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To Your Health
CLICK FOR HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS and URGENT CARE CLINICS
THE LATEST ON COVID-19
Now that the COVID-19 numbers (infections, hospitalizations, deaths, etc) are going down substantially, we’ll be hearing less and less about the pandemic (unless the numbers start rising again). The official COVID emergency declaration ended in may-2023, which means that the White House has shut down its COVID response team. Some activists feel that those actions were premature. Vaccinations will still be available at the Durham County Department of Public Health free of charge.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has stopped publishing its COVID Data Tracker Weekly Review, but you can still view the main tracker, which will run indefinitely. Click here for the national numbers, and click here to see what’s happening here in Durham County.
The updated Pfizer COVID-19 booster vaccines are available for children ages six months through four years at the Durham County Department of Public Health (414 E Main St). The clinic is open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9am to 4:30pm (and closed for lunch from noon to 1pm). Walk-ins are welcome.
Click here to find vaccines for not only COVID-19, but also influenza (flu) and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).
NC Medicaid covers most health services, including primary care, hospital services, maternity and postpartum care, vision and hearing services, prescription drug benefits, behavioral health services, preventive and wellness services, dental and oral health services, and medical-related devices and other therapies.
Here’s how to apply for Medicaid on your own:
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Online via ePASS; click here.
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Download the application, print it out, and mail it in or drop it off; click here.
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Visit the Durham County Department of Social Services (DSS) at 414 E Main St; click here for more info.
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Make a phone call to DSS; click here for more info.
Click here to visit the Medicaid website for an overview and more info.
NAMI DURHAM CLASSES AND MEETINGS
The NAMI* Connection Recovery Support Group is a free, peer-led support group for those age 18+ who are living with a mental illness. Group members will be able to share successes with each other and discuss challenges with the help of NAMI-trained facilitators. This month’s meetings will be held on Tuesdays, March 11 and 25, 7:30–9pm; click here to register in advance for this Zoom meeting.
* National Alliance on Mental Illness
NAMI Durham hosts an online Stress & Anxiety Support Group for African-Americans every Thursday from 7 to 8:30pm. Black people often push down their fears and problems because they’ve been told that seeking help is a sign of weakness. The weekly confidential discussions encourage African-Americans to reach out and to realize that “You are not alone.” Share experiences without judgment, exchange tips, and gain access to helpful resources. Click here for more info; if you’d like to attend a meeting (on Zoom), click on “Calendar” and then click on the particular Thursday to register for that day’s meeting.
Health and research studies
Here are some health studies being run by local universities:
DUKE HEALTH PACT STUDY
919-668-3154, PACTStudy@duke.edu, website
Researchers at Duke Health are conducting a study to see if Alzheimer’s disease can be prevented with cognitive training. The PACT* Study is looking for people age 65+ who would like to volunteer to participate in the study and undergo computerized training exercises that are designed to reduce that risk.
To qualify, participants should be age 65 and older, with no neurological disorders or cognitive impairments and no history of stroke or brain injury. The potential benefits of taking the computerized training exercises can include enhanced mental quickness, improved gait and balance, and protection against depression. The length of the study will be approximately 3 years, with three study visits of up to 2 hours each. The 45 1-hour computer training sessions will be done in your own home.
* PACT = Preventing Alzheimer’s with Cognitive Training
UNC-CHAPEL HILL HARMONY STUDY
919-918-1876, harmonystudy@unc.edu
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is running The Harmony Study to learn about lowering the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke among African-American and black women age 18+ and with a BMI (body mass index) between 25 and 39. They’re testing two exercise and nutrition programs in the hopes of improving participants’ lives and collecting data that can help create healthy-living programs in the future. Participants will be expected to be in the program for one year and will receive $260 and a FitBit at the end of the study. The principal investigator for the Harmony Team is Cheryl Giscombe. Call or write to sign up and for more info.
