Emergency Preparedness and Response:
February 10, 2021 |
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 John Herrera administering a shot to New Hope Fire Chief Charles Bowden |
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Emergency Medical Technicians Give COVID-19 Vaccines in Groundbreaking Program
Nearly a year into the pandemic, the vaccination phase has proved to be a logistical challenge for many local governments. Many struggle to find qualified personnel to administer vaccines. In order to meet this challenge head on, Orange County, North Carolina decided to take an innovative approach. Emergency Medical Technicians, often referred to as EMTs, far exceed the number of paramedics in any given county but typically are not allowed to administer vaccinations. Both EMTs and paramedics have the knowledge and skills to transport patients and provide them with emergency care. Paramedics are required to go through over 1000 hours of training while EMTs complete almost 200 hours. In already stressed emergency services departments this has led to a shortage of people who can administer vaccines.
Dr. Joseph Grover the Medical Director for Orange County Emergency Services recalls, “We already have a massive paramedic shortage nationally. Up until the pandemic vaccinations were not in scope of practice for EMTs. I wrote a protocol to allow the practice and the state Office of EMS approved a temporary scope of practice change for EMTs. They are already well trained to administer shots for allergic reactions or for opioid overdoses. So, why not train them to administer vaccines?”
In anticipation of the arrival of the vaccines, Orange County Emergency Services worked to create a model for mass vaccination by participating in the Health Department’s flu clinics in October. The EMTs were able to jump right in and do the work. Any EMT or paramedic credentialed in Orange County was eligible to participate, with many volunteers from the different fire departments and South Orange Rescue Squad participating, including Orange County Emergency Services. Once the first vaccines arrived in December 36% of the workforce preparing and administering syringes were EMTs. 45% of the staff actually administering vaccinations were EMTs and paramedics represented another 16%. If it were not for their participation, staffing would have been a difficult barrier.
John Herrera a bilingual EMT with Eno Fire Department said, “I am proud to participate in the first mobile vaccination campaign in Orange County with a great team of dedicated public health professionals. I am confident we will beat this pandemic. I look forward to help vaccinate essential workers that are at great risk of exposure every day, like farmworkers, frontline workers and the rest!”
“We enjoy a fantastic relationship here in Orange County between the Health Department and EMS, along with county leadership. We all work closely together and play to each other’s strengths,” said Dr. Grover. “Our hope is that this can be a model that will be used nationally in order to get our community vaccinated as quickly as possible using skilled EMTs as well as paramedics.” |
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Federal Agencies Warn of Emerging Fraud Schemes Related to COVID-19 Vaccines
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Health and Human
Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are warning the public about several emerging fraud schemes related to COVID-19 vaccines.
The FBI, HHS-OIG, and CMS have received complaints of scammers using the public’s interest in COVID-19 vaccines to obtain personally identifiable information (PII) and money through various schemes. We continue to work diligently with law enforcement partners and the private sector to identify cyber threats and fraud in all forms.
The public should be aware of the following potential indicators of fraudulent activity:
- Advertisements or offers for early access to a vaccine upon payment of a deposit or fee
- Requests asking you to pay out of pocket to obtain the vaccine or to put your name on a COVID-19 vaccine waiting list
- Offers to undergo additional medical testing or procedures when obtaining a vaccine
- Marketers offering to sell and/or ship doses of a vaccine, domestically or internationally, in exchange for payment of a deposit or fee
- Unsolicited emails, telephone calls, or personal contact from someone claiming to be from a medical office, insurance company, or COVID-19 vaccine center requesting personal and/or medical information to determine recipients’ eligibility to participate in clinical vaccine trials or obtain the vaccine
- Claims of FDA approval for a vaccine that cannot be verified
- Advertisements for vaccines through social media platforms, email, telephone calls, online, or from unsolicited/unknown sources
- Individuals contacting you in person, by phone, or by email to tell you the government or government officials require you to receive a COVID-19 vaccine
Tips to avoid COVID-19 vaccine-related fraud:- Consult your state’s health department website for up-to-date information about authorized vaccine distribution channels and only obtaining a vaccine through such channels.
