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There is no preliminary comment today from Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Teresa Frankovich. She has the right to answer media questions. See a summary of his answers below.
This Redhead blackbelt Asks … Of the active positive test takers confirmed so far, how many are asymptomatic, how many have symptoms, how many are currently in hospital, and how many are currently occupying beds in the ICU?
Frankovich says some of this information is on the county dashboard. County patients are followed only by their quarantine period, not long-term. The county does not report current hospital admissions, only from the beginning of the outbreak.
This Redhead blackbelt Asking … Regarding public information updates on locally positive cases, you can say nothing in general sense (not specified in individual cases to avoid HIPPA concerns) about treatments or treatment for local patients Do, and if the ventilator has been used for treatment, etc.?
Francovich says local patients have received rimadesivir, convulsant plasma and dexamethasone, and some need ventilation.
This Redhead blackbelt Asks … Looking at the breakdown of the origin of the case, can you also tell us as an estimate – of the section known as the “known case contact” – can you estimate what percentage of the results come from “traveled” travel or in this case? “Spread at the community level”?
“We don’t completely track data in this fashion,” says Frankovich. It can be complicated when tracing contacts to assign a class to a transition method.
This North Coast Journal Asks … Schools around the North Coast are coming back this week and into the next semester, mostly with distance education starting the year. As a pediatrician, what advice do you have for those looking to help parents find a way to promote mental and physical health during this period?
Children will take their cues from their teachers and parents, and so parents can “normalize” wearing a face mask at home, says Frankovich. Kids need to have some safety, and it helps to know what they can do to stay safe.
This North Coast Journal Asks … You have seen a local increase in cases involving the agricultural sector. Can you explain what it is about the field and its working conditions that have spread the virus locally among employees?
That could be related to the challenges of distance in the workplace, especially indoors, Frankovich says. There may also be issues with workers’ life-sharing conditions and higher workforce turnover.
This Times-Standard Asks … Aren’t any positive COVID-19 results listed as part of the total positive cases? The question arises as to how HSU or CR students, who live here locally but are not considered permanent residents, behave. We know that JIC previously told a Trinity County resident who was tested in Humboldt County that it was not included in the county count.
The case is assigned by the residence. So if the HSU student has a local address and tests positive, they are reported locally. But if someone travels here from Los Angeles and gets tested here, it counts in LA
This Times-Standard Asks … Government Gavin News will talk about resuming business this afternoon. If it fixes counties to reopen some businesses that are not on the list of businesses that have been shuttered, what time frame will the county provide to allow those businesses to reopen locally?
Frankovich says she was in a meeting at the time of the governor’s announcement. Regardless, the county has not received any documents since.
This Lost Coast Outpost Asks … There are at least a few months left in the fire season in California. Is the county preparing for evacuation and the possibility of emergency shelter facilities in the time of COVID? Are you working with other agencies or governments on this issue?
Francovich says the team at the Public Health and Emergencies Operations Center is working on plans to evacuate, and other agencies are also looking at how to operate shelters safely during COVID-19. Some are already coming to camp or stay with relatives, at the informal Humboldt.
North Coast News asks: With the improvement in virus data, California wants to reopen. Newsom is expected to announce plans to reopen businesses that closed in July tomorrow. But there is a lot of confusion in moving the lockdown rules regarding the ongoing epidemic in California. What clarification do you need from the governor about resuming business tomorrow; Are there some public health data that will determine success or failure locally?
“Timeframes have been placed in Dell for reopening,” Frankovich said, adding that the general acceptance is that previous reopening was done fairly quickly. Look at the new model to be more careful and thoughtful.
Regardless, the state structure can be improved at the county level to be more – but not less – restrictive.
The North Coast News asks: There are still a few months left in the flu season, but local pharmacies are now starting to give the flu vaccine. With all the talk of the potential for “flu” and COVID-19, do you suggest that people are now immune to the flu or closer to collapse?
“In public health, the rule of thumb is to go ahead and get vaccinated immediately,” says Frankovich. “And we definitely want people to get a good vaccine for this flu season.” It will be very important to help us manage this epidemic. ”
North Coast News asks … With the symptoms of Covid-19 mirroring flu, it would be understandable that some people with the flu believe they have Covid and are tested. Are you worried that a rush of flu patients being tested can put unnecessary strain on the testing ability, as non-covid patients will take the tests?
Frankovich says there aren’t many overlaps in the feature list. Some people may end up being co-infected. The county’s goal is to have sufficient testing capacity and a quick-enough turnaround to meet any increased demand.
Redwood News asks: Will any of our local cases of Covid-19 be considered a long haul? Or have any of our cases reported persistent symptoms even after being considered “recovered”? Any long-term health questions, etc.? Are you able to give residents an idea of what those features might look like?
As mentioned above, the county only follows short-term people. Long-term tracking of primary care providers and national and state research projects. Most local cases do not have many symptoms until the onset of loneliness. One symptom that lasts for a while is a loss of taste or smell. Most local patients are younger and healthier by minimizing the effects of the virus.
Redwood News asks … With the flu season around the corner and some of the symptoms of both Covid-19 and the seasonal flu being the same… Can you give residents any guidance on what the first symptoms they should be aware of, possibly Covid-19? Or just what causes more flu symptoms? With Covid-19?
See above. They will be virtually inseparable for some people.
