Emergency Preparedness and Response:
May 5, 2021 |
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Gov. Cooper Issues Executive Order to Relax State's Outdoor Mask Mandate and to Ease Mass Gathering Limits
Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. gave an update on the state’s current data, trends and vaccination progress. As the state’s metrics and key indicators remain stable, Governor Cooper also signed an Executive Order outlining safety measures for the month of May. Executive Order No. 209 will take effect Friday, April 30th at 5pm and is set to expire June 1. As more North Carolinians get vaccinated and adhere to safety protocols over the course of the next month, the state anticipates lifting more restrictions June 1st.
“While our numbers are mostly stable, we have more work to do to beat back this pandemic,” said Governor Cooper. “Let’s work hard in May and get as many people vaccinated as we can before summer gets here.”
Under the new Executive Order, masks will still be required indoors but are no longer mandated outdoors. Masks are still strongly recommended outdoors by NC DHHS in crowded areas and higher risk settings where social distancing is difficult.
Executive Order No. 209 will also increase mass gathering capacity limits. The number of people who may gather indoors will increase from 50 to 100 and the number of people who may gather outdoors will increase from 100 to 200. Occupancy limits currently in place will remain the same.
State continues to strive to get two-thirds of adults at least partially vaccinated
“In Orange County, we have enough vaccine for everyone. Everyone age 16 and up is eligible for a free COVID-19 vaccine,” said Orange County Health Director Quintana Stewart. “We have walk-in and pop-up clinics every week that are convenient for our community members. No ID or insurance are required.”
Orange County Health Department offers self-scheduling of COVID vaccine appointments.
Visit https://myspot.nc.gov.
- Search for zip code 27278
- Choose a time and date that work for your schedule.
- You can also call (919) 913-8088 for assistance in obtaining an appointment. The phone line is operated daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Spanish and other languages available.
The Orange County Health Department offers walk-in COVID-19 vaccine clinics every week:- Monday 2 pm - 7pm
- Wednesday 8 am - 1 pm
- Thursday 2 pm - 7 pm
- Friday 8 am - 1 pm
LOCATION: Whitted Human Services Center at 300 West Tryon St., Hillsborough, NC 27278
The Orange County Health Department is hosting the following walk-in COVID-19 vaccine clinic:- Lakeview Mobile Home Park on Friday, May 7th from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm at 1000 Weaver Dairy Rd. in Chapel Hill.
For the most up-to-date COVID-19 vaccine clinic schedule visit the OCHD COVID-19 Vaccine page.
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CDC: Considerations for People with Certain Medical Conditions
Adults of any age with certain conditions can be more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19. Severe illness means that a person with COVID-19 may need:
- Hospitalization
- Intensive care
- A ventilator to help them breathe
- Or they may even die
Actions You Can Take
In general, the older you are, the more health conditions you have, and the more severe the conditions, the more important it is to take preventive measures for COVID-19 such as vaccination, wearing a mask, social distancing, and practicing hand hygiene. Please contact your state, tribal, or local health department for more information on COVID-19 vaccination in your area.
It is important for people with medical conditions and their providers to work together and manage those conditions carefully and safely. Get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as you can. If you have a medical condition, the following are actions you can take based on your medical conditions and other risk factors: - Continue your medicines and do not change your treatment plan without talking to your healthcare provider.
- Follow your current treatment plan (e.g., Asthma Action Plan, dialysis schedule, blood sugar testing, nutrition and exercise recommendations) to keep your medical condition under control.
- Have at least a 30-day supply of prescription and non-prescription medicines. Talk to a healthcare provider, insurer, and pharmacist about getting an extra supply (i.e., more than 30 days) of prescription medicines, if possible, to reduce your trips to the pharmacy.
- Have shelf-stable food choices available to accommodate dietary needs based on your medical condition (e.g., kidney diet and KCER 3-Day Emergency Diet Planexternal icon, diabetic diet).
- Know the triggers for your condition and avoid when possible (e.g., avoid asthma triggers by having another member of your household clean and disinfect your house for you or avoid possible sickle cell disease triggers to prevent vaso-occlusive episodes or pain crises).
- Learn about stress and coping. You may feel increased stress during this pandemic. Fear and anxiety can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions.
- Do not delay getting emergency care for your medical condition because of COVID-19. Emergency departments have infection prevention plans to protect you from getting COVID-19 if you need care.
- Call your healthcare provider if you have any concerns about your medical conditions or if you get sick and think that you may have COVID-19. If you need emergency help, call 911 right away.
- When possible, keep preventive care and other routine healthcare appointments (such as vaccinations and blood pressure checks) with your provider. Check with your provider about safety precautions for office visits and ask about telemedicine or remote healthcare visit options.
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Walk-In COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics are OpenGetting a free COVID-19 vaccine is simple and convenient! We have walk-in clinics every week: - Monday 2 pm - 7pm
- Wednesday 8 am - 1 pm
- Thursday 2 pm - 7 pm
- Friday 8 am - 1 pm
LOCATION: Whitted Human Services Center at 300 West Tryon St., Hillsborough, NC 27278
Free and no ID or insurance required.
