The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ vaccine data dashboard now includes county-level vaccination information from federal providers, including the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Department of Defense, Federal Bureau of Prisons and Indian Health Service.

The data is included on the dashboard’s "People Vaccinated by County of Residence" map. The new data provides a more accurate representation of vaccinations in North Carolina’s counties.

The new data is only available for vaccine totals at the state and county levels. It is not yet available for the "Doses Administered by Week" or the "Demographics Data" sections. Data for these two sections comes only from North Carolina's COVID-19 Vaccine Management System, which only includes information from providers who report data directly to the state. Therefore, these sections of the dashboard undercount the true number of doses administered to North Carolina residents. 

Additionally, a new dropdown will be available on the county map allowing users to view data for the following demographics: Total Population, Population 12+ Years of Age, Population 18+ Years of Age and Population 65+ Years of Age. The vaccine data dashboard is updated every weekday. For more information and to view the NCDHHS vaccine data dashboard, visit covid19.ncdhhs.gov/dashboard/vaccinations. ​

Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital (EWCH) welcomes Bob Bessey as volunteer services and hospital gift shop supervisor.
 
Bessey has worked in various health care roles for over 30 years, and the last 15 of which he served working with and leading a group of hospital volunteers in Greensboro, N.C. In his new role as volunteer services supervisor, Bessey is responsible for operations of the hospital’s Giving Tree gift shop and the auxiliary group, as well as overseeing volunteer services and its community relations activities.
 
Volunteer roles at EWCH are currently available. Volunteers are asked to serve at least one day per week for two to four hours. Areas in which volunteers are needed include the gift shop, nursing units, radiology, cardio-pulmonary rehab, and general support roles. All volunteer roles require basic mobility and problem-solving skills, as well as a health screening conducted by EWCH.
 
“I’m thrilled to be able to work with such an amazing team of volunteers at EWCH,” said Bessey. “This community is full of compassionate and caring people who have all welcomed me, and I hope we can engage some of those individuals as volunteers as well.”
 
The Giving Tree gift shop is managed by EWCH volunteers. Profits generated by the shop are given back to the local community in the form of gifts to assist special programs and services at the hospital. The gift shop is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
 
“Bob brings terrific experience to our program,” said Emilia Jones, Erlanger’s volunteer services director. “We are eager to grow the program in western North Carolina, and we look forward to continuing to support the needs of the local community.”
 
For more information about volunteering at Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital or to apply, visit erlanger.org/volunteering or call 828-837-8161.

When Mountain Heritage Day makes a triumphant return to the Western Carolina University campus on Saturday, Sept. 25, it will come with a full day of live music. 

The annual festival of Southern Appalachian traditions and culture is renowned as a showcase of bluegrass, old-time and traditional music, as well as family activities, vendors and the region’s finest arts and crafts. The 2020 festival was an abbreviated, virtual event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  
​
“We have the perfect lineup for us to get back in front of a live audience. Many of our favorites are returning and we get to welcome some new artists, too,” said Christy Ashe, WCU special events director and festival chair. “We will be following COVID-19 protocols and are actively encouraging everyone to get vaccinated, so we can actually return to being together in this celebration.” 

Ashe announced the schedule for the Blue Ridge Stage: 

• Summer Brooke and Brayden kick off the music at 10 a.m. Known for leading the award-winning Mountain Faith Band, the brother and sister bluegrass virtuosos are beyond popular and graciously provided the concert for 2020’s Mountain Heritage Day virtual performance. 
• When Whitewater Bluegrass Company start their set at 11 a.m. it will mark a major milestone, as it will be their 25th time playing at Mountain Heritage Day. More or less founded at WCU in 1982, the band blends its own brand of bluegrass, country ballads and mountain swing with down-home humor.  
• At noon, the Apple Blossom Cloggers, a dance troupe of 7 to 9 years old girls, join Whitewater Bluegrass Company for lively clogging demonstration, followed by presentation of the Mountain Heritage Awards at 12:15 p.m. to an individual and organization in recognition of work within Southern Appalachian history, culture and folklore. 
• The Queen Family starts picking at 12:45 p.m. Known as master musicians and experts in regional lore, the Queen Family were honored with the 1999 Mountain Heritage Award and the 2001 Brown-Hudson Award by the North Carolina Folklore Society. 
• Phil and Gaye Johnson at 1:30 p.m. play guitar and sing an acoustic blend of bluegrass, folk and favorites. The prolific songwriters and storytellers from Polk County travel across the country to perform and are among the longest running repeat performers at Mountain Heritage Day. 
• The Grascals, three-time Grammy nominees and twice International Bluegrass Music Association entertainer of the year, perform at 2:15 p.m. The Bailey Mountain Cloggers will join the Grascals at 3:30 p.m. for foot-stamping and high stepping mastery that is a perennial of Mountain Heritage Day. 
• At 3:45 p.m., the Merle Monroe band bring their mix of Bill Monroe-style bluegrass with Merle Haggard’s style of songs of the common man (hence the name) to the stage for their own brand of bluegrass, gospel and traditional country.  

