In the midst of the current pandemic, Alamance County Health Department wants to help you protect yourself and your family this flu season. Wednesday, October 28 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm, the health department will be offering seasonal flu shots to the public. The drive-up event will take place at Alamance County Health Department in the lower staff parking lot on Hilton Street. Participants are asked to enter from Rudd Street into the Hilton Street lot.

During the event, 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 vaccine is available at no cost to both insured and uninsured children and adults.

Residents can still receive the flu vaccine by appointment only Monday through Friday (excluding holidays), 8:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. and 1:00 P.M. to 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 more information, call the health department at 336-570-6459.

Alamance County Health Department has identified an outbreak at the long term care facility Compass Healthcare and Rehab, Mebane. Currently, two (2) cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed at the facility. The confirmed cases are among two (2) staff members. Both of the staff members are Alamance County residents. NC DHHS defines an outbreak as two laboratory-confirmed cases in a period of 28 days within a congregate living or long-term care facility. Regular testing is required through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in order to provide surveillance as protective factor for both staff and residents.

“Compass Healthcare and Rehab has worked diligently throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to protect our residents and staff,” stated Todd Nunn, President and CEO of Compass Healthcare and Rehab. “As a company, we started routine, proactive testing of all staff in June, prior to any local or national testing mandate. With this initiative, our goal has been to identify any staff members who may not showing be symptoms and remove them from work, to prevent further spread. Two staff members tested positive this week. At this time, we are working to prevent spread. This, in addition to many other interventions has aided us in keeping residents safe over the recent months. We will continue to be proactive, with our end goal being to keep residents and staff safe.”

“Our long term care facility taskforce and Compass are in constant communication to provide recommendations and guidance to mitigate the outbreak as quickly as possible,” stated Interim Health Director Alexandria Rimmer.

Alamance County Health Department identified its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on March 20. Since then, a total of 5114 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the community. Of those confirmed cases, 4619 have been released from isolation and 417 remain active and in isolation. Included in those active cases, 31 individuals are receiving care at a hospital. Sadly, there have been 78 COVID-19 related deaths. COVID-related deaths include only patients who tested positive for the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, and who died without fully recovering from the disease.

Both Alamance County and North Carolina have seen some of the highest case numbers to date in the past two weeks. The community is reminded to limit their social and group interactions and practice the 3Ws – Wear, Wait and Wash. These important steps can reduce a person’s risk and the risk to their family, friends and neighbors.

The Board of Health is pleased to announce that we have offered the position of Health Director to Tony Lo Giudice and he has accepted. His effective start date is Monday, November 30, 2020. Over the previous three-month period, the Board of Health appointed search committee reviewed numerous applications, conducted several interviews and second-round interviews with top candidates.

The Board of Health took this responsibility seriously and spent many hours reviewing applications and interviewing candidates. “We are excited to announce a new Health Director, Tony Lo Giudice, who exhibits strong leadership, commitment and passion for improving the human condition in Alamance County. Lo Giudice rose to the top during our search process for his extensive knowledge and understanding of the current public health challenges we face today” states Board of Health chair Dr. Annette Wilson.

Lo Giudice will be vacating his position at Forsyth County Department of Public Health, where he has served as an Assistant Health Director since January 2017. Prior to moving to North Carolina in 2017, he served in various capacities in city government in Mesa, Arizona, most recently Community Health Program Director. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Government with an emphasis in Law & Public Policy from Regent University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Arizona State University; he is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Public Administration from Capella University. Mr. Lo Giudice served and was honorably discharged from the United States Navy.

Alexandria Rimmer has been serving as interim Health Director since July 31, 2020. “I am grateful I was able to serve our community as a leader during this time as Interim Health Director and I am very excited to work with our new Health Director both during the transition and in the future as I return to the Environmental Health section of the health department. We will work together to ensure there is a smooth transition for staff, stakeholders and the community.”

“I am honored to be selected as the next Health Director. I look forward to joining the health department team and continuing to lead Alamance County on the path towards optimum health and well-being” said Lo Giudice.

In the midst of the current pandemic, Alamance County Health Department wants to help you protect yourself and your family this flu season. Wednesday, October 21 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm, the health department will be offering seasonal flu shots to the public. The drive-up event will take place at Alamance County Health Department in the lower staff parking lot on Hilton Street. Participants are asked to enter from Rudd Street into the Hilton Street lot.  

During the event, 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 vaccine is available at no cost to both insured and uninsured children and adults.

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 more information, call the health department at 336-570-6459.

Alamance County Health Department has identified an outbreak at the long term care facility White Oak Manor in Burlington. This is White Oak Manor’s second COVID-19 outbreak. Currently, two (2) cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed at the facility. The confirmed cases are among two (2) staff members. One of the staff members is an Alamance County resident and one is not. NC DHHS defines an outbreak as two laboratory-confirmed cases in a period of 28 days within a congregate living or long-term care facility. Regular testing is required through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in order to provide surveillance as protective factor for both staff and residents.

