NEW HANOVER COUNTY — The fate of the New Hanover County Pandemic Operations Center and its team, tasked with fending off the Covid-19 pandemic over the last three and a half years, is unclear. Yet, county health officials are looking at its potential for future epidemiological uses.
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Among them could be the containment of other communicable diseases and sexually transmitted infections, along with a public health response to violence. The ideas were proposed by Ian Appling, New Hanover County Department of Health and Human Services pandemic operations epidemiologist, hired in April 2022.
“Having an epidemiologist with New Hanover County allows HHS to have additional resources in analyzing data and remaining responsive to current and future public health threats,” New Hanover County Health Director Jon Campbell said.
Campbell was hired as the pandemic operations manager in December 2021 and took over as interim health director following David Howard’s January departure.
“Given the overall improvement in Covid, our epidemiologist began to brainstorm areas where data could be obtained, interpreted, and applied across our organization,” Campbell said. “For example, if there was identification of high areas of STI prevalence in the community, we could target this area with messaging surrounding prevention and treatment.”
According to internal county emails obtained by Port City Daily, Appling said he is working to access data and work alongside the IT department to develop a GIS map. It would help determine what areas of our community are dealing with higher rates of STIs and HIV infections.
Appling also noted he will gather statistics and metrics on county residents experiencing communicable diseases, such as tuberculosis and hepatitis, in order to direct services to the people most in need. He argues a similar approach could be taken toward tracking community violence.
“I think this area is oft overlooked, but it is an area of focus that many states’ health departments have specifically tasked Epidemiologists for Violent Crime and understanding the reasons why violent crime flourishes in some parts of a community,” Appling wrote Campbell. “This project would help the county better understand what may be causing violence/violent crime and help redirect resources to assist in mitigating these problems.”
Despite looking for potential adaptations, the county has not committed to renewing the lease on the 1507 Greenfield St. property. Executed in December 2021, the three-year contract mandates the county pay $99,996 per year with an annual 5% escalator.
County commissioners put $3.4 million into PanOps from American Rescue Plan funding toward the new division, renovating the Greenfield Street location and hiring 17 healthcare workers to staff it. The goal was to alleviate New Hanover County Health and Human Services by dedicating staff to curbing epidemics and distributing vaccines, focusing on Covid-19 at the time.
Since March 2020, more than 60% of the county has been vaccinated and the county has fielded over 60,000 cases, resulting in 442 deaths. After reporting less than 10% of Covid-19 tests were returning positive in October 2022, the county announced the PanOps Center would no longer perform testing. In March, vaccination distribution was moved away from the PanOps Center as well.
Aside from continuing to provide Covid-19 vaccines and storing supplies, the Greenfield Street annex’s usefulness has extended beyond the pandemic. It is currently housing the older adult dental program, which provides dental care to uninsured NHC residents 55 and older who have an income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level — $14,580 for a single individual. Access Dental operates the clinic and sees patients every other Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
The county’s mobile dental unit is set up on site to provide the same care for children ages 3 to 18 on Medicaid, NC Health Choice Insurance or without dental insurance through July 27. During the school year, the unit provides routine dental exams, cleanings, X-rays, fillings, and more at local schools and other satellite locations.
The county also partners with Cape Fear Latinos on a pop-up site at the PanOps Center. Registrants are able to seek assistance to gain the necessary documents for travel, appropriate identification and to help with their immigration needs.
Reach journalist Brenna Flanagan at brenna@localdailymedia.com.
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