​“Mountain Heritage Day allows us to share culture,” said Uncle Ted White of the Whitewater Bluegrass Band. “It is so important that it includes children, so we can keep traditions alive. That is what Mountain Heritage Day does every year, bringing us together and creating a legacy for coming generations.” 

There will also be the Circle Tent and the Children’s Tent with continual performances, including workshops, sing-alongs, storytelling, and a community square dance, along with children’s play-party activities. Ann Woodford will bring alive local stories of the African American community; the Deitz Family, who played bluegrass and mountain folk songs at the first festival up until now; the Pressley Girls, an authentic Appalachian duet from Brasstown who have tight harmonies in classic tunes; and Sparky and Rhonda Rucker tell stories of their southern Appalachian roots and the African American component, with Jack Tales, ghost stories, preacher yarns and Br’er Rabbit stories. Will Ritter will play interludes and provide music for the square dancing. 

For more information and updates, go to www.mountainheritageday.com. ​

Today, Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. announced that state government would begin verifying vaccination status of its workers. Employees not vaccinated are required to wear a mask and be tested at least once a week. Today’s announcement comes as North Carolina’s latest upswing in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations is driven by unvaccinated North Carolinians.

“Until more people get the vaccine, we will continue living with the very real threat of serious disease, and we will continue to see more dangerous and contagious variants like Delta,” said Governor Cooper.

NCDHHS updated guidance encourages private sector businesses to, at a minimum, verify vaccination status for their workers as well. The requirement for state government employees applies to cabinet agencies and is included in Executive Order 224.

“There is only one way out of this pandemic and that is vaccination. Our trends are accelerating at an alarmingly fast rate and the highest rates of viral spread are happening in areas with low vaccination rates and among those who are not fully vaccinated,” said Secretary Cohen. “If you are already vaccinated, I call on you to urge your unvaccinated family and friends to get their shot now. It is not an understatement to say that you will save lives by doing so.”

The NCDHHS updated guidance reminds unvaccinated people that they need to continue practicing the three Ws – wear a mask in all indoor public settings, wait six feet apart in all public settings and wash hands often. In addition, unvaccinated people should not gather with other unvaccinated people who do not live with them. If they do, they should stay outside and keep 6 feet of distance. In addition, unvaccinated people should not travel.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new mask guidance this week based on levels of transmission in communities. The new maps designate counties as areas of low (blue), moderate (yellow), substantial (orange) or high (red) transmission. Moving forward, everyone in a red or orange county in North Carolina, including those who have been vaccinated, should wear a mask in public indoor settings.

Additionally, in accordance with the updated CDC guidance, all K-12 schools should require universal masking, regardless of vaccination status. NCDHHS is updating its guidance for schools to align with this recommendation.

To date, North Carolina has administered nearly 9.8 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, with 57 percent of the adult population fully vaccinated. 61 percent of adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine, including 86 percent of North Carolinians 65 and over.

Learn more about the state’s vaccine distribution at myspot.nc.gov (English) or Vacunate.nc.gov (Spanish). Details on the Your Shot at $1 Million Summer Cash Drawing can be found at covid19.ncdhhs.gov/summervaxcash. Use NCDHHS’ online tool Find a Vaccine Location to find a nearby vaccine site. Call the state’s COVID-19 vaccine hotline at 888-675-4567.
​
Read the Executive Order.
Read a Frequently Asked Questions document. ​

In preparation for the 2021-2022 academic year at Young Harris College, new and returning students will begin moving in Monday, August 9. Based on their class year, students will continue moving in through Sunday, August 15. The first day of classes for the new academic year is Monday, August 16. 
 
