Tag Archive for: #granvillevancepublichealth

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TownTalk: Local Health Update With Lisa Harrison

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The COVID-19 pandemic has brought laser-focused attention to the need for community partnerships, and Granville-Vance Health Director Lisa Harrison knows firsthand the value of working together to assure overall community health.

Harrison, who recently completed her term as president of the National Association of City and County Health Officers, attended a national conference in Washington, DC, where public health officials gathered to talk about topics like vaccine equity.

“We had a really exciting day,” Harrison told John C. Rose on Monday’s TownTalk.

No matter where you find yourself – in the business world, faith community, education or simply a parent of young children, Harrison said “it’s wonderful that people are recognizing the hard work that the public health workforce commits to all the time to fight disease and promote health.”

“It doesn’t matter who you are in this community of ours, people’s health is one of the most important measures of wealth we have in this society. And I’m glad that people are realizing that there are people working hard to keep it that way,” she said.

Both Vance and Granville counties are currently enjoying low incidences of COVID-19 cases, but Harrison said flu is making its presence felt in the two counties.

“We are definitely seeing an uptick,” she said. “We need people to be washing hands and getting flu shots,” she said.

Vaccines provide protection for so many different diseases and sicknesses, she said, from shingles to COVID, childhood diseases to flu and pneumonia.

But access to vaccines still poses barriers and so she said public health professionals have to consider ways to get vaccines out into the community.

“We have to make an effort to go out into neighborhoods where transportation is a challenge for people and where there are maybe pockets of folks who don’t have the same amount of knowledge about the importance of vaccinations and staying healthy,” she said.

 

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Granville County Has First Case Of Monkeypox; Vaccines Ordered

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Granville County has its first confirmed case of monkeypox, and local health department officials said that they’re waiting for vaccines to arrive, but don’t have any at the moment.

Granville-Vance Public Health Director Lisa Harrison said they were notified Friday afternoon about the case in Granville County, one of 138 cases of monkeypox in the state.

“Although GVPH does not yet have vaccine on site, we have ordered the vaccine and we have a relationship with both Durham and Wake counties who are two of the sites that received monkeypox vaccine in NC in the first few weeks,” Harrison said in a weekly communication statement.

Harrison and her staff have been monitoring COVID-19 updates for the past two years, and recently have had to put monkeypox on their radar screen.

Both counties remain in the “high” community spread category for COVID-19, Harrison noted. Vance County has reported a total of 126 deaths from COVID-19; Granville County has reported 118 deaths.

The BA.5 variant is now most prevalent as indicated by the data dashboard. For the most up-to-date information, visit  https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/dashboard.

The Kaiser Family Foundation website has helpful information on monkeypox. View the FAQ section here.

Below is a bulleted list of statements about monkeypox, who is getting sick and the role of vaccines in curbing spread: 

  • ALL of the cases in NC so far have been in men ages 18-65
  • Transmission happens through skin-to-skin contact, and occasionally contaminated items
  • Symptoms include: Lesions on the skin, fever and swollen lymph nodes
  • Monkeypox impacts people of all sexual orientations
  • Monkeypox has been declared a public health emergency of international concern
  • Vaccine supply will continue to increase and we should have some locally soon — the sooner an exposed person gets the vaccine, the better.
  • Both smallpox and monkeypox vaccines are effective at protecting people against monkeypox when given before exposure to monkeypox

 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Jynneos vaccine to allow health care providers to administer it via intradermal injection for individuals 18 years of age and older. Intradermal injection uses one-fifth the size of dose as subcutaneous injection, allowing the U.S. to stretch the current limited vaccine supply to reach more patients. The updated EUA is based on a 2015 study that showed a smaller dose of the vaccine injected intradermally generated a similar immune response to a larger dose injected below the skin. The EUA also allows for the use of Jynneos vaccine in individuals younger than 18 at high risk of monkeypox infection though via the original subcutaneous injection route.

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TownTalk: COVID-19 Vaccines Now Available for Children Under 5

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With COVID-19 vaccines now approved for use with the youngest children – ages six months through 5 years, Granville-Vance Public Health Director Lisa Harrison encourages parents to ask questions of health care professionals to determine the best course of action when deciding which vaccine to choose.

