COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus

Information For Citizens & Visitors of
Franklin & Macon County NC

Macon County NC, Information & Resources

Macon County officials encourage both residents and visitors to follow health and safety guidelines. And, if you have not had a COVID-19 vaccine, you are urged to do so. Call Macon County Public Health at 828-349-2081 to schedule your vaccination.

April 21 - COVID-19 Case Count Update (updated on Fridays):
4 Active Cases of COVID-19 in Macon County
9,851 Recovered • 127 Deaths • 9,982 Total Cases

Total First Dose Vaccines Given by MCPH & Off-Site:

Total Boosters Given - 3,798
Total Vaccines Given - 27,082

Macon's Community Transmission status is LOW

» CDC Transmission Map - Choose State and Macon County or other counties of interest

If you believe that you may have COVID-19, please call the Health Department at 828-349-2081 to schedule an appointment for a test.

Macon County Public Health will now offer Covid-19 Testing on the following schedule:
Mondays: 8:30am -9:30am
Tuesdays: 1:30pm-2:30pm
Wednesdays: NO TESTING
Thursdays: 1:30pm-2:30pm
Fridays: 8:30am-9:30am

Testing is by appointment only. Please call 349-2081 to make an appointment.

* Health Conditions That May Put A Person At Higher Risk Of Severe COVID-19: Cancer, Chronic kidney disease, Chronic lung diseases (like COPD, asthma, interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis, and pulmonary hypertension), Dementia, Other Neurological conditions, Diabetes, Down syndrome, Heart conditions, HIV infection, Weakened immune system, Liver disease, Obesity, Pregnancy, Sickle cell disease, Smoking (current or former), Organ or blood transplant, Stoke or cerebrovascular disease, and Substance use disorders.

June 24, 2022 / MCPH - Monkeypox Case Confirmed in Region One

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has recently confirmed the first positive case of monkeypox within North Carolina. This case has occurred within our region 1. Macon County Public Health is working closely with NC DHHS to make sure we remain up to date on all aspects of prevention, treatment, spread, and risk factors identified by the CDC. Currently, there is no great risk identified for the general public.

Monkeypox is transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected person or animal. It can also be transmitted from person to person through close contact with body fluids and lesions, hugging, kissing, talking closely, as well as fabrics/bedding/surfaces that have been contaminated with the virus. Individuals infected with monkeypox may develop a fever, rash, swollen lymph nodes, head/body aches, chills, and exhaustion.

The CDC have been tracking multiple cases of monkeypox that have been reported in several countries that do not normally report monkeypox, including the United States. This virus has and will continue to be monitored diligently by health officials.

Please follow the link to the CDC website for current and accurate data surrounding this virus: https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/index.html.

May 2022 - Infant Formula Shortage

Some families in North Carolina are facing challenges accessing infant formulas. These challenges are related to the February recall of certain Abbott infant formulas, the resulting increased demand for other brands of formula, and the lingering effects of supply issues during the pandemic. During these on-going shortages, our top priority is to help families access safe, healthy feeding options for their infants. NCDHHS provides the following recommendations on what families can do and what they should avoid.

What can families do?

  • If a family is not able to find formula for their child, they should work with the child’s health care provider to determine the best feeding plan. For cow's milk-based formula, a comparable otherbrand, including generic or store brand, smaller manufacturer, or organic options are generally fine.

  • Families can turn to community organizations, reputable online retailers, distributors, and manufacturers as sources for finding formula. Contact United Way’s 2-1-1 or dial 2-1-1 to be connected to a community resource specialist affiliated with United Way who may be able to help you identify food pantries and other charitable sources of local infant formula and baby food. Certain milk banks accredited by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America are distributing donated breast milk to mothers in need; please note that some may require a prescription from a medical professional. Find an HMBANA-accredited milk bank near you.

  • Families can contact manufacturers for help in finding formula:
    o MyGerber Baby Expert
    o Abbott’s Consumer Hotline: call 1-800-986-8540 and urgent product request line
    o Reckitt’s (Mead Johnson) Customer Service line: call 1-800 BABY-123 (222-9123)

  • Families using a combination feeding of breast milk and iron-fortified infant formula may wish to consider increasing the frequency of breastfeeding or pumping so that they do not need as much formula. Families can reach out to a local lactation specialist to try and help increase their supply of breastmilk.

    WIC is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children that provides benefits for healthy foods, breastfeeding education and support, and health care referrals for low income families. For infants enrolled in the program, WIC provides supplemental assistance to help cover the cost of infant formulas in the first year of life.

    WIC participants who cannot find formula in local stores should first contact their local WIC agency to get help finding available formula in the community. If formula is not available in local stores, the local WIC agency may be able to submit an order request for the formula from the manufacturer through the state WIC agency, pending availability.

    For WIC participants with a specialized formula prescription, a medical provider must change the prescription. Talk with your child’s health care provider about possible options during the shortage.

    The WIC program also provides breastfeeding support and resources to families. Families participating in WIC may contact their local WIC clinic for additional breastfeeding support and breast pump issuance as appropriate.

