coronavirus pandemic

Two female medical students walk down a hallway at the medical education center.

Among those disrupted by COVID-19: The nation’s newest doctors

July 3, 2020 by Kaiser Health News

Among those disrupted by COVID-19: The nation’s newest doctors - North Carolina Health News

New physicians suit up and start on July 1. They're entering a world with far more challenges than they could have imagined.

By Julie Rovner Kaiser Health News July 1 is a big day in medical education. It’s traditionally the day newly minted doctors start their first year of residency. But this year is different. Getting from here to there — from medical school to residency training sites — has been complicated by the coronavirus. “We were […]

beyond a fence two fences, one topped with razor wire, about a dozen men play on a bleak basketball court. Many people with mental illness end up in the prison system

COVID-19 puts pressure on already fractured prison health system

July 2, 2020 by Taylor Knopf

COVID-19 puts pressure on already fractured prison health system - North Carolina Health News

COVID-19 has hit North Carolina’s prisons hard. But the system was already struggling under the weight of staffing issues, budget cuts, management changes and a surge of mental health patients for more than a decade.

By Taylor Knopf The North Carolina prison system has been under heightened scrutiny during the COVID-19 pandemic after outbreaks of the virus occurred in several facilities across the state. Five inmates and one prison nurse have died from the virus. Hundreds have been infected. Inmates were being moved freely between facilities with outbreaks and those […]

An older black man holds a black sign with a pink triangle and the words, "Silence = Death," below it at The AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, or ACT UP, 25th anniversary march in New York City in 2012.

“It’s kind of terrifying how little has changed:” Reflecting on two pandemics faced by the Black & LGBTQ communities

June 30, 2020 by Hannah Critchfield

“It’s kind of terrifying how little has changed:” Reflecting on two pandemics faced by the Black & LGBTQ communities - North Carolina Health News

This June marks the 50th anniversary of the first Pride parade, which arose in protest against police brutality and for the rights of LGBTQ people. Health equity has always been an indispensable part of that struggle.

By Hannah Critchfield Brad Batch was at a party in Garner when he first heard about the virus. The 30-year-old had recently moved back home after a few years in New Orleans. A friend approached him and asked a strange question about his old college boyfriend, who was now living in New York. “Did you […]

shows a woman in a white coat, holding up a paper surgical mask used to prevent COVID-19 transmission in front of her face

Coronavirus Today – June 26 – Helping Hispanic communities battle COVID-19; statewide face mask requirement takes effect

June 26, 2020 by Anne Blythe

Coronavirus Today – June 26 – Helping Hispanic communities battle COVID-19; statewide face mask requirement takes effect - North Carolina Health News

State health officials approve $100,000 grants for five organizations to help staunch the spread of COVID-19 among Latino communities.

By Anne Blythe Hispanic communities are essential to NC. So is protecting their health. Viviana Martinez-Bianchi, a family medicine physician at Duke Health whose interests focus on health disparities and access to care, had a powerful message for Hispanic North Carolina residents who are feeling the devastating brunt of COVID-19 disproportionately. The doctor spoke in […]

shows several empty rocking chairs on a porch

Health facility visitation becomes a legislative flashpoint

June 25, 2020 by Rose Hoban

Health facility visitation becomes a legislative flashpoint - North Carolina Health News

Even as lawmakers pass bills to require hospitals to allow visitors, they got an earful on how senior living centers would prefer to keep those facilities closed to visitors.

By Rose Hoban On Wednesday, lawmakers gave impassioned speeches on the floor of the legislature about patients who have endured hospitalizations and even deaths alone, without someone at their side. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals, in an effort to reduce the number of people infected with the deadly virus, have restricted visitation for their patients. […]

A dental professional like a dental hygienist or dentist puts a flashlight into someone's mouth. It's a proxy for dentists and oral health and oral cancer screenings because of HPV

The NC Dental Board weighs unusual questions in an unprecedented time

June 24, 2020 by Anne Blythe

The NC Dental Board weighs unusual questions in an unprecedented time - North Carolina Health News

Cleaning teeth with COVID-19 so prevalent brings questions about investigating safety complaints.

By Anne Blythe Now that dental offices across the state have started bringing in patients for routine cleanings, the state board responsible for making sure they provide a standard practice of care during this unprecedented time is wrestling with unique questions. The North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners held its monthly board meeting over […]

four girls on a swing suspended by chains, they all smile at the camera

Are the kids really alright?

June 22, 2020 by Melba Newsome

Are the kids really alright? - North Carolina Health News

There is no playbook for what happens when children are separated from friends and peers for months on end, as they have been during the coronavirus pandemic. How are they really doing?

By Melba Newsome Since school closed statewide in late March, 11-year-old Evyn Lumsden has tried to keep to a regular routine. Each morning at around 9:30, the 6th grader logs on to Zoom and spends an hour in a virtual classroom with her teacher and her classmates from Charlotte’s Irwin Academy. If she wants to […]

The city of Cary's wastewater treatment plant, where officials are monitoring raw sewage for the coronavirus: Photo credit: City of Cary

If the coronavirus rebounds, Cary could be the first to know

June 9, 2020 by Greg Barnes

If the coronavirus rebounds, Cary could be the first to know - North Carolina Health News

Cary, Raleigh and other areas of the Triangle are working with N.C. State on a research project that aims to detect the virus in human feces, potentially alerting health officials to new outbreaks.

By Greg Barnes If a new surge of the coronavirus occurs, Cary could be among the first cities to detect the rebound and establish a quick response. Cary has teamed with the Massachusetts company Biobot Analytics, in collaboration with researchers at Harvard, MIT, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, to sample the city’s untreated sewage for […]

shows men working out in a crowded gym with many freeweights.

Coronavirus Today – June 4 – Racial equity task force; nursing home, prison numbers; Phase 2.5 for gyms, bars?

June 4, 2020 by Editor

Coronavirus Today – June 4 – Racial equity task force; nursing home, prison numbers; Phase 2.5 for gyms, bars? - North Carolina Health News

As George Floyd’s death renews outrage over institutional racism and long-standing inequities, Gov. Roy Cooper creates a new task force.

By North Carolina Health News staff Task force created to address COVID-19 impact on communities of color As the death of George Floyd under a Minneapolis police officer’s knee highlights systemic racism and inequities for people of color at all levels of society, Gov. Roy Cooper signed an executive order on Thursday to begin addressing […]

Teletherapy in the Age of COVID-19

June 3, 2020 by Melba Newsome

Teletherapy in the Age of COVID-19 - North Carolina Health News

The mental health crisis brought on by the pandemic has helped speed up the adoption of teletherapy.

By Melba Newsome Maudeb Maybin suffers from PTSD and uses a wheelchair because of cerebral palsy. Part of his overall maintenance plan includes seeing a therapist to help him cope with his depression issues. But just traveling to and from his appointment can take hours. “It was a huge coordination effort to go anywhere, whether […]

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