News

Humboldt County Public Health confirmed 194 new COVID-19 cases today — making a record 2,010 reported this week — as well as two new hospitalizations.

So far in January, the county has confirmed 3,976 new cases of the virus — more than a quarter of the county's cumulative case count throughout the 23-month duration of the pandemic.

The current surge has been attributed to the highly contagious Omicron variant, which has been circulating locally at least since Dec. 19, and has sent case rates skyrocketing to unprecedented levels throughout the country.

And locally, the surge only seems to be accelerating as where the county reported an average of 122 new cases per day the first week in January, the daily average increased 23 percent to 159 new cases per day last week and has ballooned to 287 new cases reported per day so far this week. Local officials, meanwhile, predict the current surge will reach its peak sometime in February.

According to data released today from public health, over the past week, unvaccinated residents tested positive this week at a rate of 94 per 100,000 county residents while fully vaccinated tested positive at a rate of 85 per 100,000 county residents. Public health also advised that over the past 10 weeks, both hospitalizations and mortality rates for unvaccinated individuals were approximately 11 times greater than for the fully vaccinated.

While early data indicates the Omicron variant is less likely than prior iterations of the virus to result in severe illness, local hospitalization numbers — which generally trend 10 days to two weeks behind case trends — are already starting to tick up.

A state database shows 23 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 locally, with two under intensive care. The local hospital census peaked Sept. 3 with 42 COVID-19 patients but had fallen to nine patients Dec. 29. Across the nation, the Omicron surge has hit hospitals hard, with an influx of COVID-19 patients needing care, healthcare workers being infected and patients coming into the hospital for non COVID care testing positive for the virus at high rates, forcing hospitals to follow labor-intensive protocols to prevent spread to other patients and staff.

The federal government is providing four free at-home COVID tests per household to increase testing capacity in response to the recent surge in cases. These can be ordered online, free of charge, at www.COVIDTests.gov. Additionally, as of Jan. 15, federal law requires health insurers t cover the up-front costs of at-home COVID-19 tests purchased at pharmacies or other retailers.

Early studies indicate the Omicron variant is able to both infect and be transmitted by fully vaccinated people at roughly the same rates as with their unvaccinated counterparts, hastening its spread through the country, state and county. However, public health officials and doctors continue to report that the vaccines remain very effective at preventing severe illness and hospitalization, especially in people who have received their booster doses. Locally, just 42 percent of eligible residents have received their boosters, according to this report from CalMatters.

Public Health also reported this week that just more than 63 percent of the county's total population is now fully vaccinated, with 72 percent of its vaccine eligible population — those 5 and older — fully vaccinated.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released data indicating unvaccinated adults are more than eight times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than those who are vaccinated, and Public Health reports locally unvaccinated residents are 17 times more likely to be hospitalized with the virus than their vaccinated counterparts.

Amid the ongoing surge locally, St. Joseph hospital sent out a press release last week saying that, due to the Omicron variant's "increased disruption to hospital staffing," it was "reminding" the public that emergency rooms are not places to get tested or vaccinated for COVID-19.

Public Health has modified local quarantine and isolation requirements, and reminded today that those who test positive for the virus and are symptomatic should isolate for at least five full days after the onset of symptoms. If a person is asymptomatic or has symptoms that are improving on day five, they can test and — if the test is negative — leave isolation beginning on day six, wearing a well-fitted mask around others for an additional five days. Anyone who still tests positive for the virus on the fifth day should continue to isolate for the entire 10-day period. (Read more on this in the press release below.)

The county reported Jan. 3 that genomic sequencing on two samples taken between Dec. 19 and Dec. 21 were determined to be Omicron, meaning the variant has been circulating in the county for weeks. For more on the Omicron variant and what it means for Humboldt, read last week's Journal cover story here.
All residents ages 12 and older are now eligible to receive vaccine boosters if it has been at least five months since they completed their primary vaccination series.

National, state and local health officials advise that vaccination remains incredibly safe and effective protection against severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19, and the county has a host of no-cost clinics scheduled over the next week. With the upcoming holidays and high demand for testing and vaccine, Public Health highly recommends scheduling an appointment for either.

Fortuna — Saturday, Jan. 22, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Fortuna Veterans Hall (1426 Main St.)
Pfizer/Johnson & Johnson/Moderna
PCR and rapid testing available on a first-come first-served basis
Appointments for vaccinations strongly recommended.

Fortuna — Sunday, Jan. 23, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Walker Elementary School (2089 Newburg Road)
Pfizer/Johnson & Johnson/Moderna
PCR and rapid testing available on a first-come first-served basis
Appointments for vaccinations strongly recommended.

Eureka — Monday, Jan. 24, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Closed from noon to 1 p.m.
Public Health Main Office (529 I St.)
Pfizer/Johnson & Johnson/Moderna
No testing available
$25 gift card for adults receiving a first or second dose
Appointments required.

