Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates: April 2, 2020

Orange County Health Department: Operation Changes

In order to protect everyone’s health during the COVID-19 pandemic, Orange County Health Department (OCHD) and Department of Social Services (DSS) offices are no longer conducting entrance health screenings.

OCHD is still offering telehealth appointments to meet your immediate medical needs.

If you need medical attention please call 919-245-2400 to schedule a telehealth appointment. Please do not walk into the clinic to request an appointment. If you are having a medical emergency, as always, call 911.

Town of Hillsborough

Date: March 31, 2020

Contact:
Hillsborough Mayor Jenn Weaver
jenn.weaver@hillsboroughnc.gov or 919-296-9410

Here’s Some Guidance on N.C. and Orange County Stay-at-Home Orders

HILLSBOROUGH ? Are you wondering about differences in North Carolina and Orange County’s stay-at-home orders? Or are you wondering what is allowed when performing essential tasks or getting outside to exercise? Here’s a brief summary.

STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS
The statewide order is in effect through April 29, while the county order is in effect through April 30. Where there are differences in state and local orders, Gov. Roy Cooper has said to follow the more restrictive order.

Follow county order
In addition to remaining under the stay-at-home order through April 30, Orange County residents should adhere to the county order regarding:

Funerals ? The state order exempts funerals from the 10-person limit for gatherings, allowing up to 50 people at a funeral. The county order requires funerals maintain the 10-person limit.
Playgrounds ? The state order closes public playgrounds. The county order closes public and private playgrounds.

More explicit guidance
The state order provides more direction on travel and essential operations. It advises businesses not identified on the essential businesses list to contact the North Carolina Department of Revenue for a determination on operation.

The state order explicitly allows travel:

To and from places of worship.
To volunteer with charitable and social service organizations.
To and from residences for visitation and custody arrangements.
To receive goods and services provided by an otherwise essential business operation.

Regarding essential operations, the state order specifically:

Allows businesses, nonprofits and educational institutions that meet social distancing requirements to remain open as essential business operations.
Allows defense and military contractors to continue operations.
Identifies as “essential infrastructure operations” functions like utilities, food and beverage production, landscaping, telecommunications, and other items needed for everyday life.
Identifies as “essential businesses” office supply and other stores that sell products needed for people who work from home.
Identifies as “Additional COVID-19 Essential Retail Businesses” stores that include cell phone stores, lawn and garden retailers, bookstores with educational material, ABC stores, gas stations, pet and feed stores, and retail within healthcare facilities.

REMINDERS
Below are reminders on the stay-at-home order for Orange County businesses and residents.

Social distancing outside
Use of playground equipment at public and private parks is prohibited. Trails and open spaces within parks can be used if staying 6 feet from others not in your household.

Riverwalk trails are 6 feet wide from the downtown to the Historic Occoneechee Speedway Trail and 8 feet wide from the downtown to Gold Park.
Step aside or off walkways as needed to allow others to pass.
Heed closure signs and barricades for play equipment. Playground equipment is not sanitized. Swings have been removed at Cates Creek, Gold and Murray parks.
The dog park at Gold Park is closed.

Social distancing in stores
Essential businesses can operate if maintaining social distancing requirements. These include stores that sell groceries, household necessities, medicine, hardware and supplies.

The order does not specify the number of customers a store is allowed to have within the premises.
Customers should adhere to social distancing when at a business and should limit shopping to what is essential.

Violations
For violations of the stay-at-home order, Hillsborough officers will educate and seek voluntary compliance before considering any arrest or charge.

Charges generally will be reserved for especially egregious situations or repeat violations.
If you see people congregating or otherwise violating the order, you can contact Hillsborough police online anytime or at 919-296-9500 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. If neither option is available or for emergencies, call 911.

Receive COVID-19 Updates Through Text

Orange County residents can receive COVID-19 updates by text message. If interested, text OCNCHEALTH to 888-777. For Spanish, text OCNCSALUD to 888-777.

Orange County Call Center

*Due to low call volume, the Call Center will be in operation from Monday-Friday only.

Myths Vs. Facts: April 1, 2020

Myth: A face mask will protect you from COVID-19.
Fact: Certain models of professional, tight-fitting respirators (such as the N95) can protect health care workers as they care for infected patients. The medical professionals will be “fit tested” prior to use.

For the general public without respiratory illness, wearing lightweight disposable surgical masks is not recommended. Because they don’t fit tightly, they may allow tiny infected droplets to get into the nose, mouth or eyes. Also, people with the virus on their hands who touch their face under a mask might become infected.

People with a respiratory illness can wear these masks to lessen their chance of infecting others. Bear in mind that stocking up on masks makes fewer available for sick patients and health care workers who need them.

Myth: You can protect yourself from COVID-19 by swallowing or gargling with bleach, taking acetic acid or steroids, or using essential oils, salt water, ethanol or other substances.
Fact: None of these recommendations protects you from getting COVID-19, and some of these practices may be dangerous. The best ways to protect yourself from this coronavirus (and other viruses) include:

Washing your hands frequently and thoroughly, using soap and hot water.

