In today’s media availability, Dr. Teresa Frankovich, Humboldt County Health Officer, talks about the grand state order issued yesterday (and the county’s delay in implementing it). She also talks about the possibility of in-person schools opening in the fall, evolutionary understanding of how the virus works (and how to better protect yourself), data deletion by the president of the Centers for Disease Control, and more.
Video from above. Questions and summaries of Dr. Frankovich’s answers below.
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Can you tell us a bit about the state order that came out on Monday?
It was a surprise and a disappointment to many, says Dr. Frankovich. Humboldt County is doing pretty well right now. But the state has to consider the large number of cases being verified across the state right now, the rapidly increasing number of cases, hospitalizations, and ICU use. And also the high percentage of people who test positive.
This is an “intermediate” measure, says Dr. Frankovich, designed to prevent us from having to go back to full shelter-in-place mode. Counties are asked to participate in this effort.
The state is trying to remove the riskiest activities, which are generally indoors, off the table for now, hoping to curb the spread.
What kind of preparation can people with debilitating diseases do to prevent a more serious appearance of the virus, such as respiratory, heart, or asthma problems?
“Obviously, we want [those] people stay out of circulation as much as possible, “says Dr. Frankovich.” Actually, take shelter in place as much as possible and reduce the risk of exposure. “
Plus: don’t neglect your regular treatment for those underlying conditions, so your body is in the best shape possible if it contracts the virus.
What suggestions do you have for people to strengthen their immune systems so that they are healthier and prepared for the probability of infection?
The same things we talk about all the time, says Dr. Frankovich: healthy diet, exercise, plenty of rest. Also: stress reduction. Do things that help you reduce stress.
the New York Times It published an article yesterday saying: “The Trump administration strips CDC of control of coronavirus data.” What does this mean and is it a dangerous move?
Dr. Frankovich says he has “serious concerns” about this. The medical community, and others, have long viewed CDC as the agency that examines and makes available the best information possible. If the data CDC produces generally disappears during this crisis, it will affect our ability to respond not only to this pandemic, but to future ones as well.
Dr. Frankovich, some people seem to believe that the transmission rate of a virus is fixed. But different strategies affect the transmission rate. Could you explain how the availability of PPE, especially for front-line healthcare workers, affects the transmission rate of a virus of this nature, which doctors and epidemiologists now know is transmitted by aerosolized particles from basic human functions. like exhaling, coughing, sneezing, and singing – and how the transmission rate can fluctuate in a community.
We are learning more about the transmissibility of the virus all the time, says Dr. Frankovich. Coughing, sneezing, singing, and even speaking out loud can be riskier than other activities. Also, some people seem to transmit the virus more effectively. Also, it could be that some strains of the virus are more easily transmitted.
PPE? The facial covers we use are meant to trap particles, especially large particles, which we all expel from our mouths by coughing, sneezing, talking, or even breathing. If we all wear masks, then we reduce the amount of virus that is out there, floating in the air.
You’ve talked about cases within the cannabis community and also about how people who do not permanently reside here are not included in our total case count. With these two things in mind, how many positive cases have actually been reported at Southern Humboldt? The county board has shown four cases for at least the past two weeks, which frankly appears to be on the low end compared to other areas.
The case counts as presented on the county map are accurate, says Dr. Frankovich, but people must remember that they show where a person resides, instead of where a person contracts the virus. People should not use the map as a measure of how safe or risky their particular community is.
Where are you at the reopening of schools this fall?
“I am a pediatrician and a public health person, and I would love to see children at school,” says Dr. Frankovich. She says they have been working with the schools to see how this could work in the fall, organizing things so that we can have children at school.
But conditions with this pandemic change rapidly. Schools have been developing contingency plans for all kinds of different situations, and are trying to prepare to adapt to conditions as they change.
“While I am hopeful that we will be able to make schools operate with full on-site instruction, it is not yet clear if that is the case, or that if we open that way we will be able to continue through the fall.”
You said that contract tracking is affected by delays in testing and by the increase in social contacts recently. If searching for contracts is difficult now, how can it not become more serious if schools reopen for in-person instruction?
“Our ability to locate contacts is really good,” says Dr. Frankovich. The things that we can control? We are in very good shape. “But as discussed, the testing part is a big challenge right now.
As we are, Frankovich believes the county could handle it, perhaps depending on the new test capacity the county can build over the next month or two.
What PPE is provided to the 31 county school districts and the county board of education?
Dr. Frankovich says they need to speak to schools to determine what they need. The county has gotten a ton of kid-sized facial toppings, which is good. She anticipates that some teachers may want to wear face shields and facials.
It’s summer, which also means that the new school year is just around the corner. What kind of guidance does Public Health provide to school districts and local administrations when it comes to reopening schools in the fall? Do you think it is feasible for the children to return at that time, and if so, what are their main concerns? Or is distance learning a more likely possibility?
See above. But distance learning isn’t ideal at all, and they’re certainly working toward a hybrid or full site model.
Governor Newsom’s announcement to close a handful of business sectors this week appears to be a step backward in the order to stay home. Do you anticipate a “swing” pattern of reopening of some business sectors and closing again as we move through the summer and fall?
We’ve talked about this all the time, says Dr. Frankovich: the potential need for a pause or reversal after opening. But even though we are subject to state setbacks, if we can continue to manage the spread rate well, we can at least avoid the need for local setbacks.
What gives Humboldt County the authority to delay implementation of a state order that went into effect on Monday?
The order of the state it is indeed. “I think there was an acknowledgment that it was an extremely short notice for companies,” says Dr. Frankovich. “I certainly understand that a restaurant that can’t open outside service is suddenly sitting with a refrigerator full of food. And that is a problem “.
She says the Sheriff was acknowledging that it took people a day or two to make a ratchet.
Given our COVID numbers, it was not an emergency for us. This gave us the freedom to accommodate the needs of local business owners.
Some business owners forced to shut down indoor operations feel that the shutdown order has surprised them and see it as something unexpected. Does the county have any way to warn these companies of closing orders ahead of time, so they are not a surprise?
The county received very little attention in this regard, says Dr. Frankovich. The situation is so fluid that it is difficult to do so. Dr. Frankovich says that she is certain that the state was very reluctant to issue this order, but considered it necessary.
Regarding decisions to close businesses, reverse reopens, and implement local policy changes at this level, can you clarify who makes the last call about it? Between you and Sheriff Honsal, which of you has a higher ranking in terms of political decision-making in the context of this pandemic? Or is it decided otherwise?
It is not a single person who conducts the operation, says Dr. Frankovich. They have a policy committee that meets to discuss things. But as a Health Officer, she has the authority to issue a health order, and that order is the law.
She says she has the cooperation of the Sheriff and other law enforcement officials to ensure that state and local orders are implemented. The intention has been to frame this as educational. But it is important to have an app available for people who don’t behave responsibly.
Most people have been responsible, says Dr. Frankovich. “And honestly, I think our numbers reflect that,” he adds. “It is not just the hard work of the contact trackers and the people who perform the tests in our laboratory and all that, it is the actions of the majority of our community that keeps us in a relatively good position. And I appreciate it. “
