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COVID-19 Update 3/24/2020

March 24, 2020

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By Julia Adams Scheurich

COVID19 Update: 3/24/2020

 

NC COVID19 HOT TOPICS:

398 COVID19 cases in North Carolina. (11 am. 3/24/2020)

8,502 NC Completed Tests (11 am. 3/23/2020)

https://www.ncdhhs.gov/covid-19-case-count-nc

We do have community spread in North Carolina.

*We are aware that the numbers reported by news outlets is higher than the numbers shown in these reports. We have been using the count provided by NC DHHS.

 

In This Issue of COVID19 Update:

·        CDC Guidance on At Risk for COVID19

·        NC Legislative Update: House Select Committee Meeting on Wednesday

·        PPE Information with Attachments for More Guidance

·        Mecklenburg Shelter-In-Place Declaration

·        NCACC Emergency Declaration Information

·        NC Medicaid Bulletins

·        NC DHHS Additional Updates

·        NC AHEC Webinars

·        NC Health News Wrap Up

·        NPR Podcast: Talking COVID-19 With People Who Have Autism

 

CDC COVID19 Website:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

 

CMS COVID19 Website:
https://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/Emergency/EPRO/Current-Emergencies/Current-Emergencies-page

 

 

CDC Guidance At Risk Populations (3/22/2020)
CDC Updates List of Who is High Risk

On March 22, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated who is at high-risk for more severe illness from COVID-19. This is a new disease and we continue to learn about it as new information becomes available. CDC Guidance for Who is High Risk for Severe Illness

 

 

NC Legislative Update:
Tomorrow, March 25th, the House Select Committee on COVID-19, Economic Support will meet at 11:00AM in room 1228/1327 of the Legislative Building. In accordance with the latest guidance from the Center for Disease Control and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the House Select Committee on Covid-19 and subcommittees will largely meet remotely, not in person, to minimize the gathering of Members and staff. While there is extremely limited seating in room 1228, members of the public are requested to comply with the guidance from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control by listening remotely. The public will be able to listen to a live stream audio via the NCGA committee website link by using committee room number 1228 of the Legislative Building. https://www.ncleg.gov/

 

 

 

NC DHHS: Personal Protective Equipment

We understand providers concerns regarding access to PPE. We were on a COVID19 task force call today regarding critical supplies for our providers. We are sharing the following healthcare guidance for PPE and the link to the PPE Request Process. To facilitate your ability to reach out to your Local Emergency Managers (LEM) to make the request we are including a link to the LEM county directories. Please see attachments regarding PPE.

https://www.ncdps.gov/emergency-management/em-community/directories/counties

 

 

County Shelter-In-Place/Stay-In-Home Orders:
As the number of COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Mecklenburg County, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management Office has announced a Stay-at-Home order for County residents. The order will go into effect on Thursday, March 26 at 8:00 a.m. and will remain in effect for the next 21 days.

The order was announced Tuesday afternoon by Mecklenburg County Public Health Director, Gibbie Harris during the Board of County Commissioners Budget and Public Policy meeting.

The order will require County residents to remain in their homes for the next 21 days as part of an attempt to reduce the number of new COVID-19 infections within the County. Exceptions will be allowed for those seeking medical treatment, buying food or exercising outdoors.

Essential workers, including hospital and medical staff, pharmacy employees, law enforcement, firefighters, EMS Agency (MEDIC), some government employees and food service and grocery store employees will be allowed to travel to work.

For more information on the Stay-at-Home order, including frequently asked questions, or a complete list of essential services, visit MeckNC.gov.

https://www.mecknc.gov/news/Documents/Mecklenburg%20County%20Stay%20at%20Home%20Orders.pdf

 

NCACC (NC Association of County Commissioners) County Information Emergency Declarations:
We know how hard it is to keep up with all of the state and county Emergency Declarations on COVID19. We are providing this link to help you see what your county is doing during this emergency. We hope it helps.

 

 

NC DHHS:


NC Medicaid Bulletins:

Special Bulletin COVID-19 #15: Medicaid and NC Health Choice Temporary Flexibilities - 1135 Waiver Provisions

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has granted NC Medicaid the authority to temporarily modify several Medicaid and NC Health Choice policies retroactive to March 1, 2020, and through the end of federal emergency declaration or when the flexibility is ended by the State or CMS. More

SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #14: Diagnosis Code Being Added to Exemption List for the Annual Office Visit Limit

In response to the anticipated spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in North Carolina, NC Medicaid is adding the following diagnosis code to the list of diagnoses exempt from the annual visit limit: More

 

NC DHHS ADDITIONAL UPDATES 3/23/2020

·        Gov. Roy Cooper asks for health care volunteers Open PDF to assist with COVID-19. 

·        Governor Cooper Requests Major Disaster Declaration for COVID-19.

·        NCDHHS announces hotline for critical workers seeking child care options.

·        Governor Cooper directs funding to schools to teach and feed students during COVID-19. 

·        NCDHHS holds media briefing to share updates about COVID-19. State Health Director Dr. Betsey Tilson encouraged North Carolinians who have mild symptoms of COVID-19 to stay at home and contact your doctor. Director of NC Emergency Management Mike Sprayberry provided updates on the second allocation of supplies that North Carolina has received from the Strategic National Stockpile. While the supplies are useful, North Carolina will continue to respond to the national shortage of protective equipment by implementing any strategy to purchase or acquire additional needed supplies for COVID-19.

NC Health News: COVID19 Update for 3/23/2020
https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2020/03/24/coronavirus-today-march-24-mecklenburg-shelter-in-place-order-personal-protective-equipment-and-a-sign-from-god/

 

AHEC Webinars: COVID19
We are sharing the following information about webinars hosted by AHEC and partner organizations. Please visit this website for more information.

NC Medicaid, CCNC, and NC AHEC Webinar Series for Providers
Every Thursday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
View the recording, transcript, and slide deck from March 19, 2020.
Click here to register for the webinar series.

Community Care of North Carolina (CCNC) and NC AHEC are working together with NC Medicaid to help North Carolina’s health care providers address the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially to understand Medicaid policies. A key resource will be a webinar held every Thursday evening from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Featuring subject-matter experts from NC Medicaid, CCNC, and NC AHEC, this weekly webinar series will address Medicaid policies including new options for telephonic and telehealth delivery of care for Medicaid beneficiaries, provide a one-stop location gathering the latest information from NC DHHS, and deliver practice support coaching to help practices implement new clinical workflows in response to the changing demands of COVID-19. Please submit any questions for subject-matter experts to prepare for in advance to medicaid.covid19@dhhs.nc.gov before 5 p.m. on the Wednesday preceding the webinar. Follow these links to add the event series to your Outlook, Google, or Yahoo calendar.

DPH and NC AHEC Weekly Forum for Health Care Facilities and Home-based Providers
Every Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. beginning March 24
Join the Zoom meeting room or dial-in at (646) 558-8656 with webinar ID 988 453 520.

Co-sponsored by the Division of Public Health (DPH) and NC AHEC, this weekly forum will connect health care facilities and home-based providers with subject matter experts to receive a brief update on new developments on COVID-19 and respond to questions received before or during the forum. The forums will continue until they are no longer needed.Please submit any questions for subject-matter experts to prepare for in advance before 5 p.m. on the Sunday preceding the webinar to questionsCOVID19forum@gmail.com.

NPR: Podcast: How To Talk About COVID-10 With People Who Have Autism.
Parents and caretakers of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities such as autism face unique hurtles in communicating about the coronavirus pandemic.https://www.npr.org/2020/03/24/820542927/how-to-talk-about-covid-19-with-people-who-have-autism