Harrison spoke on Town Talk Wednesday with John C. Rose and said there is a wealth of information for parents located at www.gvph.org. She said it’s important to get information from trusted sources – like your child’s pediatrician or from the local health department.

Specialized nurses and immunization nurses administer the vaccines at the health department for anyone who wants a shot, including this youngest group of children most recently approved to get the vaccine.

The Pfizer shot is a three-series shot and is cleared to be given to children six months through 4 years. The Moderna shot is a two-dose series and is cleared for children through age 5. Both vaccines are now at the health department, and parents can consult with health professionals before deciding which one to ask for.

“Both are certainly well tested and effective,” she said.

Side effects are similar to those that adults have after getting shots and boosters – swelling and redness at injection site, slight fever or feeling tired for a day or two, but that’s about it, Harrison said.

Vance and Granville counties both have returned to “high” transmission rates recently, and Harrison said as long as the counties remain in this category, she personally will choose to wear a mask when she is indoors with a lot of people. When she’s outside, she opts to not wear a mask.

It’s more difficult for younger children to keep masks on, and to follow the other W’s – “wait” 6 feet apart and “Wash” your hands frequently, she said, so vaccines for this youngest group just makes good health sense.

In fact, masks are not recommended for children ages 2 and under.

Vaccines “are the biggest and most important intervention we’ve had over the last hundred years,” she explained. And the various COVID-19 vaccines are more tested than any other vaccine.

One thing that health professionals have learned over the course of the pandemic is the unpredictable nature of the virus. “It’s hard to have this much patience with a mutating virus, for sure,” she said. Being vaccinated, however, is “the way we get through to the other side of the pandemic,” she added.

 

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COVID-19 Cases Continue Downward Trend In Vance, Granville

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New cases of COVID-19 continue to decline in Vance and Granville counties over the past week, and Granville Vance Public Health Director Lisa Harrison said that while this is good news for the community, it’s important to pay close attention to what’s happening outside the community – even on other continents – to remain vigilant about safety precautions.

Vance County reported 10 new cases in the 7-day period ending Mar. 18; Granville reported 16 new cases in that same time frame. Both counties are in the low category for percent positivity – 2.7 percent for Vance and 1.7 percent for Granville, according to information from GVPH.

Both counties are now below the state’s percent positive rate of 2.3 percent.

There have been 14,173 cases of COVID-19 in Granville County and 11,809 cases of COVID-19 in Vance County for a total of 25,982 across the health district.

Granville County has documented 111 deaths as a result of COVID-19 and Vance County has a total of 112 deaths for a total of 223 deaths across the health district.

“It is true that we are in a much better and much different place than we have been during the pandemic,” Harrison said. “It is also true the pandemic is not over. Never underestimate the power of data, of your public health teams, health care provider teams, education support teams, and in general, where many of us turn often: Faith, Hope, and Love. Whatever the future brings, we have the courage and the tools to navigate it,” she said.

Beginning Wednesday, Mar. 23, the DHHS dashboard summary will reflect how the state’s health offiicials are continuing to keep a close watch on COVID-19 trends in the state. The following seven metrics will be used, with less emphasis of the percentage of positive tests:

 

  • Wastewater surveillance, which can detect COVID
  • Emergency department reports of people coming in with COVID-like illnesses
  • Hospital admission numbers
  • Case trends
  • Booster shot rates
  • Prevalence of variants
  • Reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on community spread in the states.

This change is being made because so many people are testing themselves at home and not necessarily reporting results to DHHS, Harrison said.

She added information on a recent increase in cases and hospitalizations in the United Kingdom and  other European countries. There are several possible reasons for this increase, Harrison noted: the more transmissible BA.2 Omicron variants, more people gathering more often without masks and waning immunity from vaccination or previous infection.

State public health and political leaders held a press conference on Thursday, Mar. 17 and the main points of the press conference were:

  • We can look forward with the belief that the worst of this pandemic is behind us and it’s also important to take stock at how far we have come.
  • There are COVID-19 vaccines, treatments, testing supplies, and improved infrastructure to help people make choices as they live amid the virus.
  • Now we turn the page on the pandemic to a new phase – “one of individual responsibility, preparedness, and prosperity.”

