Community News

WASHINGTON DC – March 7, 2022 – The Biden administration announces a new program called the ‘Test-to-Treat’ plan so that Americans will be able to rapidly access COVID-19 treatments at the point-of-testing service. This one stop process will be run by the Department of Health and Human Services and administered by hundreds of pharmacy-based clinics, federally qualified community health centers, and long-term care facilities across the country. People who test positive for COVID-19 will be assessed by a qualified health care provider for immediate treatment with antiviral pills. Treatment with these new therapeutics can reduce the risk of developing severe illness, hospitalization, and death for persons with mild symptoms within days of onset.

 

The Department of Health & Human Services has purchased the new treatments in order to deliver early treatment free-of-charge to help at-risk people get the proper care when they get sick. “Our mission remains to protect the health and wellbeing of every American,” said Health & Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. This initiative will also educate the public and health care providers about these new treatments.

 

The goal is to remove barriers to care that have historically existed for at-risk people with poor health care access. This allows for testing, assessment, prescription, and treatment to take place at one convenient location. The plan began on March 7, 2022. The testing does not have to take place at the Test-to-Treat site. Positive at-home COVID tests qualify along with assessment to receive treatment.

Public Health Director Stacie Saunders reached out to the North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services. She writes that the, “NC DHHS (North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services) noted that at current understanding is that the initial sites for the program will be with the Federal Retail Pharmacy partners, the LTCF (Long Term Care Facilities) and FQHCs (Federally Qualified Health Care Centers) coming on board at a later time.  More information may be available in the coming weeks.”

Listen to full report below:

Contact: Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

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ASHEVILLE, NC – On March 8, the Department of Health and Human Services and Public Health Director Stacie Saunders posted the weekly Buncombe County COVID-19 Community Update. In the report she said that the “seeing our trends continue to improve and cases continue to decrease is a welcomed sign that the Omicron surge is fading.”

 

• Over the past week there is a decrease in the new case rate by 32%, with fewer hospital and ICU beds occupied with COVID-19 patients, and no change in the death rate. The new case rate is 105 cases per 100,00 people per week. COVID-19 patients occupy only 3.3% of inpatient hospital beds and 10.5% of ICU beds.
• Percent positivity is 6.5% compared to 8.6% last week.
• 66% of the total population have received their full primary vaccination series. This is unchanged from last week but below the goal of at least 70%.
• 57% of fully vaccinated people have received boosters. This is up 1% from three weeks ago.

 

The Department of Health and Human Services recommend:

 

• Get vaccinated and boosted when eligible.
• People with any COVID symptoms or exposure to someone with COVID should get tested
• People who are positive for COVID-19 or do not feel well should stay home and away from other people to keep from spreading it to others

 

Vaccination sites and testing sites can be located through the North Carolina and Buncombe County Department of Health and Human Services. COVID-19 vaccinations are still available at the Health Department Immunization Clinic at 40 Coxe Ave. from Monday to Friday between 8 AM and 4:30 PM on a walk-in basis.

 

The CDC recently released a new tool to monitor COVID-19 risk for each county. The risk levels are green for low, yellow for medium, and orange for high. The CDC’s safety guidelines and prevention recommendations are now based on the level of COVID-19 risk for each county and its impact on hospital resources. The risk level for Buncombe County is medium for the week ending on March 10. Face masks should be worn by people in crowded areas who are at high risk for severe illness. Mask wearing is recommended for persons with a positive test, having symptoms, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 no matter what the county risk level is. Governor Cooper has issued a new executive order requiring everyone to wear a mask in “high risk” settings like health care facilities, nursing homes, correctional facilities and homeless shelters.

Listen to full report below:

Contact: Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

Andrea Kulish is a member of the Asheville Ukrainian community and when the war broke out, she – like many of us felt the need to do something about it.  So, she did what she knows how to do – organizing benefits.  She joined newsteam correspondent KP Whaley.  For the full interview click here:

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Musicians, bands and artists are among the millions of Ukrainians forced to flee their homes or risk their lives fighting for freedom. JD will honor the brave people of Ukraine, as well as protesters in Russia… by presenting two hours of Progressive Rock and related music recorded over the past few years by groups from Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine, and also a couple of his favorite groups from Russia. The people will not be silenced by Putin, and neither will their music! Join in solidarity on Thursday, March 3rd, from 2-4 pm on 103.3 FM in town and world-wide at www.AshevilleFM.org !Peace!

More Posts for Show: Closer to the Edge

Face Coverings in Buncombe County: From Requirement to “Strongly Recommends” & A Reminder to Get Boosted

ASHEVILLE, NC – At their February 15th meeting, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners decided not to renew the face cover wearing policy in indoor public spaces. According to Stacie Saunders, the Department of Public Health “strongly recommends” that face masks be worn in indoor public spaces. Businesses, organizations and each local Board of Education can individually decide upon their face mask policy. The Buncombe County Courthouse and some Buncombe County Government facilities will continue to require that face masks be worn for now. Public transportation will require wearing face masks through March 18th. 

On February 16, Buncombe County Health and Human Services hosted a virtual media Question & Answer session. Public Health Director, Stacie Saunders, and Board of Commissioners Board Chair, Brownie Newman, answered questions related to the COVID-19 response in Buncombe County. Stacie Saunders said, “I will still wear my face covering in indoor public spaces” and she “strongly recommends” that everyone wear face masks in public schools.

With cases, transmission, and hospitalizations still running at significantly high levels, the Department of Public Health is planning a media campaign to get the word out that they “strongly recommend” that face masks be worn in indoor public spaces. The campaign will be on social media, at Question & Answer sessions with the media, on the Department website, with media partners, and at any other available opportunities  just like they do with promoting vaccinations, boosters, and testing.

Brownie Newman describes this latest policy as one of many “not easy decisions” and emanating from “a series of difficult decisions” since the beginning of the COVID crisis. He wants to take the opportunity to let everyone know that he is aware that more people are getting a booster and “encourages everyone to do that.” 

Listen to the full report below:

Contact: Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

Buncombe County COVID-19 Community Update: The Rapid Decline of The Omicron Surge

ASHEVILLE, NC – On February 15, the Department of Health and Human Services and Public Health Director Stacie Saunders posted the weekly Buncombe County COVID-19 Community Update. Stacie Saunders said, “Public health leadership will continue to monitor cases and percent positivity and with emphasis on hospitalizations and deaths. We will continue to work with our area medical providers, community partners, and hospital system to adapt to changes in the pandemic at the local level.” The weekly COVID-19 metrics from the Buncombe County Department of Health & Human Services indicate that:

• There is a decrease in the COVID-19 case rate by 26%, fewer hospitalizations and ICU admissions, and an increase in the death rate. The case rate still remains high at a total of 386 cases per 100,000 people per week.
• Percent positivity is 15.5% compared to 19.6% last week. This is well above the 5% level, indicating that the transmission rate is still high.
• Almost 70% of the eligible population are fully vaccinated and 56% of the fully vaccinated have received boosters. Both values are unchanged from last week.

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends:

• Vaccines because they reduce the risk of infection, severe illness, hospitalizations and deaths 
• Therapeutics because they reduce the likelihood of severe illness, hospitalizations and deaths in high-risk people.
• Public health measures of vaccinations with boosters, testing, and staying home when not feeling well

Vaccination sites and testing sites can be located through the North Carolina and Buncombe County Department of Health and Human Services. 

Listen to the full report below:

Contact: Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour