On December 14, the Alamance County Board of Health held its annual awards ceremony at the Alamance County Health Department recognizing the work of employees and community partners.

The Board of Health recognized Betsy Meeks as the recipient of the Alamance County Health Department’s 2021 Employee of the Year Award. The 2021 Employee of the Year award is selected by the Board of Health from nominations from health department staff.

The Board of Health also recognizes outside agencies, organizations, or individuals that have partnered with the health department with the Public Health Partnership Award and the Public Health Champion Award. The Board of Health recognized the City of Burlington as the 2021 Public Health Partnership Award recipient.  The City of Burlington was recognized for its continuous support to the health department, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, in assisting with media, safety, and staffing during indoor and outdoor mass vaccination clinics. The Board of Health recognized Jason Witherspoon as the 2021 Public Health Champion Award recipient. Jason is an employee with Alamance Parks. Jason played a pivotal role in the Health Department’s community response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Health Director Tony LoGiudice recognized Rob Snow with the Health Director’s Living Our Values Award. This award is presented to an employee who exemplifies the core values of the health department: Integrity, Compassion, Teamwork, Communication, and Accountability. 

Also recognized were retirees Donna Dotson, Cathy Stephenson, and Carol Wood in appreciation of their years of service to Alamance County.

On December 7, the North Carolina State Lab of Public Health in Raleigh confirmed Alamance County’s fourth case of rabies for the year.

 On December 6, Alamance County Animal Control was notified of a cat bite that occurred on December 4 in the Staley Store Road area of Liberty. Alamance County Animal Control sent the cat to the North Carolina State Lab for rabies testing where it was found to be positive.

The Health Department did identify two human exposures to the animal, and recommended immediate post-exposure treatment. There were other cats identified in this feral cat community. Some have been vaccinated or quarantined, while others may require euthanasia. All appropriate vaccination and quarantine laws are being followed by the Health Department in cooperation with Alamance County Animal Control.

 Because this is a large feral community and not all animals have been identified, it is recommended that any outside animals be checked and monitored for bite wounds, and receive a rabies booster vaccination if previously vaccinated or if exposure to the cat is in question.

 If you live in this area and are concerned about a possible exposure, please contact the Alamance County Animal Control Department at 336-570-6302 or the On-Call Communicable Disease Nurse at 336-516-7715.

 It is North Carolina law that cats and dogs be vaccinated against rabies. The first vaccination should occur when the dog or cat is no more than 4 months of age; the second vaccination is required no more than a year later and then again every three years.

If you are bitten by any animal:

• Wash the wound with soap and running water for ten (10) minutes and seek medical attention immediately.
• Write down the location of the animal and a description of the animal to provide to animal control.  If the animal is someone’s pet, also get the owner’s name and address.  Give this information to animal control or the health department.
• Do nottry to catch any wild or stray animal

Last year, Alamance County had three confirmed animal cases of rabies.

For more information or questions about rabies control and vaccinations requirements, contact the Health Department’s Environmental Health office at (336) 570-6367.

Health officials urge residents to keep their pets up-to-date on rabies vaccinations

The Alamance County Health Department will be hosting a drive-thru rabies vaccination clinic on November 13 from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. in the parking lot of the Health Department (Human Services Center) located at 319 N. Graham-Hopedale Road in Burlington.

The cost of the rabies shot at the clinic will be $5.00 per pet- CASH ONLY. The vaccination clinic will be a drive-thru clinic with all owners staying in their cars. Dogs will be vaccinated in the cars and cats MUST be in carriers that health personnel may take them into the building to be vaccinated.

North Carolina state law states that every owner of a cat or dog over four months of age is required to have the animal vaccinated against rabies.

To date, there have been three confirmed cases of rabies in 2021 for Alamance County. In 2020, there were three confirmed rabies cases in the county. For more information or questions about rabies control, vaccination requirements, or upcoming clinics, contact the health department’s Environmental Health office at (336) 570-6367.

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is now available for anyone ages 5 and older. On November 2 the CDC approved and recommended that pediatric doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine be made available to children ages 5-11. The vaccine is to be administered in a two-dose injection series at least 21 days apart.  

COVID-19 vaccination appointments for first, second, third, booster, and pediatric doses can be made through the online appointment system located at www.vaccinatealamance.com. For those without internet access, the COVID-19 vaccine call center is available Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm to schedule appointments. The number to call for an appointment is 336-290-0650.

