Health Department Shares Information to Speed Vaccine Effort

The Orange County Health Department is receiving an extremely high volume of phone calls and emails regarding vaccine registration. It is asking for the public’s patience and sharing information to help answer questions and speed the vaccine process for everyone.

“We understand your frustrations with the COVID-19 vaccination process,” said Orange County Health Director Quintana Stewart. “We feel the same frustration due to the limited doses of the vaccine, and we are training additional staff as quickly as possible to answer calls and emails.”

Appointment scheduling
The Health Department is currently only scheduling Phase 1 and 2 for vaccine appointments. These groups are health care workers, long-term care residents and staff and older adults ages 65 and up. Please wait until your phase of the vaccination process opens to call to schedule an appointment or to complete the vaccine interest form. See the state COVID-19 Vaccinations infographic to determine which phase you are in.

To schedule an appointment with the Health Department, complete the vaccine interest form or call 919-913-8088 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. This is the only phone number available for vaccine appointment scheduling.
If you are unable to reach a staff member by phone, call again later. Due to staffing and the high volume of calls, the department is unable to return calls.

Vaccine waitlist
If you have received a vaccine waitlist message, this confirms you are on the COVID-19 vaccination appointment waitlist. There is no need to follow up with the Health Department.

When an appointment becomes available, the Health Department will notify you by email or by phone for people who do not have an email address. The department has no estimate at this time of when you will be contacted. Staff are working as quickly as possible to contact all eligible community members who are on the waitlist, but vaccine supply is limited.

To ensure you do not miss a chance to schedule an appointment, check the spam, junk or clutter folders in your email and set up voicemail on your phone to receive phone messages.

Second dose scheduling
Those seeking to schedule a second dose should continue to check their email for an invitation to schedule the second dose. Because of the high call volume, please do not call the Health Department to check on the status of scheduling your second dose.

Orange County COVID-19 Updated Data Jan. 22, 2021

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

TOTAL CASES: 6,211
TOTAL DEATHS: 70
TOTAL VACCINES: 3,561

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 for more information.

BOCC proclaims Jan. 20 as

"Dr. Kizzmekia S. Corbett Day"

Orange County celebrated Jan. 20 as “Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett Day” after the Board of County Commissioners adopted a proclamation honoring the county native who played a key role in developing one of the COVID-19 vaccines.

“We declare Wednesday, Jan. 20, as Dr. Kizzmekia S. Corbett Day in recognition of her remarkable accomplishments in the sciences and medicine, in acknowledgement of her unprecedented research and success in thwarting a life-threatening pandemic, and in honor of her compassionate dedication to the health, safety and well-being of humanity,” said Orange County Board of County Commissioners Chair Renee Price.

Dr. Corbett is currently a research fellow in the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Vaccine Research Center. She grew up in the Cedar Grove community and attended Orange County Schools.

Dr. Corbett appeared at the meeting via Zoom and thanked the Board for its recognition. “The work does not stop,” she said. “It’s tiresome, but I’m happy to be acknowledged for it. This moment for my life and career is gratifying, but people are dying. There is a large amount of vaccine hesitancy that rests as a burden on my shoulders. I have committed myself to the effort, and not just from the vaccine design standpoint. At this point this vaccine is the only thing that will change the trajectory of the pandemic.”

After receiving her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, with a secondary major in Sociology, in 2008 from the University of Maryland- Baltimore County, Dr. Corbett earned her Doctorate of Philosophy in Microbiology and Immunology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2014.

Dr. Corbett was subsequently appointed to the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory in 2014, and has focused her work on developing novel coronavirus vaccines, including mRNA-1273, which has become a primary vaccine against the virus that causes COVID- 19.

in response to the COVID- 19 pandemic, Dr. Corbett and her team designed the vaccine concept incorporated in mRNA-1273 from viral sequence and rapidly deployed to Moderna, Inc., for FDA-approved Phase 1 clinical trial, which began only 66 days from the viral sequence release. The vaccine was shown to be 94.1% effective in a Phase 3 trial and received Emergency Use Authorization in December.

Click here for more info.

Often referred to as pin-and-thread art, string art turns simple wood and thread into a work of art. Kids in this program will begin with a simple project to learn technique and practice hammering and stringing skills. Final, more intricate projects will provide opportunities for crafters to plan their process and express their creativity.

Nominations being accepted for 31st Annual Pauli Murray Awards

The Orange County Human Relations Commission is accepting nominations for the 31st Annual Pauli Murray Awards, which are presented annually to an Orange County youth, adult, and business that have served the community with distinction in the pursuit of equality, justice, and human rights for all citizens.

The Pauli Murray Awards are presented to those who embody the attributes and spirit of Pauli Murray by encouraging diversity in the workforce, promoting and participating in community activities related to social justice issues, or demonstrating positive roles in human relations.

Nominations may be made online: www.orangecountync.gov/ThePauliMurrayAward

Nominations are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, February 12, 2021. Individual (over 18) and Youth (full-time student in grades 6-12 or a college student 18 or younger) nominees must reside in Orange County. Business nominees must operate or conduct business within Orange County. For additional information, contact the Human Relations Commission at (919) 245-2487 or Human_Relations@orangecountync.gov.

Children's author selected as 2021 Piedmont Laureate

Kelly Starling Lyons, a Raleigh-based children’s literature writer, has been selected as the region’s 2021 Piedmont Laureate. During 2021, Starling Lyons will appear at virtual programming, including workshops, reading programs and speaking engagements, throughout Orange, Durham, and Wake counties.

The Piedmont Laureate program is dedicated to building a literary bridge for residents to come together and celebrate the art of writing. Co-sponsored by the Orange County Arts Commission, City of Raleigh Arts Commission, Durham Arts Council, and United Arts Council of Raleigh & Wake County, the Piedmont Laureate program’s mission is to “promote awareness and heighten appreciation for excellence in the literary arts throughout the Piedmont region.”