- Check the FDA’s website (fda.gov) for current information about vaccine emergency use authorizations.
- Consult your primary care physician before undergoing any vaccination.
- Don’t share your personal or health information with anyone other than known and trusted medical professionals.
- Check your medical bills and insurance explanation of benefits (EOBs) for any suspicious claims and promptly reporting any errors to your health insurance provider.
- Follow guidance and recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other trusted medical professionals.
General online/cyber fraud prevention techniques:- Verify the spelling of web addresses, websites, and email addresses that look trustworthy but may be imitations of legitimate websites.
- Ensure operating systems and applications are updated to the most current versions.
- Update anti-malware and anti-virus software and conduct regular network scans.
- Do not enable macros on documents downloaded from an email unless necessary and after ensuring the file is not malicious.
- Do not communicate with or open emails, attachments, or links from unknown individuals.
- Never provide personal information of any sort via email; be aware that many emails requesting your personal information may appear to be legitimate.
- Use strong two-factor authentication if possible, using biometrics, hardware tokens, or authentication apps.
- Disable or remove unneeded software applications.
If you believe you have been the victim of a COVID-19 fraud, immediately report it to the FBI (ic3.gov, tips.fbi.gov, or 1-800-CALL-FBI) or HHS OIG (tips.hhs.gov or 1-800-HHS-TIPS). |
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North Carolina COVID-19 Vaccine Help Center
Callers can get help with general COVID-19 vaccine questions, information on eligibility groups, clinical questions about the vaccine, how to find vaccine locations, and transportation services.
The COVID-19 vaccine help center supports English and Spanish calls, and TTY. Callers will be able to select call back assistance where they receive a call when agents are available instead of waiting in line for an agent. The language line will be available for all other languages needed. Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Call: 888-675-4567 |
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Now That I Have Had My Two Shots,
Can I Throw Away My Mask?No, both vaccines take at least two weeks from the receipt of the second dose to buildup an immune response. The Pfizer/BioNTech PFE, -0.28% BNTX, -0.72% vaccine offers 95% efficacy while the Moderna MRNA, -9.06% vaccine offers 94% efficacy, according to late-stage trials.
An individual who’s been vaccinated still has the ability to contract coronavirus, although they’re more likely to be asymptomatic, according to preliminary data. Even if you’ve been fully vaccinated, it’s important to continue to wear a face mask and practice social distancing in public settings like supermarkets, restaurants and transportation where you’re likely to encounter more people who haven’t been vaccinated and could potentially get infected by you.
Sources: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/01/12/956051995/why-you-should-still-wear-a-mask-and-avoid-crowds-after-getting-the-covid-19-vac
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/i-got-my-covid-19-vaccination-now-what-can-i-get-on-a-plane-or-visit-my-grandparents-do-i-still-need-to-wear-my-mask-11611637998 |
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60 Black Health Experts Urge Black Americans to Get Vaccinated:
Disinformation has pervaded social media and is an assault on our people
Feb. 7, 2021
The New York Times
By Thomas A. LeVeist and Georges C. Benjamin
Dr. LaVeist is a medical sociologist and the dean of the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University. Dr. Benjamin is a physician and the executive director of the American Public Health Association. They are among 60 Black health experts who have signed on to this Op-Ed.
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 Yuki Iwamura/Associated Press
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Our country is facing a public health crisis on a level not experienced for more than 100 years. It should be reasonable to expect that all citizens can rely on their government and health institutions to protect them. But for many Black Americans, trust in the government does not come easily.
Far too often, our health has been ignored and even abused in the name of science. It is no surprise that polls indicate Black Americans are far less likely than other groups to intend to get vaccinated against Covid-19.
We are among 60 Black members of the National Academy of Medicine, the premier health science organization in the United States. Together we are scientists, doctors, nurses, other health care professionals and public health experts. We feel compelled to make the case that all Black Americans should get vaccinated to protect themselves from a pandemic that has disproportionately killed them at a rate 1.5 times as high as white Americans in cases in which race is known — a rate that is most likely very conservative.