UNC–CHAPEL HILL IFE4HER STUDY
919-391-0231, IFE4study@gmail.com
Durham Housing Authority residents who are women age 18+ are invited to book free appointments for visiting a mobile health van that offers blood-pressure checks, blood-glucose checks, HIV tests, and PrEP consultations. Doing so will enter you in an IFE4Her health-service study. If you’d like to participate, click here; call or write to if you have any questions.
UNC–CHAPEL HILL MINDS & MILKSHAKES STUDY
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is running The Minds & Milkshakes Study where teens ages 14 to 16 and their mothers participate in a study that researches what people choose to eat. In order to qualify, each teen must be generally healthy with no dietary restrictions, won’t be taking any medications other than vitamins, won’t be wearing any braces or unremovable metal in their body, and will not be a user of nicotine. This is designed to be a 5-year study with a total of five visits—two the first year and one visit in years 3, 4, and 5. Each young participant (and their moms) will complete a series of taste tests, brain games, and surveys. Blood samples will be collected and MRI images will be made of the brain during the first and last visits. The principal investigator for The Minds & Milkshakes Study is Dr Kyle S Burger. Write for more info and to see if your child qualifies for the study.
VELOCITY CLINICAL RESEARCH
Velocity Clinical Research has developed several Weight-Loss Studies. People who are having trouble losing weight, even after making serious lifestyle changes, are invited to call or to sign up at to learn about these studies. Eligible participants can receive compensation, with the amount depending on the study. You can also learn about upcoming trials by downloading the VISION Engage app from the App Store or Google Play.
FREE MOVEMENT CLASSES FOR PEOPLE WITH PARKINSON’S
The American Dance Festival offers free classes for people with Parkinson’s Disease and their care partners at ADF Scripps Studios (721 Broad St). Rebecca Bliss leads PWR!Moves Parkinson’s Wellness Recovery on Thursdays from 2 to 3:15pm. Call 919-797-2871 for more info and click here to sign up.
The American Dance Festival offers free classes for people with Parkinson’s Disease and their care partners at ADF Scripps Studios (721 Broad St). For those who are unable to travel, Susan Saenger leads Virtual Dance for Parkinson’s on Zoom on Fridays from 11am to 12:15pm. Call 919-797-2871 for more info and click here to sign up.
INFORMATION ABOUT CANCER; SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT
Learn all about cancer from the American Cancer Society:
Skin cancer
Other types of cancer (choose one)
Here’s more locally based information from the American Cancer Society’s
North Carolina chapter: NC ACS website.
Community Health Coalition
308 Crutchfield St, Suite D, 919-470-8680
Read the latest Health Tips newsletter from one of the premier health-based nonprofits in Durham.
HOPE4NC HELPLINE
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is offering the Hope4NC helpline for people needing mental-health support due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Anyone can get free and confidential emotional support and helpful resources 24/7 via telephone, text, or chat. This service is also available in Spanish. The Hope4NC helpline number is 855-587-3463; click here for more info, to start a chat, send a text message, and to get help in Spanish.
Feel free to explore the NCDHHS’s COVID-19 website here for more resources and information on staying both physically and mentally healthy during the pandemic.
Formed by a partnership of Safe Kids North Carolina, the Riverkeepers of North Carolina, NC State Bureau of Investigation, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of North Carolina, and local law enforcement agencies, Operation Medicine Drop is an initiative that helps people safely dispose of expired and unused medications. A common practice is to flush them down the toilet, but that poisons the waters and endangers wildlife. Simply tossing them in the trash is also a bad idea. Someone could come along, fish them out, and use them as recreational drugs. Many overdoses and other drug-related problems happen because someone didn’t get rid of over-the-counter medications properly.
