Early Voting ends Saturday in Orange County

Early Voting ends Saturday, Oct. 31 in Orange County. Early Voting sites are open until 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30, and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Orange County residents may choose to vote at any one of six early voting sites offered in the county.

In Hillsborough ? Orange Works at Hillsborough Commons, 113 Mayo St.
In Carrboro ? Carrboro Town Hall, 301 W. Main St.
In Chapel Hill ?
1. Chapel of the Cross, 304 E. Franklin St.
2. Seymour Senior Center, 2551 Homestead Road
3. University Mall, 201 S. Estes Drive
In Efland ? Efland Ruritan Club, 3009 Forrest Ave.

Election Day

Residents wishing to vote in person on Election Day must vote at their assigned precinct. Voters can use the N.C. State Board of Elections voter registration lookup tool to find their assigned precinct (https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/).

Polls are open on Election Day from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Absentee voting

Absentee ballots may be returned to the Orange County Board of Elections at an early voting site during early voting hours on Friday and Saturday. Voters returning ballots at early voting sites must wait in line with other voters and return the ballots indoors.

Ballots can also be hand-delivered to the Board of Elections office (208 S. Cameron St. in Hillsborough) during Early Voting hours and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 2, and Election Day, Nov. 3.

Absentee ballots returned via mail must be postmarked by Nov. 3 and received by Nov. 12 to be considered timely.

Photo of woman's arm with a bandaid after getting a flu shot

Health Department Urges the Community to Make a Plan to Get a Flu Shot

The Orange County Health Department is urging community members to protect themselves, their families and those around them by getting vaccinated against Influenza as the county enters flu season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Influenza is a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and even death,” according to Orange County Health Director, Quintana Stewart. “Flu vaccines are safe and effective. A flu shot provides protection against contracting the virus and, if you do catch the flu after being vaccinated, it has been shown to dramatically lessen the severity and duration of the illness.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends vaccination against the flu for everyone 6 months and older with any licensed, age-appropriate flu vaccine. Vaccination against the flu can make illness milder and reduce the risk of more serious outcomes, making it especially important for those at higher risk of complications, such as people over 65, children younger than 5, pregnant women and those with certain medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease or obesity. Some of those same groups are also at high risk of complications from COVID-19.

Flu vaccinations are available at hospitals, pharmacies, private medical offices, some federally qualified health care centers and local health departments. Visit vaccinefinder.org/find-vaccine to find locations.

The Orange County Health Department will offer free flu vaccinations at an upcoming COVID-19 testing events.

Saturday, Oct. 24, at St. Thomas More Catholic Church from Noon to 4 p.m. at 940 Carmichael St., Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Click here for more information, including tips on how to stay safe.

Fun and Games with Ms. Lori, Grades K-2

Fun and Games you can participate in anywhere you have internet access! Join Ms. Lori for Zoom Minute to Win-It. You will be competing with your friends to see how many tasks you can complete in a minute. We will do about 8 tasks total.

Orange County COVID-19 Updated Data Oct. 30, 2020

The Orange County Health Department has provided the following information about COVID-19 cases in Orange County as of 9:00 a.m. today:

TOTAL CASES: 3,109
TOTAL DEATHS: 59

Data Considerations:
1. Any demographic groups with very small numbers have been suppressed to protect
patient confidentiality.
2. We are missing race and ethnicity data for between 30-40% of confirmed cases.
3. We don’t know who may have COVID-19 that wasn’t able to get tested, and we don’t know what groups the patients with missing data fall under.
This data should not be used to make generalizations about who may or may not have higher rates of infection.

Click here to download the entire release.

Health Department offering daily COVID tests

Orange County Health Department will offer daily COVID tests beginning Monday, Oct. 26. Tests will be available at the Whitted Human Services Building (300 West Tryon Street, Hillsborough) from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. each day.

Anyone is welcome to come for a test. Pre-registration is encouraged at https://unityphm.com/campaigns/starmed.

Testing will not be offered on Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 3). Please check the calendar for details.

See the Orange County COVID-19 Testing webpage for additional information on local testing options

There is so much to consider when thinking of end of life care, that it can become overwhelming. Join our panelists as they provide information on, The Conversation Project, how to select a Health Care Power of Attorney, understanding the Standard Advance Directive form for North Carolina, and the Supplemental Advance Director for Dementia Care form. Together, we will learn valuable information that will assist in making well-informed decisions and provide us with the tools to ensure that we convey what we really want at the end of our lives. This event is hosted by the Project EngAGE, End of Life Choices Senior Resource Team.

Take advantage of the Medicare Annual Election Period from Oct. 15-Dec. 7, and you may save money

The Orange County Department on Aging and the N.C. Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) invite Medicare beneficiaries to review their 2021 Medicare Drug Plans and Medicare Advantage Plans.
Medicare plans change each calendar year. Your medication costs can increase significantly if your plan changes their drug list and pricing as of Jan 1. Many people save hundreds and even thousands of dollars by switching plans, but most can only change during Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period: October 15 – December 7. The Orange County Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) provides free and unbiased assistance.

Meet with a certified counselor for an Annual Medicare Review. You can choose an in-person appointment at the Seymour Center in Chapel Hill or the Passmore Center in Hillsborough. Or choose to schedule a Zoom video chat.
To schedule an appointment, visit our website at www.orangecountync.gov/ocncSHIIP or call 919-245-4274.

Halloween is typically celebrated in ways that include prolonged and repeated contact with non-household members. This year, because of COVID-19, it is important to plan early and identify safer alternatives. The Orange County Health Department is offering guidance on how to celebrate Halloween without increasing the risk of spreading COVID-19.

www.orangecountync.gov