Many of us fought our way into health professions specifically to care for the health of our community. We have devoted our careers to ensuring that everyone — regardless of race — receives the care required for optimal health. This is why we support the Covid-19 vaccines.
Disinformation about the coronavirus and vaccines has pervaded social media, feeding on long-held and absolutely warranted distrust of health institutions in Black communities. The lies are an assault on our people, and it threatens to destroy us.
A recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 43 percent of Black Americans were taking a “wait and see” approach to getting a vaccine. Eight percent said they would get one only if required. Fourteen percent said they would “definitely not” get a vaccination. Only 35 percent said they would get or already have been vaccinated. What’s also troubling, as Kaiser reported, is that “Black Americans are still receiving Covid vaccinations at dramatically lower rates than white Americans.”
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With numbers like those, we believe this moment requires leaders to stand up and lead: to help save our people and nation, to protect Black Americans and all Americans, and to break the stranglehold Covid-19 has had on our country.
Vaccines are now available. They were developed over a remarkably short 10-month period because of recent technological advances just waiting for a moment such as this. These vaccines were tested by teams of outstanding scientists in many different countries — including Black scientists who worked on vaccine development and served on review panels for the Food and Drug Administration. Numerous Black public health professionals are leading the efforts to ensure that the distribution of the vaccine is fair and equitable. The safety and efficacy profiles of the vaccines are very strong, meaning there is good evidence that they are safe and effective.
We have reviewed the research and feel confident the research was done correctly. Most importantly, we know that the trials were conducted across a diverse group of Americans from all backgrounds — Black, Native American, White, Hispanic, Asian and men and women. While we understand why there might be hesitancy about getting vaccinated, we need to weigh the risks of taking the vaccine versus being infected by the virus and the potential of health problems, hospitalization, even death.
We can’t know everything about the long-term impact of the vaccine at this point. However, we are beginning to learn about the long-term impact of Covid-19. While most survivors return to seemingly normal health, many others have continued to struggle. The lanterns that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris placed on the National Mall to commemorate the now 450,000-plus mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, daughters, sons, neighbors and friends who have already lost their lives to Covid-19 in the U.S. is a clear indicator that this virus is not just “the flu.”
The 60 of us are Black Americans. We are trained health professionals. We understand the science. We understand our community. Many of us have already received the shots. The rest of us will get them when our turn comes.
We encourage you to claim your place in line to get vaccinated. Do this for yourself. Do this for our community. We are asking you to trust our advice because we are a part of you. And together we can save lives.
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Environmental Health Contest
Show your love and appreciation for the many local businesses have gone above and beyond to keep their customers and employees safe during the pandemic. Vote for your favorite the whole month of February!
https://www.orangecountync.gov/641/Environmental-Health
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Sign up to volunteer here. Please complete this form to be added to the roster of staff at a mass vaccination site (Point of Dispensing). Please note some of the positions available require a certified or licensed healthcare professional and you will need to provide a copy of your active certification or license. Additional communications and training will be provided after registering. You will be contacted soon after you submit your information.
Please direct any questions you may have about this survey to the Emergency Operations Center Planning Section at eocplans@orangecountync.gov or visit: https://redcap.link/COVIDvaccinePOD |
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North Carolina COVID-19 Cases
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) reports 805,898 COVID-19 cases, 10,181 deaths, and 2,191 hospitalizations.
1,116,589 people have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 369,955 have completed their series.
There are currently 7,218 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 87 deaths in Orange County. 21,680 people have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 9,648 have completed their vaccine series.
For more information regarding live updates (NCDHHS updates the site every day around noon), please visit the NCDHHS website.
Orange County Health Department also has a COVID-19 dashboard webpage, with information on COVID-19 data in the county.
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COVID-19 Community Resources
For more information on COVID-19 community resources in the county, please visit our webpage. Resources on specific topic areas, such as food access, education, housing, and others, are all accessible on our website, or at the links below. |
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