“While COVID is now a threat we can manage, it has not disappeared,” NC DHSS Secretary Kody Kinsley said. “We will remain vigilant and we will work to equip you with the information and tools you need to make choices that are best for you and your family.”

Four principles will guide the DHHS response, Kinsley said, to “ensure a fast and fair response that improves the health, safety and well-being of all North Carolinians.”

The guiding principles are:

  • Empowering individuals to make informed decisions for themselves and their families
  • Maintaining health system capacity
  • Collaborating with local partners
  • Prioritizing equity in access to vaccines, treatments and other tools, as well as crucial information

Stay up-to-date by visiting https://gvph.org/

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New COVID-19 Cases Drop In Vance, Granville

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For the first time in months, Vance and Granville counties COVID-19 percent positive rates have dropped to the “low” level. There have been no new deaths reported in the last few weeks in either county.

Vance reported 17 new cases over the past week, and Granville reported 27, according to the weekly update from Granville Vance Public Health.

Those numbers represent a 3.4 percent positivity rate for Vance County and a 3.0 percent positivity rate in Granville.

No new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the last two weeks from the Granville buildings of the Federal Prison in Butner, NC.

There have been 14,118 cases of COVID-19 in Granville County and 11,783 cases of COVID-19 in Vance County for a total of 25,901 across the health district.

Granville County has documented 111 deaths as a result of COVID-19 and Vance County has a total of 112 deaths for a total of 223 deaths across the health district.

“We have reached a number of milestones in the COVID-19 pandemic as we have rounded out year two and are all collectively hopeful that no more variants of concern are around the corner,” said GVPH Director Lisa Harrison.

As mask restrictions loosen, Harrison said health professionals and others will continue to pay close attention to the level of disease in the population and to make sure the public remains healthy and safe from communicable disease.

“For those in public health, the epidemic curve (in this case, the pandemic curve) shows us a visual picture of what we have been through together,” Harrison said.

 

 

 

COVID-19 Rates Continue To Drop In Vance, Granville

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COVID-19 cases continue to recede in Vance and Granville counties, and there have been no new deaths reported in the past week, according to information from Granville Vance Public Health.

Trends are decreasing, lowering the risk of infection, according to Lisa Harrison, GVPH director. Harrison also notes that there have been improvements in hospital capacity.

There have been 79 new cases reported in Vance County in the 7 days ending Friday, Feb. 18. The percent positivity rate is 12.9 percent; in Granville County, 164 new cases were reported in the same period for a percent positivity rate of 11.6 percent.

A total of 11,658 cases have been reported in Vance and 13,888 cases have been reported in Granville.

In the Bureau of Federal Prisons in Butner, there were 3 Granville County inmates whose positive test results were reported to the local health department this week (57 cases have been reported during the 30-day period). There are no new cases among staff to report.

The Local Skinny! Gang Free Inc. Has Masks; COVID-19 Update

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Need some N95 masks? Look no further than Gang Free Inc. Founder Melissa Elliott said she’s got plenty, with more ordered and on the way.

Elliott told WIZS News Monday that anyone in the community who would like masks can simply head out to the Gang Free, Inc. location at 940 County Home Road any weekday between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Elliott said the masks come from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and are free. She also has COVID-19 at-home rapid tests available.

She estimates that her organization has distributed more than 6,000 masks and 2,000 test kits in the past couple of weeks. Recipients include area police departments and other agencies.

“If people need them, they can come and get them,” Elliott said.

Each box contains 20 N95 masks, and she gives larger groups like churches a whole case – 240 masks in all – if they need them. The test kits come two to a box, with 90 boxes in a case.

She said she didn’t want anyone in the community to have to pay for taking a COVID-19 test when her organization has them available free for the asking.

According to the most recent COVID-19 update from Granville Vance Public Health, both counties continue to be in the high community transmission rate. Vance County reported 358 new cases for 28.7 percent and Granville County reported 439 new cases for 22.5 percent positivity rate.