“White Oak Manor Burlington remains vigilant to testing and proper donning and doffing of personal protective equipment to ensure the safety and well-being of our residents and employees,” stated Michele Riordan, Administrator of White Oak Manor, Burlington. “Employees are reminded to wear masks, wash hands and social distance while out of the facility.  There has been no impact on our residents at this time. We will continue to work closely with our staff and health department to contain exposure.” 

“White Oak Manor has worked very closely with the Health Department since the first outbreak of COVID-19 that the facility had back in April, we are working in conjunction to minimize the outbreak and provide support with guidance and recommendations,” stated Interim Health Director Alexandria Rimmer, “we are working together to help keep our community safe.”

Alamance County Health Department identified its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on March 20. Since then, a total of 4957 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the community. Of those confirmed cases, 4481 have been released from isolation and 401 remain active and in isolation. Included in those active cases, 26 individuals are receiving care at a hospital. Sadly, there have been 75 COVID-19 related deaths. COVID-related deaths include only patients who tested positive for the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, and who died without fully recovering from the disease.

The community is reminded to limit their social and group interactions and practice the 3Ws – Wear, Wait and Wash. These important steps can reduce a person’s risk and the risk to their family, friends and neighbors.

Alamance County Health Department has identified two COVID-19 outbreaks at long-term care facilities. These facilities include Moneta Springs Memory Care at Twin Lakes, Burlington and Peak Resources, Graham. NC DHHS defines an outbreak as two confirmed cases in a period of 28 days within a long-term care facility.

Long term care facilities are required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to do COVID-19 surveillance testing on a weekly basis as a protective factor for both staff and residents. Currently, Moneta Springs Care at Twin Lakes has four (4) cases of COVID-19 that have been confirmed at the facility; two (2) staff and two (2) residents. One of the staff members is an Alamance County resident and one of the staff members is not.

“Twin Lakes Community is home to nearly 750 residents and 400 employees,” stated Pam Fox, President and CEO of Twin Lakes Community.  “We have come together as a community to protect ourselves and one another from this virus.  Among the precautions we have taken for many months, we engage in daily screening of all staff; we have limited visitors to our campus, we perform weekly testing of staff in our higher levels of care, and we have increased our cleaning and disinfecting, all to minimize the risk of infection.  We are thankful that, at this point, all affected individuals are comfortable and doing relatively well.  We are also grateful to our residents, staff, medical director and the Alamance County Health Department for their commitment to keeping our community at Twin Lakes safe.” 

Peak Resources currently has three (3) cases of COVID-19 that have been confirmed at the facility; two (2) staff and one (1) resident. One of the staff members lives in Alamance County and one does not.

“Both Twin Lakes and Peak Resources have both been working in close collaboration with the Alamance County Health Department,” stated the Interim Health Director, Alexandria Rimmer, “we will continue to provide recommendations and work closely to mitigate these outbreaks as quickly as possible.”

Alamance County Health Department identified its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on March 20. Since then, a total of 4622 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the community. Of those confirmed cases, 4214 have been released from isolation and 344 remain active and in isolation. Included in those active cases, 22 individuals are receiving care at a hospital. Sadly, there have been 64 COVID-19 related deaths. COVID-related deaths include only patients who tested positive for the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, and who died without fully recovering from the disease.

The community is reminded to limit their social and group interactions and practice the 3Ws – Wear, Wait and Wash. These important steps can reduce a person’s risk and the risk to their family, friends and neighbors.

Flu season is upon us and the Alamance County Health Department wants you to protect yourself and your family. Monday, October 12, the health department will begin offering 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 cost of the Quadrivalent vaccine is $41.00. The cost of the Flublok and High Dose Trivalent is $71.00. Uninsured children less than 19 years old are eligible for free vaccine. Insured children less than 19 years old whose insurance does not cover the cost of a flu shot may be eligible for free flu vaccine, pending certain qualifications.

The health department can bill Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurances. The flu vaccine will be available by appointment only at the following times:
 Monday – Friday (excluding holidays)
o 8:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M.
o 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.

Alamance County Health Department was notified of an outbreak at the Home Place of Burlington assisted living community. Currently, two (2) cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed at the facility. The confirmed cases are among one (1) staff and one (1) resident. The staff person is an Alamance County resident. NC DHHS defines an outbreak as two laboratory-confirmed cases in a period of 28 days within a congregate living or long-term care facility.

“The health and safety of our community members remains our top priority, and our experienced professionals are working tirelessly to minimize opportunities for exposure to the virus,” said Bonnie Thompson, Executive Director of Home Place of Burlington. “These are the first cases of COVID-19 in our community and, while we continue to monitor the recovery of our resident who remains asymptomatic and under quarantine, we are pleased to report that our staff member has completed their quarantine and returned to work. We are committed to our ongoing practice of community-wide weekly testing, and will continue to follow all guidelines prescribed by the CDC, state and local health authorities.”

