The Pandemic Operations Center will no longer provide on-site COVID-19 testing as part of its daily operations. This change comes based on the availability of testing throughout the community and as a result of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) ending their allowance for Point-of-Care COVID-19 tests to be used for non-symptomatic persons. Local testing resources can be found at NCDHHS.gov/GetTested.
While on-site testing is no longer offered, COVID-19 tests for individual use at home can be picked up from the Pandemic Operations Center (1507 Greenfield Street) during operating hours Monday-Friday.
“This change in our operations will allow us to increase vaccinations days and opportunities, as well as outreach efforts in the community,” said Pandemic Operations Manager Jon Campbell. “We are still offering at-home test kits to those who need them, distributing test kits to community centers for additional access, and can serve as a resource for anyone who has difficultly with an at-home test to help them with the process. And, as always, our work to provide vaccines and boosters will continue.”
Vaccines and Boosters
The Pandemic Operations Center is continuing to provide initial COVID-19 vaccines as well as the updated Pfizer and Moderna bivalent boosters that are designed to target the original COVID-19 virus as well as the Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5.
Anyone 12 and older that has completed an initial COVID-19 vaccine series is eligible to receive one of the new updated boosters. The updated booster is given at least two months after your last COVID-19 vaccine or any previous booster shot. Pfizer boosters are available to those 12 and older and Moderna boosters are available to those 18 and older.
Appointments for initial vaccines or boosters are recommended but not required and can be made by visiting TakeMyShot.NC.gov. With the center’s updated operations, vaccines and boosters will be available during the following days and times starting next week:
- Mondays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Tuesdays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Wednesdays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Thursdays from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Fridays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Low COVID-19 Community Level
Following its weekly review of county-specific data, the CDC has kept New Hanover County at a low COVID-19 community level. Recommended precautions for this level include being fully vaccinated and boosted, and testing for COVID if you develop symptoms. Mask usage at this community level is optional. The CDC plans to update community levels weekly, so residents can check the CDC website here to know the current community impact level.
COVID-19 Community Data, as of October 7:
- New Hanover County’s percent positivity over the past 7 days is 8.9 percent (this represents positive Molecular (PCR) tests as a percent of total PCR tests performed countywide).
- Approximately 64.3 percent of New Hanover County residents are considered fully vaccinated with either two doses Pfizer or Moderna or one dose of J&J.
- Since March 1, 2020, there have been 60,351 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New Hanover County, resulting in 442 deaths.
Original source can be found here.
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