    • Women who are pregnant are encouraged to consult with a health care provider about breastfeeding their infant. Families feeding a baby with donor breast milk should only use milk from a source that has screened its milk donors and taken other precautions to ensure the safety of its milk, such as those accredited by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America.

    • If you see a formula price that seems too high, report it to the North Carolina Department of Justice by filing a complaint at https://ncdoj.gov/gouging or by calling 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.

    • Families needing help with formula costs who have not applied for assistance are encouraged to learn more about WIC at https://www.nutritionnc.com/wic/ or apply for FNS (formerly known as food stamps) at https://epass.nc.gov.

    What should families avoid?

    • Do NOT make homemade infant formula. Homemade formula recipes can be very dangerous for babies since they have not been evaluated by the FDA and may lack nutrients vital to an infant’s growth.

    • Do NOT water down formula to stretch it out; it can be extremely dangerous to your baby to do so. Always follow formula label instructions or those given to you by your health care provider.

    • Toddler formula and plant-based milk alternatives are not recommended before a child’s first birthday.

    • Do NOT buy formula from online auctions, unknown individuals, or unknown origins. Storage and shipping conditions may impact formula safety. Formula from outside the United States is not regulated by the FDA, though the FDA is now exploring safe options for importing formula from other countries.

    What is NCDHHS doing to help families?

    • Through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), NCDHHS is helping to connect families participating in WIC directly to needed formula and placing bulk orders with manufacturers on behalf of local WIC agencies and the families they serve.

    • Using flexibility from the federal government to make it easier for WIC participants to access available formula. North Carolina is already using available USDA rule waivers to help retailers continue to serve WIC-enrolled families during the shortage and help families return or exchange formulas included in the recall.

    • Working with the federal government to waive additional rules for the WIC program to make it easier for WIC participants to access available formula. North Carolina has requested waivers that would give WIC-enrolled families more flexibility to purchase other types of formula and in a wider variety of sizes based on availability and health care provider recommendations.

    • Providing guidance to local WIC agencies and health care providers to make it easier for health care providers to give WIC-enrolled families several options of formula types and sizes on a single prescription to meet their children’s specialized formula needs.

    • Monitoring the fluctuating formula supply across the state and keeping our partner organizations updated.

    What other resources are available?

    • HHS: Helping Families Find Formula
    • President Biden’s Fact Sheet
    • AAP/Healthychildren.org Resource for Parents
    • FDA Consumer Page on Powdered Infant Formula Recall
    • USDA Infant Formula Safety
    • FDA Infant Formula: Safety Do’s and Don’ts
    • NCDHHS WIC Program
    • USDA WIC Breastfeeding
    • NCDHHS Breastfeeding Promotion and Support
    • CDC’s Relactation Resources
    • WHO/UNICEF’s Maximising Breastmilk and Supporting Re-lactation
    • Ready, Set, Baby
    • Establishing and Making Enough Milk
    • Ready, Set, Baby Live Online Classes Schedule

MACON COUNTY GOVERNMENT

June 23, 2021 - Effective immediately the State of Emergency proclamation issued by Macon County in March of 2020 due to the coronavirus COVID719 pandemic is now terminated. The state is experiencing a decrease in the number of daily COVID-19 diagnoses and vaccines are readily available to the majority of the population.

The public is encouraged to follow health and safety guidelines and remain vigilant as we proceed through the summer months and enter the fall of 2021 to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Everyone who is eligible is encouraged to receive the COVID-19 vaccine which is a safe and effective prevention tool.

PROCLAMATION TERMINATING STATE OF EMERGENCY

WHEREAS, as a result of the coronavirus COVID-19 global pandemic, on March 17, 2020, a State of Emergency Proclamation was issued by Jim Tate, Chairman of the Macon County Commissioners; and

WHEREAS, over recent months in North Carolina, due to the measures taken by Macon County, other governmental agencies, civic organizations, volunteers, and the resilience and persistence of the residents of Macon County, the County is experiencing substantially lower COVID-19 related emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and daily diagnoses;

WHEREAS, COVID-19 vaccines are readily available to all residents; and

WHEREAS, The Governor of North Carolina by Executive Order 215 dated May 14, 2021, lifted many COVID-19 Restrictions to Reflect the New Public Health Recommendations; and

WHEREAS, pursuant N.C. Gen Stat. §166A-19.22(b}(3)c and §166A-19.22(c), the County is authorized to lift the State of Emergency previously declared.

NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the specific authority provided to the Chairman of the County Board of Commissioners by N.C. Gen Stat. §166A-19.22(b)(3)(c) and §166A-19.22(c), I hereby proclaim that the Covid-19 State of Emergency previously declared on March 17, 2020, for Macon County, North Carolina is no longer applicable and the same is hereby terminated.

This proclamation shall become effective immediately. Proclaimed this the 23rd day of June, 2021.

Jim Tate, Chairman Macon County Board of County Commissioners
Derek Roland, Macon County Manager and Clerk to the Board