susceptible to the antibody immune response -- including antibodies prompted by vaccination.

Even those who got moderate cases of Covid-19 in the trial tended to develop a milder course and fewer symptoms, said Dr. Mathai Mammen, Janssen's global head of research and development.

From one month after the shot, all hospitalizations and deaths occurred in the placebo group.

How it works

The J&J vaccine is what is known as a non-replicating viral vector vaccine, using a common cold virus called adenovirus 26.

Scientists made this vaccine by taking a small amount of genetic material that codes for a piece of the novel coronavirus and integrating it with a weakened version of adenovirus 26. J&J scientists altered this adenovirus so it can enter cells, but it cannot replicate and make people sick.

AstraZeneca uses a similar platform, but its adenovirus comes from a chimpanzee.

The adenovirus carries the genetic material from the coronavirus into human cells, tricking them into making pieces of the coronavirus spike protein -- the part it uses to attach to cells. The immune system then reacts against these pieces of the coronavirus.

"So you're not being infected with the virus that can give you Covid-19 when you get this vaccine. It just has some of the harmless Covid virus proteins on its surface," explained Dr. William Schaffner, an internist and infectious disease specialist with Vanderbilt University's Department of Health Policy. "So essentially it's a sheep in wolf's clothing, and when your immune system sees it, it responds to it and creates protection against it and in the future, against the real virus that causes Covid-19."

The technology used in the Covid-19 vaccine has worked with the Ebola vaccine by Janssen.

How is it different from the other Covid-19 vaccines?

Dr. Paul Offit, the director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said the Moderna, Pfizer and J&J Covid-19 vaccines all take a similar approach, but there is a small difference with the J&J approach.

"In the case of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccine you're just giving the gene in a lipid nanoparticle or a fat droplet," Offit said. "In the case of J&J you're giving the gene in a virus that can't reproduce itself."

The J&J vaccine is the only Covid-19 vaccine so far to be given in a single dose. Moderna and Pfizer's use two. Like Moderna's, it can also be kept at regular refrigerated temperatures and does not need a deep freeze like Pfizer's.

How does a single-dose shot affect the rollout?

A single dose and would be much easier to administer and would mean more people could be vaccinated, as none would need to be set aside to give someone a second shot.

"This advantage goes up in neon," said Schaffner who believes adding a vaccine like this would "really accelerate" vaccination efforts in the US and around the world.

"If it's a single-dose vaccine, then a billion vaccine doses would translate into a billion people vaccinated," said Dr. Dan Barouch of Harvard Medical School, who helped develop Johnson & Johnson's vaccine candidate on CNN's Coronavirus Fact vs. Fiction podcast.

The cold-chain advantage

J&J's other advantage is that it can be stored at regular refrigerator temperatures, unlike the Pfizer vaccine, which needs special deep freezers. The vaccine is stable for up to three months at 36 degrees F to 46 degrees F, the company said. That means health care facilities would not have to buy extra equipment to safely store the vaccine.

"If they're successful, these vaccines would especially be popular in the developing world, because they would be easy to store and administer," said Dr. Rafi Ahmed, the director of the Vaccine Center at Emory University.

The vaccines would also be popular in rural communities in the US and regular doctor's offices that may not have access or the budget to afford specialized equipment.

"In other words, we could bring the vaccine to the people," Schaffner said, "rather than bringing the people to the vaccine."

What happens next?

The company will request what's known as an emergency use authorization, or an EUA, from the FDA in early February.

The data will get a close look from the FDA and advisers to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While the FDA is reviewing the data, it schedules a public meeting of its Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee. The committee is made up of independent science and public health experts who will discuss the J&J data and make a recommendation to the agency.

Once an application is submitted, "The FDA really looks very, very carefully at the data in each age group and in each demographic group," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during a call on Friday.

After the meeting, FDA staff members consider the committee input along with the agency's evaluation of the company's data and will make a decision about whether the vaccine should by authorized.

Shortly after an EUA, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, also known as ACIP, goes through the data, too.

Once the CDC committee has made a recommendation and it has been approved by the CDC director, the company plans to ship the vaccines immediately and it can go into arms right away.

How long does the authorization process take?

The process for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should be about the same as it was for the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, according Offit, who is a member of the FDA's VRBPAC.

With the Pfizer vaccine, it took a little over three weeks from the time the company submitted its data to an EUA. With the Moderna vaccine, it took a little more than two weeks.

If the vaccine is authorized for emergency use, "our plan is to have supply immediately upon launch," Mammen said.

How many doses are there?

The US has ordered 100 million doses and the company has been manufacturing it while it has been testing the vaccine. Typically, companies wait to make the vaccine after it's been approved, but that changed during the pandemic.

Johnson & Johnson says it can meet its 100 million dose commitment by June.

CNN's Amanda Sealy, Jacqueline Howard and Maggie Fox contributed to this report

Are you ready to QUIT tobacco?

