Learn about Updated COVID-19 Boosters, Flu Shots and Monkeypox at NCDHHS Livestream Cafecito and Tele-Town Hall | Eastern NC Now

Press Release:

    RALEIGH     The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live Spanish-language Cafecito and tele-town hall on Thursday, Oct. 6, from 7 to 8 p.m. to discuss updated COVID-19 boosters, testing and treatments, as well as the flu and monkeypox vaccines.

    As the Cafecito and tele-town hall takes place during Hispanic Heritage Month, NCDHHS and participants will honor the contributions and influence of Latinx and Hispanic Americans to the U.S.

    An updated COVID-19 booster is now available for everyone ages 12 and older to protect against the latest COVID-19 variants. As of mid-September, these Omicron variants make up around 80% of COVID-19 cases in North Carolina. The updated booster is referred to as a bivalent for its ability to provide the most up-to-date protection against severe illness, hospitalization and death from the original COVID-19 strain as well as new variants. An updated booster for children ages 5 to 11 will also be available soon.

    Topics will include the following:

• Eligibility for and tools to locate updated COVID-19 bivalent boosters
• Everyone's rights to get COVID-19 vaccines, boosters, testing and treatment, regardless of health insurance or immigration status
• How to prepare for seasonal illness with the flu shot, which can be taken alongside a COVID-19 vaccine or booster
• Updated eligibility for monkeypox vaccines

    The event will be moderated by Enrique Catana, founder and producer of Radio Onda de Amor and program coordinator with FaithHealthNC. Participants include Dr. Leonor Corsino, a Diabetes and Metabolism Specialist and Endocrinologist at Duke Health, Ivonne Rojo-Resendiz, Community Health Worker at Kepro, and Yazmin Garcia Rico, MSW, Director of Latinx and Hispanic Policy and Strategy for NCDHHS.

    The Cafecito will stream live from the NCDHHS social media accounts, where viewers can submit questions. The event includes a tele-town hall, which invites people by phone to listen in and submit questions to help ensure everyone who is interested can participate. People can also dial into the event by calling (855) 756-7520 Ext. 85903#.

    NCDHHS Cafecito's and tele-town halls are part of the state's ongoing public engagement to slow the spread of COVID-19 and ensure equitable access to timely information, resources and COVID-19 vaccines.

    The NCDHHS social media platforms will host the livestream on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Visit the channel of your choice to watch the event, which will begin streaming at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 6.

• NC Department of Health and Human Services
• 2001 Mail Service Center
• Raleigh, NC 27699-2001
• Ph: (919) 855-4840
• news@dhhs.nc.gov