In Humboldt County, healthcare workers have already said there are emergency room patients who have been waiting for days for transfers out of the area for specialized care because hospitals throughout the state don't have available beds.
While California has a case rate of 71.6 daily cases confirmed per 100,000 residents with a test positivity rate of 12.6 percent in data released last week, Humboldt has a case rate of 23.7 cases per 100,000 and a 6.8 percent positivity rate, both increases.
Meanwhile, the county's Joint Information Center is urging locals to get tested, calling it "one of the most helpful things county residents can do for the community at large," because it allows Public Health to catch cases early and limit spread. The state-run OptumServe testing site at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds in Eureka is open seven days a week and no-cost appointments can be made by clicking here or calling (888) 634-1123.
The Humboldt County Data Dashboard includes hospitalization rates by age group, death rates by age group and case totals by ZIP code, the latter of which are reported in "a range of 0 to 5 for case count until the area surpasses 5 total cases," according to the county. After that threshold has been reached in a ZIP code, the exact number will be included.
Basics of COVID-19
The California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control, state that symptoms of novel coronavirus include cough and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, or at least two of the following: fever, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat or a new loss of taste or smell.
Emergency warning signs needing immediate medical attention include difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or inability to awaken, and bluish lips or face.
In an emergency situation:
Call ahead to the emergency room or inform the 911 operator of the possibility of a COVID-19 infection and, if possible, put on a face mask.
Symptoms or possible exposure:
In the case of a possible exposure with symptoms — fever and cough or shortness of breath — contact your doctor’s office or the county Department of Health and Human Services, which has a hotline that can be reached during business hours at [email protected] or at (707) 441-5000. Residents seeking medical advice or questions about testing are asked to contact Public Health at [email protected] or at (707) 445-6200.
St. Joseph Health has also set up a virtual assessment tool as an aid to assessing risk factors for contracting the illness, which can be found here.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has started a rumor-control webpage that can be found here. For the Journal's latest COVID stories, updates and information resources, click here.
Jan. 27, 2021 - 20 New Cases Reported Today; Vaccination Progress Continues
707-441-5000 ; [email protected] ; Monday-Friday 8am to 5pm Opens in new window
Twenty additional cases of COVID-19 were reported today, bringing to 2,672 the total number of county residents who have tested positive for the virus.
Humboldt County today also reported five new hospitalizations related to COVID-19 for a total of 13 this week, which is more than any previous week of the pandemic. Public Health officials pointed out that hospitalizations lag a few weeks behind an increase in cases and urged county residents to be vigilant and follow all prevention measures, noting that simple precautions can have a big impact when everyone adheres to them.
Between today and Thursday, about 1,000 health care providers and emergency services workers, including firefighters and law enforcement personnel, are scheduled to be vaccinated at Public Health clinics. An additional 250 health care providers are scheduled to receive their second dose Friday.
Educators also have started receiving vaccination appointment invitations through the Humboldt County Office of Education or their district, beginning with about 1,000 educators and support staff at districts and charter schools that are currently providing in-person education. An additional estimated 2,100 educators and support staff who are engaged in distance learning will be invited to a clinic soon. Public Health expects that all educators and support staff will have received an invitation by mid-February, depending on vaccine availability.
Other designated local vaccine providers have scheduled nearly 600 people age 75 and older for clinics this week. Those participating in this week’s clinics received invitations after filling out the county’s COVID-19 Vaccine Interest Form.
Providers approved to administer vaccine will reach out directly to their patients who are 75 and older as doses become available. Anyone, especially those who do not have a provider, can fill out the interest form to be notified when appointments are available, and more than 10,700 county residents have completed the form so far. To access the form, visit humboldtgov.org/InterestForm.
For the most recent COVID-19 information, visit cdc.gov or cdph.ca.gov. Local information is available at humboldtgov.org or during business hours by contacting [email protected] or calling 707-441-5000.
Local COVID-19 vaccine information: humboldtgov.org/vaccineinfo
Humboldt County COVID-19 Data Dashboard: humboldtgov.org/dashboard
Follow us on Facebook: @HumCoCOVID19
Instagram: @HumCoCOVID19
Twitter: @HumCoCOVID19
Humboldt Health Alert: humboldtgov.org/HumboldtHealthAlert
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