“Home Place of Burlington notified the Alamance County Health Department promptly about the positive COVID-19 cases,” stated Interim Health Director Alexandria Rimmer, “and we have been working with them through our long-term care facility task force in order to provide updated recommendations and guidance throughout the pandemic. We will continue to work together to mitigate this outbreak and work to keep staff and residents safe.”

Alamance County Health Department identified its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on March 20. Since then, a total of 3614 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the community. Of those confirmed cases, 3372 have been released from isolation and 190 remain active and in isolation. Included in those active cases, 18 individuals are receiving care at a hospital. Sadly, there have been 52 COVID-19 related deaths. COVID-related deaths include only patients who tested positive for the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, and who died without fully recovering from the disease.

We are continuing to see COVID-19 in Alamance County through community-spread transmission. It is important to continue practicing the 3Ws to keep our friends, family, and neighbors safe. If you leave your home remember to: wear a cloth mask over your nose and mouth, wait six feet apart and avoid close contact, and wash your hands or use hand sanitizer if handwashing is not readily accessible. We are all in this together, thank you for you diligence to keep our community safe.

Alamance County Health Department has identified a second outbreak at the skilled nursing facility Peak Resources in Graham. Currently, four (4) cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed at the facility. The confirmed cases are among three (3) staff and one (1) resident. One staff person is not an Alamance County resident and will not be included in Alamance’s COVID-19 case count, but will be included on the biweekly Congregate Living Settings report for NC DHHS. NC DHHS defines an outbreak as two laboratory-confirmed cases in a period of 28 days within a congregate living or long-term care facility.

“Peak Resources Alamance remains dedicated to the well-being and safety of our residents and employees,” stated Jeff Cochran, Administrator at Peak Resources Alamance. “Protecting the health of those we care for and the community we service remains our highest priority. We are making every effort to ensure we stop the spread of the Coronavirus within our facility. We are extremely proud of our staff members and their rapid and diligent response in handling a very unique and difficult situation.”

Cochran further stated, “Our clinical and infection control responses are directed by local, state, and federal agencies which are closely monitored as new guidelines are released. At this time, we remain in active communication with local and state health officials to ensure we are taking the appropriate steps. We appreciate our residents’, families’, and community understanding during this unprecedented time and will continue our commitment to providing the best care possible.”

“The Alamance County Health Department and Peak Resources have been in collaboration for the past several months to implement precautions and taking steps to prevent illness in the facility,” stated Alamance County Interim Health Director, Alexandria Rimmer. “Peak has worked with the Health Department for guidance on following the guidelines set forth from NC DHHS for long-term care facilities; we commend the facility for working constantly to keep residents and staff safe.”

Alamance County Health Department identified its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on March 20. Since then, a total of 3438 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the community. Of those confirmed cases, 3109 have been released from isolation and 281 remain active and in isolation. Included in those active cases, 13 individuals are receiving care at a hospital. Sadly, there have been 48 COVID-19 related deaths. COVID-related deaths include only patients who tested positive for the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, and who died without fully recovering from the disease.

The community is reminded to limit their social and group interactions and practice the 3Ws – Wear, Wait and Wash. These important steps can reduce a person’s risk and the risk to their family, friends and neighbors.

Alamance County Health Department has identified an outbreak at the skilled nursing facility Twin Lakes in Burlington. Currently, two (2) cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed at the facility. The confirmed cases are among two (2) staff. One staff person is not an Alamance County resident and will not be included in Alamance’s COVID-19 case count, but will be included on the biweekly Congregate Living Settings report for NC DHHS. NC DHHS defines an outbreak as two laboratory-confirmed cases within a congregate living setting.

“Twin Lakes Community is home to nearly 750 residents and 400 employees. We have come together as a community to protect ourselves and one another from this virus,” stated Pam Fox, President and CEO of Twin Lakes Community. “Among the precautions we have taken for many months, we engage in daily screening of all staff; we have limited visitors to our campus, we perform weekly testing of staff in our higher levels of care, and we have increased our cleaning and disinfecting, all to minimize the risk of infection. We are thankful that, at this point, all affected individuals are comfortable and doing relatively well. We are also grateful to our residents, staff, medical director and the Alamance County Health Department for their commitment to keeping our community at Twin Lakes safe.”

“Throughout COVID-19 efforts Twin Lakes has been in constant communication with the Alamance County Health Department in order to keep residents and staff safe with the most up-to-date recommendations; we are thankful for this longstanding collaboration and will continue to work together in order to mitigate COVID-19 in the facility,” stated Alexandria Rimmer, Interim Health Director.

Alamance County Health Department identified its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on March 20. Since then, a total of 3335 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the community. Of those confirmed cases, 2974 have been released from isolation and 315 remain active and in isolation. Included in those active cases, 16 individuals are receiving care at a hospital. Sadly, there have been 46 COVID-19 related deaths. COVID-related deaths include only patients who tested positive for the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, and who died without fully recovering from the disease.

The community is reminded to limit their social and group interactions and practice the 3Ws – Wear, Wait and Wash. These important steps can reduce a person’s risk and the risk to their family, friends and neighbors.