When students arrive on campus, they will be directed to a tent located at the edge of the Plaza. From there, they will receive instructions regarding which route to take to their assigned residence halls and rooms. Each student will also receive a personalized packet of move-in information.  
 
Once students arrive at their assigned residence hall, YHC’s Mountain Lion Movers will help them unload and take their belongings to their assigned rooms. Students will then have the opportunity to visit the Rollins Campus Center (RCC) to complete unfinished move-in business. YHC representatives will be available in the RCC and throughout campus to assist with move-in directions and logistics, as well as to answer students’ questions. 
 
Mark Jestel, the College’s new Director of Residence Life, is leading the team responsible for student move-in logistics. The team is staggering student check-in times to ease the flow of traffic both on campus and in the community, but community members may experience some delay. 
 
Between full-time residential students and commuting students from the surrounding areas, YHC expects approximately 1,000 students for the upcoming year. The College’s dual-enrollment opportunities typically serve about 400 more high school students in Georgia, bringing YHC’s annual enrollment to approximately 1,400. 
 
For more information about YHC’s move-in process, please visit yhc.edu/student-life/residence-life/move-in. 
 
About Young Harris College
Young Harris College is a private baccalaureate and master’s degree-granting institution located in the beautiful mountains of North Georgia. Founded in 1886 and historically affiliated with The United Methodist Church, Young Harris College educates, inspires and empowers students through an education that purposefully integrates the liberal arts and professional studies. The College has four academic divisions: Fine Arts; Humanities; Mathematics, Science and Technology; and Professional Studies. More than 1,400 students are enrolled in its residential and Early College programs. The College is an active member of the NCAA Division II and remains a fierce competitor in the prestigious Peach Belt Conference. For more information, visit yhc.edu. 

Today, Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. shared updated public health guidance for K-12 schools to follow in the upcoming school year.

“The most important work our state will do next month is getting all our school children back into the classrooms safely for in-person learning,” said Governor Cooper. “That’s the best way for them to learn, and we want their school days to be as close to normal as possible, especially after a year of disruption.”

The updated StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit is aligned with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and American Academy of Pediatrics guidance, which urges that everything possible be done to keep students in schools and emphasizes continued masking. The Toolkit says schools with students in kindergarten through eighth grade should require all children and staff to wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status. Schools with students in 9th through 12th grades should ensure that anyone who isn’t fully vaccinated, including students, wear a mask indoors.

This guidance is effective July 30th and local school leaders are responsible for requiring and implementing protocols in the StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit in consultation with their local health departments.

The Toolkit also updates additional measures for schools related to quarantining after COVID exposure, physical distancing, testing, transportation, cleaning and other considerations.  

State health officials continue to urge unvaccinated people to follow CDC and NCDHHS guidance and wear a mask indoors. When Executive Order 220 expires at the end of July, North Carolina businesses and other entities where masks are required will make their own decisions about requiring masks, with strong guidance provided by NCDHHS. Everyone, regardless of vaccine status, should still wear a mask in certain places such as public transportation and healthcare facilities.

“Get vaccinated right now if you haven’t.  We are seeing the impact of the very contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 and it’s hitting those who are unvaccinated hard,” said Secretary Cohen. “Schools need to use the additional safety protocols outlined in the StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit to continue to protect students and staff as we enter the new school year.”  

To date, North Carolina has administered more than 9.5 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, with 56 percent of the adult population fully vaccinated. 60 percent of adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine, including 86 percent of people 65 and over. 

Learn more about the state’s vaccine distribution at myspot.nc.gov (English) or Vacunate.nc.gov (Spanish). Details on the Your Shot at $1 Million Summer Cash Drawing can be found at covid19.ncdhhs.gov/summervaxcash. Use NCDHHS’ online tool Find a Vaccine Location to find a nearby vaccine site. Call the state’s COVID-19 vaccine hotline at 888-675-4567.

Read the updated StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing up to $200 million to provide relief to timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses that have experienced losses due to COVID-19 as part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. Loggers and truckers can apply for assistance through USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) July 22 through Oct. 15, 2021. The Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers program (PATHH) is administered by FSA in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service.
 
