Press Releases

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) today took action to decrease barriers to COVID-19 testing by issuing a Statewide Standing Order for COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing, as well as a State Health Director Temporary Order on COVID-19 Diagnostic Test Reporting.

NCDHHS is joining the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in alerting consumers of adverse health effects associated with methanol-contaminated hand sanitizers. The warning follows CDC reports of seven people in New Mexico who experienced serious health events, including permanent blindness and death, due to purportedly ingesting methanol-contaminated hand sanitizers or rubs manufactured in Mexico.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today launched the Community testing in High-priority And Marginalized Populations (CHAMP) Initiative to increase access to no-cost COVID-19 testing for African American, LatinX/Hispanic and American Indian communities that currently have limited testing sites.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is launching a new social media marketing campaign as part of a larger public outreach campaign designed to reach historically marginalized populations disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

NCDHHS will partner with Omnicare, a CVS Health company, to make facility-wide testing available to residents and staff in all North Carolina skilled nursing facilities. There are over 400 nursing homes in the state with approximately 36,000 residents and more than 30,000 staff. Testing will begin in July and continue through August.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has awarded grants to five local North Carolina organizations to help address the disparate impact COVID-19 is having among the state’s Hispanic and LatinX communities. 

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has expanded the COVID-19 Dashboard to include expanded county data on trends, demographics and testing.

Today, the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) released improved online applications for Medicaid and Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) that will help both North Carolina families and county Departments of Social Services (DSS) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has been awarded $1.5 million to support and expand the Hope4NC program, which connects North Carolinians to mental health supports that help them cope and build resilience during times of crisis. NCDHHS worked in partnership with North Carolina Emergency Management to secure the grant.

NCDHHS selected 26 businesses to form its initial pool of qualified vendors to support the state’s response to COVID-19. North Carolina is responding to the pandemic on multiples fronts, including building the state’s testing and contact tracing infrastructure, while surging assets in communities and populations that have been hardest hit by COVID-19.

Today, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) announced that the state’s Community Action Agencies (CAAs) have begun to receive flexible funds that can be used to help low-income individuals and families meet a variety of needs caused by the economic disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is releasing updated guidance for doctors and clinicians on who should be tested for COVID-19.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is issuing an Abatement Order requiring ACE Speedway to immediately close their facility and halt operations.

Today, NCDHHS announced that child protective services and adult protective services workers are designated as first responders. This classification will help these critical workers access Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) needed while working in situations that require face-to-face contact with adults, children and families amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is reporting the state’s highest one day number of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases with 1,370 cases reported.  

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is reporting the first COVID-19-associated pediatric death in North Carolina. A child in the central part of the state died June 1 from complications associated with COVID-19 infection. To protect the family’s privacy, no further information regarding this child will be released.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) launches new initiatives to expand COVID-19 testing and contact tracing across the state and help North Carolinians protect their families and neighbors.

NCDHHS is extending the deadline for questions for its Request for Qualifications (RFQ) that seeks to create a pool of qualified vendors to support the response to COVID-19. Vendors may now submit questions in writing until 2 p.m. on June 4, 2020. 

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is seeking to create a pool of qualified vendors to support the response to COVID-19. The Request for Qualifications (RFQ) was issued on May 29 for diagnostic and antibody testing including specimen collection and laboratory processing, reserving potential laboratory capacity and contact tracing.