The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live fireside chat and tele-town hall on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 6-7 p.m., to discuss updated COVID-19 boosters, testing and treatments, as well as the flu and monkeypox vaccines.
An updated COVID-19 booster is now available for everyone ages 12 and older to protect against the latest COVID-19 variants. As of early September, these variants make up nearly 90% of COVID-19 cases in North Carolina. The updated booster is referred to as a bivalent for its ability to provide the most up-to-date protection against severe illness, hospitalization and death from the original COVID-19 strain as well as new subvariants.
Topics during the event will include the following:
- Eligibility for and tools to locate updated COVID-19 bivalent boosters
- What it means to be up to date on COVID-19 vaccines and boosters
- Everyone can get COVID-19 vaccines, boosters, testing and treatment, regardless of health insurance or immigration status
- How to prepare for seasonal illness with the flu shot, which can be taken alongside a COVID-19 vaccine or booster
- Updated eligibility for monkeypox vaccines
The event will be moderated by NCDHHS Chief Medical Officer and State Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson. She will be joined by Jinwi Ghogomu-Atogho, PharmD, BCPS, a clinical pharmacy consultant at Knightdale Pharmacy in Knightdale, N.C.
The fireside chat will stream live from the NCDHHS social media accounts, where viewers can submit questions. The event includes a tele-town hall that invites people by phone to listen in and submit questions to help ensure everyone who is interested can participate. People can also dial (855) 756-7520 Ext. 81966# to access the event.
NCDHHS fireside chats and tele-town halls are part of the state’s ongoing public engagement to slow the spread of COVID-19 and ensure equitable access to timely information, resources and COVID-19 vaccines.
The NCDHHS social media platforms will host the livestream on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Visit the channel of your choice to watch the event, which will begin streaming at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 20.