Alamance County Health Department is administering COVID-19 vaccines to the public at the Human Services Center. Please enter through the 1913 McKinney Street entrance.

If you make an appointment and are unable to keep it, or if you choose to receive your vaccination elsewhere, please call 336-290-0650 to cancel the appointment. This will help to alleviate the possibility of vacant appointment times.

The public will be informed of any changes and updates through the Health Department website, social media, and the local news media.  

Flu season is upon us and the Alamance County Health Department wants you to protect yourself and your family. Thursday, October 7, the health department will begin offering appointments for seasonal flu shots to the public.

This year, the health department will be providing the following vaccine options to the public:

• Quadrivalent flu vaccine injection which covers four strains of influenza
• Flublok flu vaccine injection which is recommended for people with egg allergies that are ages 18 years and older
• High Dose Trivalent vaccine which covers three strains and is recommended for people over 65 years

The vaccine is available while supplies last.  One shot is all most people will need. Children under age 9, who have not previously been vaccinated against the flu, may need two doses.

The flu shot is available this year at no cost to the public by appointment only at the following times:

• Monday – Friday (excluding holidays)
  • 8:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M.
  • 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M.

Increase your chances of keeping the flu away by getting the vaccine. Also, remember to wash your hands often, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, cover coughs and sneezes, and stay home if you are sick to help stop the spread of illness. For an appointment or more information, call the health department at 336-570-6459.

On September 28^th, the North Carolina State Lab of Public Health in Raleigh confirmed Alamance County’s third case of rabies for the year.

 On September 27th, Alamance County Animal Control was notified of a cat that was picked up on Snow Camp Road in Snow Camp. The cat was transported to this location from another residence on Stockard Road in Graham. Burlington Animal Control sent the cat to the North Carolina State Lab for rabies testing where it was found to be positive.

The Health Department did identify four human exposures to the animal, and recommended immediate post-exposure treatment for these individuals. There were five other animals who were exposed to the rabid cat, and appropriate vaccination and quarantine laws are being followed by the Health Department in cooperation with Alamance County Animal Control.

 If you live in this area and are concerned about a possible exposure, please contact the Alamance County Animal Control Department at 336-570-6302 or the On-Call Communicable Disease Nurse at 336-516-7715.

 It is North Carolina law that cats and dogs be vaccinated against rabies. The first vaccination should occur when the dog or cat is no more than 4 months of age; the second vaccination is required no more than a year later and then again every three years.

If you are bitten by any animal:

• Wash the wound with soap and running water for ten (10) minutes and seek medical attention immediately.
• Write down the location of the animal and a description of the animal to provide to animal control.  If the animal is someone’s pet, also get the owner’s name and address.  Give this information to animal control or the health department.
• Do not try to catch any wild or stray animal

Last year, Alamance County had three confirmed animal cases of rabies.

For more information or questions about rabies control and vaccinations requirements, contact the Health Department’s Environmental Health office at (336) 570-6367.

On September 24, CDC recommended that certain populations receive a booster shot of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after completion of their two-dose Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine series.

People who should receive a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine booster include:

• People ages 65 and older
• People 18+ living in long-term care settings
• People ages 50–64 with an underlying medical condition

People who may receive a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine booster include:

• People ages 18–49 with an underlying medical condition
• People ages 18–64 who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure & transmission due to working or residing in certain settings

COVID-19 vaccination appointments for first, second, third, and booster doses can be made through the online appointment system located at www.vaccinatealamance.com. For those without internet access, the COVID-19 vaccine call center is available Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm to schedule appointments. The number to call for an appointment is 336-290-0650.

Alamance County Health Department will be administering COVID-19 booster shots at a drive through COVID-19 booster clinic at The Village Market Place, 1003 W. Main St., Haw River 27258 for a limited time. An appointment is required.

If you make an appointment and are unable to keep it, or if you choose to receive your vaccination elsewhere, please call 336-290-0650 to cancel the appointment. This will help to alleviate the possibility of vacant appointment times.

The public will be informed of any changes and updates through the Health Department website, social media, and the local news media.  

BURLINGTON: The City of Burlington has implemented a boil water notice due to E. Coli/fecal coliform bacteria found at a specific location in the city of Burlington water system.

E. coli/fecal coliform bacteria can cause illness for individuals with weakened immune systems. Symptoms of E. coli infection may vary, but could include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting.