Operation Medicine Drop provides safe dropoff points for those who want to get rid of their old medications easily and safely. Here are the Durham County locations:
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Durham County Justice Center (510 S Dillard St, in the lobby, 919-560-0854)—weekdays 8:15am–5pm
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Durham County Sheriff’s Office, North Station (11821 US Hwy 501 N, in Rougemont, 919-560-0930)—weekdays 8am–4:30pm
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Durham District 2 Police Substation (5285 N Roxboro Rd, 919-560-4322)—weekdays 8am–5pm
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Durham District 3 Police Substation (#8 Consultant Pl, Shannon Rd near MLK Pkwy)—weekdays 8am–5pm
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Durham Police Department Headquarters (602 E Main St, 919-560-4600)—anytime (24/7).
Click here for more info.
Here are some additional locations, as provided by the Lincoln Community Health Center:
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Durham County Department of Public Health (414 E Main St, 919-560-7632)—pharmacy 1st floor, Clinic 3 dropbox in the lobby
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Central Pharmacy (2609 N Duke St, Suite 103, 919-220-5121)—weekdays 9am–5:30pm, Saturdays 9am–noon; no sharps
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CVS (3573 Hillsborough Rd, 919-383-0171)—no sharps, aerosols, inhalers, or chemotherapy waste
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CVS (2103 TW Alexander Dr, 919-957-2989)—no sharps, aerosols, inhalers, or chemotherapy waste
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Triangle Pharmacy (1700 E Hwy 54, 919-544-1711)—weekdays 8am–8pm, Saturdays 8am–6pm, Sundays noon–6pm; no sharps
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Walgreens (3905 N Roxboro St, 919-471-1534).
AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES
The American Red Cross will host the following pop-up Blood Drives. (Blood/platelets can also be donated just about every day at the American Red Cross office (4737 University Dr).) Click here for more info and to set an appointment.
Wednesday, April 9
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Veterans Administration Medical Center (508 Fulton St), 10am–3pm; look for the BUS
Thursday, April 10
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Environmental Protection Agency (109 TW Alexander Dr), 9:30am–2:30pm
Friday, April 11
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Streets at Southpoint (6910 Fayetteville Rd), noon–6pm
Monday, April 14
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Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans Center (8 Searle Center Dr), 8am–1pm
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Pleasant Green UMC (3005 Pleasant Green Rd), 10am–3pm
Tuesday, April 15
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Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans Center (8 Searle Center Dr), 8am–1pm
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Pleasant Green UMC (3005 Pleasant Green Rd), 9am–2pm
Saturday, April 19
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WD Hill Recreation Center (1308 Fayetteville St), 9am–2pm
Monday, April 21
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Carolina Friends School (4809 Friends School Rd), 1–6pm
Tuesday, April 22
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Jordan High School (6806 Garrett Rd), 9:30am–2:30pm
Wednesday, April 23
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BioPoint Innovation Labs (20 TW Alexander Dr), 10am–3pm
Thursday, April 24
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Rose of Sharon Baptist Church (4109 Guess Rd), 2:30–7pm
Friday, April 25
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Streets at Southpoint (6910 Fayetteville Rd), noon–6pm
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Faith Community Church International (4903 N Roxboro St), 1–6pm
Thursday, May 1
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First Presbyterian Church (305 E Main St), 1–6pm
Tuesday, May 6
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City of Durham Water Management Facility (1600 Mist Lake Dr), 10am–3pm
Wednesday, May 7
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Zoetis (1040 Swabia Ct), 10am–3pm; look for the BUS
Thursday, May 8
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Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (3902 Berini Dr), 1–6pm
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Mt Sylvan UMC (5731 N Roxboro Rd), 1–6pm
Friday, May 9
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Streets at Southpoint (6910 Fayetteville Rd), noon–6pm.