Eureka — Tuesday, Jan. 25, 9 to 11:30 a.m.
Public Health Main Office (529 I St.)
Ages 12 and older
Pfizer/Johnson & Johnson/Moderna
No testing available
$25 gift card for adults receiving a first or second dose
Appointments required.

Eureka Pediatric Clinic — Tuesday, Jan. 25, 1:15 to 3:45 p.m.
Public Health Main Office (529 I St.)
Ages 5 to 11
Pfizer only
No testing available
Appointments required.

Willow Creek — Tuesday, Jan. 25, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed from noon to 1 p.m.
Public Health Office (77 Walnut Way)
Pfizer/Johnson & Johnson/Moderna
PCR and rapid testing available on a first-come first-served basis
$25 gift card for adults receiving a first or second dose
Appointments for vaccinations strongly recommended.

Eureka — Wednesday, Jan. 26, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Marshall Resource Center (2100 J St.)
Pfizer/Johnson & Johnson/Moderna
PCR and rapid testing available on a first-come first-served basis
Appointments for vaccinations strongly recommended.

Trinidad — Thursday, Jan. 27, 2 to 7 p.m.
Trinidad Town Hall (409 Trinity St.)
Pfizer/Johnson & Johnson/Moderna
PCR and rapid testing available on a first-come first-served basis
Appointments for vaccinations strongly recommended.

Eureka — Friday, Jan. 28, 1 to 8 p.m.
Wharfinger Building (1 Marina Way)
Pfizer/Johnson & Johnson/Moderna
No rapid testing available at this clinic. PCR testing offered through OptumServe by appointment on the lower floor of the Wharfinger Building.
Appointments for vaccinations strongly recommended.

Today's confirmed cases bring the county's total to 14,928 with 500 hospitalizations and 129 COVID-19 related deaths.

Nationwide, more than 69.4 million cases have been confirmed with 858,909
deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Of those, 7.1 million cases and 77,722 related deaths have been confirmed in California, according to the Department of Public Health.

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.

Read the JIC's report below.

Jan. 21, 2022 - 2 New Hospitalizations, 194 New Cases
Humboldt County Public Health reported today two new hospitalizations due to COVID-19, a resident in their 50s and another in their 70s. An additional 194 new cases were also reported, bringing to 14,928 the total number of residents who have tested positive for the virus.

With the highly transmissible COVID-19 Omicron variant circulating widely in the community and record high cases locally, Public Health officials are reminding residents, particularly those who are not vaccinated, to take steps to limit their exposure to and potential spreading of the virus. Residents are encouraged to wear a well-fitted mask in indoor public spaces, distance six feet from others when possible and avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces. While vaccinated and unvaccinated are both at high risk to get Omicron, as was not the case with other variants, the risk of hospitalization and death for those who are unvaccinated remains significantly higher.

Health officials urge everyone aged 5 and older to get vaccinated and all eligible individuals aged 12 and older to get a booster. Fully vaccinated or boosted individuals typically develop milder symptoms, experience shorter illness duration and have fewer hospitalizations and less severe outcomes. Local data shows that unvaccinated adults in Humboldt County are 13 times more likely to be hospitalized than those adults who are fully vaccinated.

Since the last data update on Jan. 14, the county has recorded 2,010 new cases of COVID-19. One death of an unvaccinated person in their 20s was reported during that period. Nine new hospitalizations due to COVID-19 were also reported. Four were unvaccinated, four were fully vaccinated and another’s vaccination status is unknown. Age ranges of reported hospitalizations in the seven-day period are as follows:

1 person in their 30s
2 people in their 50s
1 person in their 60s
4 people in their 70s
1 person aged 80 or older
The graphs below, which depict average weekly case rates and estimated weekly hospitalization and death rates in unvaccinated and fully vaccinated local residents, show that more severe outcomes from COVID-19 are higher among unvaccinated individuals.

For the reporting period between May 30, 2021, and Jan. 9, 2022, 16 fully vaccinated Humboldt County resident died from COVID-19. The average age of those deaths was 79. During that same period, 48 unvaccinated residents died from the virus. The average age of those deaths was 67. During that same period, 59 fully vaccinated residents were hospitalized with an average age of 74 and 248 unvaccinated individuals were hospitalized with an average age of 58.

click to enlarge

The graph above, from data between May 30, 2021, and Jan. 9, 2022, illustrates the county’s current weekly hospitalization rate for fully vaccinated individuals is 0.3 per 100,000 while the rate for unvaccinated individuals is 1.4 per 100,000. Over the past 10 weeks, both the hospitalization and mortality rates for unvaccinated individuals was approximately 11 times greater than those for fully vaccinated. View a more detailed depiction of the hospitalization and death rates graph here.

The current seven-day average case rate in Humboldt County is approximately 139, meaning that for every 100,000 residents, approximately 139 tested positive daily over the last seven days. Case rates vary considerably by vaccination status, as illustrated in the graph below, which depicts average weekly case rates since February 2021 in unvaccinated and fully vaccinated residents.

click to enlarge

The most recent seven-day average case rate for the period ending Jan. 9, for fully vaccinated individuals is 85 per 100,000 residents, while the case rate for unvaccinated individuals is 94 per 100,000 residents. View a more detailed depiction of the case rate graph here.