There have been 13,461 cases of COVID-19 in Granville County and 11,380 cases of COVID-19 in Vance County for a total of 24,841 across the health district.

In the Bureau of Federal Prisons in Butner, there were 44 Granville County inmates whose positive test results were reported to the local health department in the last week. In addition, there are currently 20 staff of the federal prison with COVID-19 (including 17 Granville County residents and 3 Vance County residents).

Granville County has documented 110 deaths as a result of COVID-19 and Vance County has a total of 111 deaths for a total of 221 deaths across the health district.

 

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Omicron Variant Accounts For 99 Percent Of New COVID-19 Cases In Vance, Granville

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The Omicron variant accounts for 99 percent of all new cases across the Granville Vance Health district, which reported a total of almost 1,400 new cases as of Friday, Jan. 28.Vance County reported 569 new cases and Granville reported 825 in the past seven days which ended Jan. 27, according to GVPH Director Lisa Harrison’s weekly update.

Vance County’s 32.7 percent positive rate and Granville’s 27 percent positivity rate still put both counties in the high transmission for new cases.There have been 13,095 cases of COVID-19 in Granville County and 10,959 cases of COVID-19 in Vance County for a total of 24,054 across the health district.

There were 35 Butner Federal Prison inmates reported as COVID positive to the health department on the Granville County side this week and 16 staff members of the Butner Federal Prison who are currently positive for COVID-19 are residents of the health district.

Each county has documented 110 deaths as a result of COVID-19 for a total of 220, up three from last week’s total of 217. In Vance County, a 47-year-old male died in hospital on Jan. 22 and in Granville County, a 73-year-old male died in hospital Jan. 25.

The update also included the most recent seven-day rolling average of new COVID-19 deaths across the United States, which continues to climb. As of Thursday, Jan. 27, 2,267 deaths had been reported. “Nearly all cases of COVID-19 which are typed across the country right now are Omicron,” Harrison stated in the update. “Just because less severe disease is happening with this variant for many people – and many people may not even show or feel symptoms – that doesn’t mean Omicron isn’t still deadly to some. It’s especially dangerous for the unvaccinated who are more likely to have severe illness and need hospitalization. Given the sheer amount of spread we are experiencing across the country of this variant, we still see high numbers of those hospitalized and those dying from COVID-19.” High numbers of hospitalizations also are being recorded in the state and in the region.

Vaccinations, boosters, mask wearing and maintaining social distancing protocols are still the best protections against COVID-19.

Here are the most recent county numbers:

In Vance County:

·       65 percent of those over the age of 5 have received at least one dose of their COVID-19 vaccine and 59 percent have been vaccinated with at least two doses or one dose of J&J.

·       19 percent of those ages 5-11 years old have received at least one dose of their COVID-19 vaccine and 11 percent are up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccines.

·       48 percent of those ages 12-17 years old have received at least one dose of their COVID-19 vaccine and 42 percent are vaccinated with at least two doses or one dose of J&J.

·       10,000 of those over the age of 12 are vaccinated with at least one booster/additional dose

In Granville County:

·       69 percent of those over the age of 5 have received at least one dose of their COVID-19 vaccine and 64 percent are vaccinated with at least two doses or one dose of J&J.

·       21 percent of those ages 5-11 years old have received at least one dose of their COVID-19 vaccine and 15 percent are up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccines.

·       45 percent of those ages 12-17 years old have received at least one dose of their COVID-19 vaccine and 41 percent are vaccinated with at least two doses or one dose of J&J.

·       15,304 of those over the age of 12 are vaccinated with at least one booster/additional dose.

COVID-19 tests are available in the following locations in the two counties:

·       Rural Health Group at Henderson, 100 Parkview Dr. West, Henderson, Mon-Fri. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

·       Vance County Schools Central Office, 1724 Graham Ave., Henderson, Mon-Fri, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

·       CVS and Walgreens, by appointment

·       Butner-Stem Middle School, 501 E. D St., Butner, Mon-Wed., 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

·       Mary Potter Center for Innovation, 200 Taylor St., Oxford, Thur.-Sat. 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

·       Spectrum Medical Solutions, 119 Hilltop Village, Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

 

 

 
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COVID-19 Cases Up In Vance, Granville; No Omicron Reported

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Although the omicron strain of COVID-19 has been identified in several counties in North Carolina, there have been no cases found in Vance or Granville counties –  so far.