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, authorized this critical assistance for the timber industry. Timber harvesting and hauling businesses that have experienced a gross revenue loss of at least 10% during the period of Jan. 1 and Dec. 1, 2020, compared to the period of Jan. 1 and Dec. 1, 2019, are encouraged to apply.
 
“USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative promised to get financial assistance to a broader set of producers and today’s announcement delivers on that promise,” said Secretary Vilsack. “On top of the existing challenges associated with natural disasters and trade, the pandemic caused a major disruption for loggers and timber haulers including lack of access to wood processing mills. This industry plays a critical role in our nation’s economy and we are proud to support these hard-working loggers and truckers as they get back on track.”
 
“Like many facets of the agriculture industry, the logging industry has experienced its share of financial hardships throughout the pandemic,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “We’re happy to work with the U.S. Forest Service to develop this new program to provide critically needed support.”
 
“We’ve heard from loggers and truckers whose livelihoods were significantly impacted this past year by the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are pleased that USDA can help alleviate some of the financial burden,” said Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen. “I encourage those logging and log-hauling businesses hardest hit by the pandemic to learn more about the assistance offered through this new program.”   
 
Program Details
 
To be eligible for payments, individuals or legal entities must be a timber harvesting or timber hauling business where 50% or more of its gross revenue is derived from one or more of the following:

• Cutting timber.
• Transporting timber.
• Processing of wood on-site on the forest land (chipping, grinding, converting to biochar, cutting to smaller lengths, etc.).

 
Payments will be based on the applicant’s gross revenue received from Jan. 1, 2019, through Dec. 1, 2019, minus gross revenue received from Jan. 1, 2020, through Dec. 1, 2020, multiplied by 80%. FSA will issue an initial payment equal to the lesser of the calculated payment amount or $2,000 as applications are approved. A second payment will be made after the signup period has ended based upon remaining PATHH funds.
 
The maximum amount that a person or legal entity may receive directly is $125,000.
 
Applying for Assistance
 
Loggers and truckers can apply for PATHH beginning on July 22 by completing form FSA-1118, Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers Program application, and certifying to their gross revenue for 2019 and 2020 on the application. Additional documentation may be required. Visit farmers.gov/pathh for more information on how to apply.
 
Applications can be submitted to the FSA office at any USDA Service Center nationwide by mail, fax, hand delivery, or via electronic means. To find a local FSA office, loggers and truckers can visit farmers.gov/service-locator. They can also call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee ready to offer assistance.
 
FSA will host a stakeholder webinar on Wednesday, July 21 at 3 p.m. Eastern. Interested participants must register for the webinar.
 
As USDA looks to long-term solutions to build back a better food system, the Department is committed to delivering financial assistance to farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers and businesses who have been impacted by COVID-19 market disruptions. Since USDA rolled out the Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative in March, the Department has announced over $7 billion in assistance to producers and agriculture entities.  For more details, please visit www.farmers.gov/pandemic-assistance.
 
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov

​Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital (EWCH) recently partnered with TeleSpecialists to launch a telestroke program that provides patients with 24/7 emergency access to neurologists who have extensive experience treating strokes.
 
When a patient with stroke symptoms is transported to the EWCH emergency department via ambulance, a stroke alert is issued, initiating a HIPAA-compliant video conference in which a TeleSpecialists board-certified neurologist is connected with the patient upon arrival. The secure telemedicine equipment is mounted on a mobile cart, which allows the remote neurologist to participate in all aspects of the neurological exam – from the CT scan to the physical exam and patient interview – before recommending a course for treatment.
 
The faster a patient receives proper treatment for a stroke, the more brain cells are saved and chances of recovery are higher. With this new program, EWCH patients may avoid some of the debilitating effects of stroke that occur due to late diagnosis or delayed administration of clot-busting drugs.
 
“Our partnership with TeleSpecialists provides real-time expertise with an efficient, high quality stroke program,” said EWCH Director of Operations and Associate Chief Nursing Officer Teresa Bowleg. “Patients receive the care they need incredibly fast. With a collaborative approach to optimizing our process, a teleneurologist is on-screen and ready to evaluate the patient within four minutes of a consult request.”
 
TeleSpecialists is a physician-owned management service organization that provides patient care via telemedicine. The organization has over 70 board-certified physicians serving over 200 hospital locations across the U.S.