If you would like to schedule an appointment at a time and date that is convenient for you, call 919-913-8088 or visit https://www.myspot.nc.gov/. Search for zip code 27278. |
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Celebrating Asian American and
Pacific Islander HeritageGovernor Roy Cooper has proclaimed May as Asian American-Pacific Islander Heritage Month to celebrate the many contributions Asian Americans have made, and continue to make, to North Carolina’s communities, schools and workforce. This year’s proclamation also serves as a reminder of the need to stop increased discrimination that many members of the Asian American-Pacific Islander (AAPI) community have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The hate speech and violence that we have seen aimed at Asian Americans across the country is alarming, and I encourage North Carolinians to speak out against it until it ends,” Governor Cooper said. “Diversity makes our communities, our economy and our quality of life stronger and better.”An analysis released by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism revealed that while hate crimes decreased overall by 7 percent in 2020, such crimes targeting Asian people rose 150 percent in 16 of America’s largest cities.
Stop AAPI Hate, a reporting center that tracks incidents of discrimination against Asian Americans, found that more than 3,200 incidents of AAPI hate were reported in 2020, though the actual number of incidents is believed to be much higher.
National trends show that AAPI women reported incidents of hate 2.3 more times than men, and that most of these incidents occurred in business settings. Governor Cooper and his Administration are committed to ending the harassment and violence toward Asian Americans in our communities.
Federal efforts are currently underway to address hate and xenophobia against the AAPI community, including funding for critical research to help combat further discrimination and steps to promote inclusion in communities.
Read the proclamation.
Find health resources for the AAPI community. |
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Orange County Health Department Offers
Self-Scheduling of COVID Vaccine Appointments
If you would like a COVID vaccine you can now easily schedule your own appointment at a time and date that work for you!
- Visit https://myspot.nc.gov.
- Search for zip code 27278
- Choose a time and date that work for your schedule!
- You can also call (919) 913-8088 for assistance in obtaining an appointment. The phone line is operated daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Spanish and other languages available.
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May: National Wildfire Awareness Month
Wildfires are unplanned fires that burn in natural areas like forests, grasslands, or prairies. These dangerous fires spread quickly and can devastate not only wildfire and natural areas, but also communities.
Prepare for Wildfires - Have several ways to receive alerts. Download the FEMA app and receive real-time alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations nationwide. Sign up for community alerts in your area and be aware of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA)- which requires no-sign up.
- Sign up for email updates and follow the latest guidelines about coronavirus from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and your local authorities to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- Pay attention to air quality alerts.
Make an Emergency PlanReview Important DocumentsKnow Your Evacuation Zone- You may have to evacuate quickly due to a wildfire. Learn your evacuation routes, practice with household, pets, and identify where you will go.
- If you must evacuate to a public shelter, try to bring items that can help protect you and others in the shelter from COVID-19, such as hand sanitizer, cleaning materials, and two masks per person. Children under 2 years old and people who have trouble breathing should not wear masks.
- Follow the instructions from local authorities. They will provide the latest recommendations based on the threat to your community and appropriate safety measures.
- Review the CDC’s guidelines for “Going to a Public Disaster Shelter During the COVID-19 Pandemic.”
Gather Supplies- Have enough supplies for your household, include medication, disinfectant supplies, masks, pet supplies in your go bag or car trunk. Being prepared allows you to address smaller medical issues at home, alleviating the burden on urgent care centers and hospitals.
- Being prepared allows you to avoid unnecessary excursions and to address minor medical issues at home, alleviating the burden on urgent care centers and hospitals.
- Remember that not everyone can afford to respond by stocking up on necessities. For those who can afford it, making essential purchases and slowly building up supplies in advance will allow for longer time periods between shopping trips. This helps to protect those who are unable to procure essentials in advance of the pandemic and must shop more frequently. In addition, consider avoiding WIC-labeled products so that those who rely on these products can access them.
- If you already have one at home, set aside a respirator, like an N95 respirator, to keep smoke particles out of the air you breathe. Respirators are not meant to fit children. Due to COVID-19, it may be difficult to find respirators. While cloth masks, surgical masks, and dust masks provide protection from exposure to COVID-19, they will not protect you from smoke inhalation. To ensure that healthcare workers have access to N95 respirators, it is best to limit your exposure to smoke rather than buy respirators.
- Be cautious when carrying flammable or combustible household products that can cause fires or explosions if handled wrong, such as aerosols, cooking oils, rubbing alcohol, and hand sanitizer.
- If you already have an N95 mask, use this to protect yourself from smoke inhalation. N95 masks also protect against the spread of COVID-19, however they should be reserved for healthcare workers. If are in a public cleaner air space or shelter, use a mask to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
- Keep your cell phone charged when wildfires could be in your area. Purchase backup charging devices to power electronics.
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North Carolina COVID-19 Cases
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) reports 976,768 COVID-19 cases, 12,721 deaths, and 1,000 hospitalizations.
39.5% of North Carolina's population is at least partially vaccinated, and 33.5% is fully vaccinated.
There are currently 8,501 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 101 deaths in Orange County. 47.3% of Orange County residents are at least partially vaccinated, and 42.6% are fully vaccinated.
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.
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