The Delta variant continues to pose problems for the community, and Granville Vance Public Health Director Lisa Harrison said cases are up in both counties her department covers. In the 7-day period ending Friday, there were 118 new cases in Vance County. The percent positivity rate in Vance County is 9.4%.

In the same period in Granville County, 124 new cases were reported. The percent positivity rate in Granville County is 5.3%.

In Vance County, 63% of those over the age of 5 have received at least one dose of their COVID-19 vaccine and 57% are fully vaccinated.

In Granville County, 67% of those over the age of 5 have received at least one dose of their COVID-19 vaccine and 63% are fully vaccinated.

When asked by WIZS about urban and rural areas and the local situation with COVID-19 and its variants, Harrison said, “we are seeing an increase in cases overall, and per capita, rural and urban are both seeing increases at about the same rate – rural areas may eclipse urban in this next wave actually since our vaccination rates are lower.”

“Omicron is in about 35 states, but no, we don’t see a lot of it yet in NC… I suspect it will rapidly increase in the coming weeks. Hopefully it will not overtake Delta, but we know it spreads super-fast and it could. Even if it doesn’t cause disease that is as severe as Delta, if there’s more of it over time, we still have to worry about our hospitals’ capacities to address the severely ill,” Harrison cautioned.

“The very best tool we have to fight this virus and protect our health care system is vaccination,” Harrison said. “We are grateful we have safe and effective vaccines for those 5 and older, and we are seeing more and more people decide to get their booster, which is important to ensure the immune system is as strong as it can be against any new strains of the virus.”

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TownTalk: Lisa Harrison Praises Area Healthcare Workers; Appears Before Congress

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If you receive a postcard in the mail from Granville Vance Public Health in the next little bit, Lisa Harrison surely would appreciate it if you agree to help out with a project that is currently underway in the two-county area.

Harrison, GVPH director, said the health department is conducting its community assessment to solicit information from residents about what is foremost on their minds with regard to health issues.

She told John C. Rose on Town Talk Wednesday that the health district is going to be sending out postcards to about 4,000 individuals – chosen at random – to complete an online survey that will be used to complete the community health assessment.

In addition, there will be two focus groups held next week – one at Gang Free Inc, 940 County Home Rd., Henderson on Nov. 16 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and a second at Oxford United Methodist Church, 105 W. McClanahan St., Oxford on Nov. 17 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

For the past several years, the health department has focused on mental health, substance abuse, youth well-being and access to health care services. Results from the current community assessment will help inform the direction for county health professionals to take over the next several years. Harrison said she wants the public to say “what we should spend our time and money on in the next three years.”

As health director, she is attuned to the programs offered and services needed in Vance and Granville counties.

But Harrison also currently serves as president of the board of the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), which has taken her to conferences and meetings across the country.

She recently testified before Congress about the national shortage of health care workers and a possible loan repayment program to improve the situation.

“It was a really nice opportunity to brag on our workforce,” Harrison said. Those health care workers who have been “working at the tip of the spear” during the COVID-19 pandemic need to have advocates like Harrison representing them on the national level.

The hearing lasted about 4 ½ hours, but she said it seemed like there was bipartisan support for the loan repayment program.

The front-line workers battling COVID-19 aren’t much different from soldiers defending the country and keeping it safe. “I appreciate that there was some discussion…to protect Americans,” she added.

As for the staff at the health department, Harrison has nothing but glowing comments to share. “It’s always an honor and a privilege to talk about (them),” she said. They are dedicated to this community and so “it’s easy for me to tell that story.” The health department locations in Henderson and Oxford have extended clinic hours to make it easier for people to come after work and school to get vaccinated.

“Now’s the time” to get vaccinated, Harrison said. “We don’t want any more variants…(and) certainly we don’t want any more deaths. A vaccine is the best way to protect everybody.”