To decrease the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is continuing to stress that individuals should complete the entire 5-day period under the guidelines for reduced isolation and quarantine periods.

Under the CDPH Self-Isolation Instructions, individuals who test positive and are symptomatic, regardless of vaccination status, should isolate for at least five full days after the start of COVID-19 symptoms. Day one is the first day after the symptoms start. If a person has no symptoms and tests positive, day one is the first day after the positive test.

A person who tests positive and never has symptoms, or a person who has symptoms that are improving and no fever on day five, can test on day five or later and leave isolation the next day if that test is negative. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s quarantine and isolation guidance recommends that if a person tests positive on day five, that individual should continue to isolate for the entire 10-day period.

Anyone who ends an isolation or quarantine period after day five should continue to wear a well-fitted mask around others for an additional five days.

To increase testing capacity in response to the recent surge in cases, the federal government is providing four at-home COVID tests for each household. These can be ordered online, free of charge, at COVIDTests.gov.

Additionally, as of Jan. 15, federal law requires health insurers to cover up-front costs of at-home COVID-19 tests purchased at pharmacies or retailers, or allows individuals to be reimbursed for up to eight home tests per month. Information is available at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services website.

As always, Humboldt County’s vaccination and testing services are available free of charge. Although walk-ins are allowed at most regular Public Health clinics and many pharmacy vaccination sites, an increase in demand for boosters has caused delays at some locations. As a result, appointments are required for pediatric clinics and for clinics at Public Health’s main office. Appointments are strongly recommended for all other clinics and are the best way to ensure a shot is available during your visit. Appointments can be made at MyTurn.ca.gov.

Vaccines, including boosters, are available at local pharmacies. To check the availability of a specific vaccine, visit the vaccines.gov page, or text your ZIP code to 438829 to locate a nearby pharmacy offering vaccines.

See the schedule below for specific Public Health vaccination and testing clinic dates, times, locations and available services. Questions about clinic services can be directed to the Joint Information Center at 1-707-441-5000.

Fortuna — Saturday, Jan. 22, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Fortuna Veterans Hall (1426 Main St.)
Pfizer/Johnson & Johnson/Moderna
PCR and rapid testing available on a first-come first-served basis
Appointments for vaccinations strongly recommended.

Fortuna — Sunday, Jan. 23, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Walker Elementary School (2089 Newburg Road)
Pfizer/Johnson & Johnson/Moderna
PCR and rapid testing available on a first-come first-served basis
Appointments for vaccinations strongly recommended.

Eureka — Monday, Jan. 24, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Closed from noon to 1 p.m.
Public Health Main Office (529 I St.)
Pfizer/Johnson & Johnson/Moderna
No testing available
$25 gift card for adults receiving a first or second dose
Appointments required.

Eureka — Tuesday, Jan. 25, 9 to 11:30 a.m.
Public Health Main Office (529 I St.)
Ages 12 and older
Pfizer/Johnson & Johnson/Moderna
No testing available
$25 gift card for adults receiving a first or second dose
Appointments required.

Eureka Pediatric Clinic — Tuesday, Jan. 25, 1:15 to 3:45 p.m.
Public Health Main Office (529 I St.)
Ages 5 to 11
Pfizer only
No testing available
Appointments required.

Willow Creek — Tuesday, Jan. 25, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed from noon to 1 p.m.
Public Health Office (77 Walnut Way)
Pfizer/Johnson & Johnson/Moderna
PCR and rapid testing available on a first-come first-served basis
$25 gift card for adults receiving a first or second dose
Appointments for vaccinations strongly recommended.

Eureka — Wednesday, Jan. 26, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Marshall Resource Center (2100 J St.)
Pfizer/Johnson & Johnson/Moderna
PCR and rapid testing available on a first-come first-served basis
Appointments for vaccinations strongly recommended.

Trinidad — Thursday, Jan. 27, 2 to 7 p.m.
Trinidad Town Hall (409 Trinity St.)
Pfizer/Johnson & Johnson/Moderna
PCR and rapid testing available on a first-come first-served basis
Appointments for vaccinations strongly recommended.

Eureka — Friday, Jan. 28, 1 to 8 p.m.
Wharfinger Building (1 Marina Way)
Pfizer/Johnson & Johnson/Moderna
No rapid testing available at this clinic. PCR testing offered through OptumServe by appointment on the lower floor of the Wharfinger Building.
Appointments for vaccinations strongly recommended.

View the Data Dashboard online at humboldtgov.org/dashboard, or go to humboldtgov.org/DashboardArchives to download data from a previous time. For the most recent COVID-19 information, visit cdc.gov or cdph.ca.gov. Local information is available at humboldtgov.org or by contacting [email protected] or calling 1-707-441-5000.

Sign up for COVID-19 vaccination: MyTurn.ca.go
Check for vaccine availability at a local pharmacy: Vaccines.gov
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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