City of Burlington has advised that residents should boil their drinking water until further notice. Additionally, the State of North Carolina advises impacted residents to boil all water used for human consumption (including drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes and food preparation) or use bottled water. Residents should boil their water for at least one minute; this should help kill any disease-causing organisms that are potentially present in the water.

With a positive E.coli, those businesses permitted by the Health Department, restaurants, lodging and tattoo parlors, and are customers of the city of Burlington must suspend operations until the boil water notice is lifted and post event procedures are followed.

For general guidelines on how to lessen the risk of infection contact the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-479. Any questions or concerns regarding food and lodging facilities can be addressed by calling 336-290-0653. Alamance County Environmental Health has a hotline available to assist.

City of Burlington residents can contact the City of Burlington’s Customer Service Line at 336-222-5100 or monitor the City’s website at www.BurlingtonNC.gov/Water.

The American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law March 11, 2021 by President Biden, provides states with the option to temporarily expand WIC’s nutrition support by increasing the monthly Cash Value Benefit (CVB) to $35 for children and women (not infants).  The NC WIC Program opted-in for this temporary increase for the months of June, July, August and September.

The Alamance County WIC office will ensure that eligible, active participants receive the increase.  There is no action that the participants need to take if they are currently active in the program.  Current WIC participants and those who may be WIC-eligible should contact the office if they have any questions about exactly what date their increase will occur or how they can enroll in the program.

The WIC (The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program Women, Infants, and Children) program provides supplemental nutrition (healthy foods), nutrition education, breastfeeding support and community or healthcare referrals for women who: are pregnant, have had a baby in the last 6 months, or are breastfeeding and have had a baby in the last 12 months, as well as infants and children up to 5 years of age. To be eligible, the child or mother must: live in the state of North Carolina, live in a household with an income at or below 185% of the Federal poverty income guidelines, and have a nutrition-related problem or be at risk of developing a nutrition-related problem. The pregnant women, post-partum women and children mentioned above who receive Medicaid or Food and Nutrition Services (SNAP) meet the WIC income eligibility criteria.  Alamance County WIC currently serves more than 4,000 participants.

The Alamance County WIC office is located at 319 N. Graham-Hopedale Rd., Burlington, NC, 27217.  Please call 336-570-6745 with inquiries or to schedule an appointment.  Due to COVID-19 waivers for the NC WIC Program, appointments are currently conducted over the telephone, which means the phone lines may be busy.  Please leave a voice message with your name and telephone number if indicated. The clinic is open Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm. WIC also offers appointments during lunch hours (open 12-1pm).  You may also visit the WIC website at www.nutritionnc.com to learn more about WIC.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

On April 27, the North Carolina State Lab of Public Health in Raleigh confirmed Alamance County’s second case of rabies for the year.

On April 26, Alamance County Animal Control was notified of a bat that was retrieved from a pool on Dixon Road in Graham. Alamance County Animal Control sent the bat to the North Carolina State Lab for rabies testing where it was found to be positive. The Health Department did identify two human exposures to the animal, and recommended immediate post-exposure treatment for these individuals.

If you live in this area and have outside pets, the Health Department encourages you to examine them for any wounds that may have come from contact with this bat and notify Alamance County Animal Control at 336-570-6302, or the Health Department’s Environmental Health office at (336) 570-6367 if you have questions or concerns.

Many bat species use man-made structures such as buildings and bridges to complement their selection of natural roosts. During the months of May through August bats are a protected species and cannot be removed from their roosting location. Exclusion of bats can be done when temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees and any months other than May through August. If you find a bat in your home or a building structure, close off the area where the bat is located and safely exit the premises. You should contact your local Animal Control agency. If you think you may have multiple bats or an infestation in your home, contact a wildlife nuisance abatement company; bats should never be directly handled.

It is North Carolina law that cats and dogs be vaccinated against rabies. The first vaccination should occur when the dog or cat is no more than 4 months of age; the second vaccination is required no more than a year later and then again every three years.

If you are bitten by any animal:

• Wash the wound with soap and running water for ten (10) minutes and seek medical attention immediately.
• Write down the location of the animal and a description of the animal to provide to animal control.  If the animal is someone’s pet, also get the owner’s name and address.  Give this information to animal control or the health department.
• Do not try to catch any wild or stray animal

Last year, Alamance County had three confirmed animal cases of rabies.

For more information or questions about rabies control and vaccinations requirements, contact the Health Department’s Environmental Health office at (336) 570-6367.