Every year 483,500 people die in the United States from smoking related illnesses. The class will help you to make a plan to quit for good. This free virtual Freshstart class begins on March 2^nd and will continue for 4 weeks. Participants will get FREE patches, gum and lozenges to aid in the effort.

To register, call Rita Krosner at 919-245-2424 or email smokefreeoc@orangecountync.gov.

CDC: Updated Quarantine Guidance for Vaccinated People

The CDC has updated their guidance for vaccinations and quarantine.

They are now saying ‘people who have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 are not required to quarantine if they have been fully vaccinated against the disease within the last three months and show no symptoms.’

More information is linked here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/quarantine.html

Do you have a favorite business in Orange County that makes you feel safe and secure with regards to COVID-19? We want to recognize businesses who have gone above and beyond during the pandemic in these three categories: 1. Best business who is very careful to keep their Customers safe from COVID-19. Best business who takes great care in keeping their Employees safe from COVID-19. MVP - the Overall Best Business who has taken on the daunting challenge of a global pandemic and knocked it out of the park. Each of the three winners will receive free advertising on Chapel Hill transit buses to promote their businesses! A $1,000 value! Please vote to show your appreciation for these wonderful businesses! Voting will be open until February 14, 2021.

Environmental Health Contest

Show your love and appreciation for the many local businesses have gone above and beyond to keep their customers and employees safe during the pandemic. Vote for your favorite the whole month of February!

https://www.orangecountync.gov/641/Environmental-Health

Should I Double Mask?

COVID-19 spreads primarily from person to person through respiratory droplets that spread into the air when you cough, sneeze, talk, shout, or sing.

Cloth masks reduce the spray of droplets when worn over the nose and mouth.

INCREASE EFFECTIVENESS
Use multiple layers of fabric or double mask. Use fabric combinations like cotton-silk, cotton-chiffon, or cotton-flannel. High thread count fabrics are most effective. Wearing two masks can increase effectiveness. Wearing a cloth mask on top of a surgical mask mimics the filter-cloth combo found to be more protective in studies. The surgical mask acts as a filter and the cloth mask provides an additional layer of protection while improving the fit.

Keep your mask clean.
Wash your cloth mask whenever it gets dirty or at least daily. Include your mask with your regular laundry. Use regular laundry detergent and the appropriate settings according to the fabric label.

MASK EFFECTIVENESS
Many people infected with the COVID-19 virus never develop symptoms, but they may still transmit the disease. Others who become sick can transmit the disease before any symptoms begin.

Masks are proven effective at protecting both the wearer and everyone around them. Combined with social distancing, masks offer the most effective method at slowing the spread.

AVOID
GAPS: Your mask should fit snugly but not so tight that it impairs your breathing. The idea is to trap your droplets inside the mask and to not let them seep out the sides of the mask. This is why it is so important to wear it over your nose and mouth as they produce the droplets.

VALVES: Do not use masks with exhalation valves. The valve makes it easier to breathe out, but it also releases your droplets into the air, so it doesn’t protect others if you’re contagious. Protecting others is the primary reason to wear a mask.

Children under 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the masks without help should NOT use cloth face coverings.

Remember, face coverings should cover both the nose and mouth and fit snugly but comfortably against the sides of the face.

Test your mask fabric by holding it up to the light. If you can easily see the outline of the individual fibers, it’s not going to make a great filter.

Should I Double Mask Graphic in ENGLISH, SPANISH, and CHINESE

Learn more about face coverings: https://www.orangecountync.gov/2435/Face-Coverings

North Carolina COVID-19 Cases

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) reports 829,507 COVID-19 cases, 10,670 deaths, and 1,954 hospitalizations.
1,278,185 people have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 604,443 have completed their series.

There are currently 7,467 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 91 deaths in Orange County. 25,195 people have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 13,871 have completed their vaccine series.

For more information regarding live updates (NCDHHS updates the site every day around noon), please visit the NCDHHS website.

Orange County Health Department also has a COVID-19 dashboard webpage, with information on COVID-19 data in the county.

COVID-19 Community Resources

For more information on COVID-19 community resources in the county, please visit our webpage. Resources on specific topic areas, such as food access, education, housing, and others, are all accessible on our website, or at the links below.

Contact Information

For general questions (not urgent) about 2019 Novel Coronavirus, contact NCDHHS at: ncresponse@dhhs.nc.gov or 1-866-462-3821 to address general questions about coronavirus from the public.

If you are an individual or a medical practice with questions about COVID-19, call the Orange County Health Department at (919) 245-6111. During business hours (8:30a.m. to 5 p.m.)

Contact Kristin Prelipp, the Orange County Health Department’s Public Information Officer at: kprelipp@orangecountync.gov or 919-245-2462

Orange County Health Department:
Web: www.orangecountync.gov/coronavirus
Phone: 919-245-2400
Email: covid19@orangecountync.gov
Facebook: Orange County Health Department
Instagram: OrangeHealthNC
Twitter: Orange Health NC
Youtube: OCHDNC