Avoiding close contact with people who are sick, sneezing or coughing.

In addition, you can avoid spreading your own germs by coughing into the crook of your elbow and staying home when you are sick.

Myth: COVID-19 is only dangerous for people 65 or older.
Fact: Approximately 12% of all COVID-19 cases are serious enough to require hospitalization. Many people are surprised to learn 20% of those hospitalizations were among patients 20-44 years old. Additionally, of patients aged 20 – 44 who get COVID-19, between 14 and 21% get sick enough to require hospitalization.

Myth: I need to stockpile as many groceries and supplies as I can.
Fact: Please only buy what your family needs for a week. It is important to remember that many families may be unable to buy a supply of food and water for weeks in advance. Consumer demand has recently been exceptionally high – especially for grocery, household cleaning, and some healthcare products. Freight flows are not disrupted, but stores need time to restock.

North Carolina COVID-19 Cases:

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) reports 1,584 COVID-19 cases, 204 hospitalizations and 10 deaths as of April 1, 2020. For more information regarding live updates (NCDHHS updates the site every morning at 11 a.m.), please visit the NCDHHS website.

There are currently 37 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Orange County.

Orange County will not be sharing any patient demographics about positive COVID-19 cases. Information that identifies a person who has or may have COVID-19 is protected by NC’s communicable disease confidentiality law, G.S. 130A-143. When the information is maintained by a local health department, it is protected by HIPAA as well. The address alone is sufficient to make the information individually identifiable, even without the name. Therefore, the information must be managed in a way that complies with these laws. We will not ever share race, age, sex or zip code.

Social distancing is extremely important to limit the spread of COVID-19. Included below are infographics in English, Spanish and Chinese that give tips on social distancing. Orange County encourages residents to practice social distancing along with other steps, such as proper hand washing, to combat the spread.

Spanish, Chinese, Kinyarwanda, Chinese and Karen versions of the graphics below are available here.

World Health Organization
'Social Distancing Saves Lives' video

Avoid COVID-19 Scams

Read more about how to protect yourself from coronavirus scams here. Spanish translation is available here.

Resources

NC 2-1-1

NC 2-1-1 is an information and referral service provided by United Way of North Carolina. Accessible via an easy-to-remember, three-digit number, families and individuals can call to obtain free and confidential information on health and human services and resources within their community.

2-1-1 is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Dialing 2-1-1 is free, confidential, and available in most languages.

COVID-19 App

Media Statement

For Immediate Release

Friday, March 27, 2020

Contact: CDC Media Relations

(404) 639-3286

CDC Statement on COVID-19 Apple App

Today, Apple Inc. – in partnership with the White House Coronavirus Task Force and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – released an app and website that guides Americans through a series of questions about their health and exposure to determine if they should seek care for COVID-19 symptoms. The tool provides CDC recommendations on next steps including guidance on social distancing and self-isolating, how to closely monitor symptoms, recommendations on testing, and when to contact a medical provider.

This launch is a direct response to President Trump’s call for an all-of-America approach and will help Americans heed CDC guidelines and self-isolate to limit COVID-19 transmission.

Users can download the free app from Apple’s App Store or on Google Play or access the tool online at www.apple.com/covid19. Everyone has a role to play as we work together to stop the spread of COVID-19. The latest recommendations can be found at www.coronavirus.gov.

Access to Food

Orange County Schools have coordinated pick up/drop off locations for families to receive food. For more information, click here.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools has a multilingual line 919-918-2240 for families to call with school related questions

Northern Orange resources

Town of Chapel Hill COVID-19 resources

Housing

St Thomas More Church will continue with providing financial assistance for rent, for Chapel Hill and Carrboro residents during this time of social distancing. They require a copy of the lease. Do not come to the church.

Remote Financial Assistance Ministry will operate on following times:
Mondays 8:30-11:30AM and Thursdays 6-8pm
People should contact by phone at 919-942-6216
People could call in advance and leave a message and a volunteer would call/email back during Remote Financial Assistance time-frame.

Immigrant and Refugee Community Resources

RCP (Refugee Community Partnership) – has a Facebook page with Facebook live updates in various language – Karen, Burmese, and possibly soon Arabic and Kinyarwanda. Contact RCP if folks want to be added to their WhatsApp language groups. https://www.facebook.com/rcpnc/

El Centro had a Facebook live presentation recently - check out their FaceBook page. El Centro Hispano has created the COVID19 Crisis Response Fund to assist families who are being impacted due to the COVID-19 outbreak
- This fund aims to support and strengthen families at risk who need our help and:
- Live paycheck to paycheck who have or will lose income due to the closings of places of work; and/or
- Have multiple children and will be forced to stay home; and/or
- May have people who are likely to get sick with COVID19, adding a substantial burden to families; and/or
- Families who may need assistance in meeting their needs during this crisis.

Additional Resources

Additional county resources linked here.

For more information regarding NCDHHS COVID-19 guidance, click here.

Mental Health

Behavioral Health

COVID-19 resources:

COVID-19 Response: Donation Opportunities

Want to donate items to help support the COVID-19 response? Please use this form.

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