BLOOD CONNECTION BLOOD DRIVES
The Blood Connection hosts mobile Blood Drives throughout Durham. Here’s a partial schedule of the pop-up locations (in the most public spaces). Click here to see the full list of locations and dates:
Friday, April 11
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Elizabeth Street UMC (1209 N Elizabeth St), noon–5pm
Saturday, April 12
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Calyx Living of Durham (4214 Guess Rd), 4:30–7:30pm
Tuesday, April 15
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Duke University (in honor of Raj Mehta) (Duke Student Wellness Center, 305 Towerview Rd, Room 148), 10am–3pm
Wednesday, April 16
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Park Point Campus (4001 Hwy 54), 9am–2pm
Thursday, April 17
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Duke BME PhD Student Association (Bryan Research Center, 101 Coal Pile Dr), 11am–4pm
Saturday, April 19
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Kohl’s (5241 McFarland Rd), 11am–7pm
Tuesday, April 22
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Duke University/Camp Kesem (124 Science Dr), 11am–3pm
Thursday, April 24
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Bull House Apartments (504 E Pettigrew St), 2:30–6:30pm
Sunday, April 27
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Kohl’s (5241 McFarland Rd), 10:30am–6:30pm
Sunday, May 4
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Beth El Synagogue (1004 Watts St), 10am–3pm
Thursday, May 8
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YMCA (218 W Morgan St), 3–5:30pm
Wednesday, May 14
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Durham VA Medical Center (508 Fulton St), 10am–2pm
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Grey Stone Church (2601 Hillsborough Rd), 3–7pm
Thursday, May 15
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Almac Durham (4238 Technology Dr), 9:30am–1:30pm
Click the graphic and add
your ZIP code to find out.
THAT ALL MAY READ
The National Library Service in Washington DC, in cooperation with libraries across the country, hosts the That All May Read program. People with temporary or permanent low vision, blindness, or a physical disability that keeps them from reading or holding a book can have braille or audio books delivered to them free of charge. You can choose physical books or free downloads. Click here to get started.
NAR-ANON
Relatives and friends of people with addictions are invited to attend their own 12-step program to help figure out ways to understand and support their loved-ones. Get your questions answered and identify community resources while meeting others who are in similar circumstances. NAR-ANON meetings are held every Thursday, 5–6pm, at Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church (2200 S Alston Ave).
NORTH CAROLINA READING SERVICE
211 E Six Forks Rd, Suite 103, Raleigh,
The North Carolina Reading Service is a free service helps blind and visually impaired people keep up with the news and entertainment worlds. Volunteers read local news stories, editorials, obituaries, books, and advertisements from a variety of publications. They also read special programs that discuss specific topics like education, tech tips, and legal matters. Users can then listen via their smartphone and tablet apps, the NCRS website, or with any “Alexa”-enabled device.
Listeners who don’t have internet access can borrow specially tuned receivers free of charge. Donations to NCRS help cover the average price of $70 per receiver, and some listeners make donations if they’re able to. Click here to see the various ways of enjoying the broadcasts and to see the list of podcasts included with the service. Visit the website if you’d like to make a monetary donation or if you’d like to be a volunteer reader.
EPILEPSY YOUTUBE CHANNEL
If you’d like to learn about epilepsy from an advocate who has it, check out Roxanne Davenport’s ‘Seize’ure the Day show on YouTube, which airs live every other Tuesday at 7:30pm. Click here to go to the ‘Seize’ure the Day YouTube channel.
HEALTH EQUIPMENT LOAN PROGRAM
4206 N Roxboro St, Suite 100, 919-748-1022, website:
Project Access connects people who don’t have health insurance with medical services that are affordable or free of charge, and HELP, the Health Equipment Loan Program, helps everyday folks gain access to medical equipment that they couldn’t otherwise afford.
If you any have walkers, wheelchairs, canes, knee-scooters, reachers (pickup or grabber sticks), tub-transfer benches, etc, it would be greatly appreciated if you can donate them. Everything will be sanitized and repaired if necessary so they can be loaned out to people for easily renewable 3-month periods regardless of their insurance status. HELP is open Tuesdays (10am–2pm) and Fridays (1–5pm). Visit the website or call and ask for the manager for more info.