The program focuses on a different literary form each year, including poetry, novels, creative non-fiction, drama/screenwriting, children’s literature, short fiction, speculative fiction, and mystery fiction.

“Mrs. Starling Lyons’ heart work extends beyond her initial intent, and due to her humility and practicality, I’m not sure that she is even aware,” says Durham Public School Board Member Jovonia Lewis. “She is dedicated to creating opportunities for children to bring books to life, sparking an interest in reading and writing and serving her community through outreach and community projects for nothing more than exposure for those authors and for families.”

As Piedmont Laureate, Starling Lyons will receive an honorarium and serve until December 31st. Her duties will include presenting virtual programming which includes public readings and workshops, virtual participation at select public functions and creating at least one original activity to expand appreciation of the work of children’s literature.
A schedule of the Laureate’s 2021 activities will be posted on the sponsoring agency websites and on the Piedmont Laureate website at piedmontlaureate.org.

Kelly Starling Lyons has been a published children’s book author since 2004. Her 17 titles for children span easy readers, picture books, chapter books, fiction, nonfiction, and series. She has been creating inspiring books that center Black heroes, celebrate family, friendship and heritage and show all children the storyteller they hold inside. She is a founding member of The Brown Bookshelf, a collective of writers who promote awareness of the myriad Black voices writing for young readers.

For more information about the Piedmont Laureate program, visit piedmontlaureate.org.

4th Tues Carrboro Branch Book Club

This club meets the 4th Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. Register online or call 919.245.2525 or 919.969.3006 to register. You will receive the Zoom code the day of the meeting.

Fire Marshal Division chosen for community risk reduction pilot program

The Orange County Fire Marshal Division has been selected by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to participate in the second phase of a pilot program to build a digital community risk assessment (CRA) tool. Aligned to NFPA 1300, Standard on Community Risk Assessment and Community Risk Reduction Plan Development, the tool, or “dashboard,” enables community leaders to gain valuable insights and make data-informed decisions around fire prevention and other risk-reduction activities in their communities.

According to NFPA, the concept of community risk reduction (CRR) - a process that identifies and prioritizes risks and ensures impactful mitigation initiatives- has been gaining traction across North America for more than 20 years. Innovative technology, access to data, and a shifting focus on prevention have resulted in new energy around this process. Reflecting that momentum, NFPA’s CRA tool works to help fire departments aggregate and disseminate data that pinpoint where risks exist within a given community.

“Access to accurate data will allow CRR leaders to use insights and make informed decisions about where to focus efforts and resources,” said Karen Berard-Reed, community risk reduction strategist at NFPA. “While many fire departments have struggled to work with data sets, NFPA’s CRA tool will do the complex work behind the scenes to compile relevant data allowing stakeholders to create effective community risk reduction plans that incorporate five priorities - education, engineering, enforcement, economic incentives, and emergency response - in the most impactful ways possible.”

Click here for more info.

Go fort and build! Join the Orange County Public Library for a virtual evening of stories, games, and fort building in your living room. Register online (orangecountylibrary.org) or call us 919-245-2525. Only one registration per household is needed

Orange County COVID-19 Updated Data Jan. 22, 2021

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

TOTAL CASES: 5,883
TOTAL DEATHS: 68
TOTAL VACCINES: 1,790

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 for more information.

Long-Term Recovery Plan Ready for Review

The draft Orange County Long-Term Recovery and Transformation Plan is ready for review, with two virtual public meetings occurring this week and public comment available online through Jan. 29.

The draft plan for recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and other disruptions is available at orangencforward.org, a website of the Orange County Long-Term Recovery Group. The partnership of nearly 150 community stakeholders, Orange County and the towns of Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough has been working on a plan since July.

Watch a brief introductory video to better understand the plan and why your participation is needed. The video is also available in Spanish, Chinese-Mandarin, Karen, and Burmese.

Public comment
Community members are invited to share their feedback on the plan through a public comment form on the Long-Term Recovery Group’s website. The form will be available through Jan. 29, and translation instructions are available in Spanish, Mandarin-Chinese, and Burmese.

Chef Junior is a four-week program where children learn to make healthy snacks, easy meals, and simple desserts. This session, recipes will include fresh ingredients found on a typical American farm, such as corn, chicken, pork, and various fruits and veggies. Kids will learn basic culinary skills such as measuring and mixing techniques, how to use various cooking tools, how to follow recipes, and much more. *Some ingredients may contain peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, gluten or eggs.

Aging, Project EngAGE to host presentation on green burial options

The Orange County Department on Aging and the Project EngAGE End of Life Choices Senior Resource Team invite the public to attend a virtual presentation, A Case for Green Burial on Feb. 11.

The Project EngAGE End of Life Choices Senior Resource Team welcomes you to join Anne Weston, founder of Green Burial Project, to hear about alternatives to conventional burial. She will present information regarding the NC laws, local resources, costs, as well as the three tenets of green burial. Green Burial Project is a 501(c)3 educational nonprofit with no product to sell. Its sole aim is to educate the community about the environmental, financial and spiritual benefits of returning our bodies to the earth in a manner consistent with our values and our heritage.

The event will take place on Thursday, Feb. 11, from 4 – 5:15 pm via a virtual platform. The room will accept entry beginning at 3:50 pm to assist with any questions or issues with using the platform prior to the start of the program.

For link information please contact Shenae McPherson at shmcpherson@orangecountync.gov.

If technology assistance is needed, please contact Shenae McPherson at 919-245-4243 by Monday, Feb 8.

www.orangecountync.gov