Humboldt County Public Health confirmed two new COVID-19 cases today, bringing the county total up to 138. In a press release sent from the Humboldt County Joint Information Center, Health Officer Teresa Frankovich joined state health officials and urging people to avoid gatherings and slow the spread of the virus over Fourth of July weekend. “I […]
Health
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Public Health: Five New COVID-19 Cases Confirmed Today, Making 22 in Eight Days
Humboldt County Public Health confirmed five more local COVID-19 cases today, making 22 over the past eight days and brings the countywide total to 77. Among the positive tests was another staff member at Alder Bay Assisted Living in Eureka, which has now seen two staff members and six residents test positive for the virus. […]
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Schools, Health Face Deep Cuts in California’s $203 Billion Budget
Gov. Gavin Newsom revised California’s budget down to $203 billion Thursday as the coronavirus pandemic batters the state with record job losses and shortfalls. In charting out a plan to fill a huge deficit, the Democratic governor strategically tied much of the cuts to public health, public safety and public schools to additional federal stimulus […]
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News Roundup: Hospitals Ready for COVID Surge, Businesses Lend a Hand and More
Humboldt County hospitals are preparing surge capacity in intensive care units, the Times-Standard reports, and have plans in place to more than double the number of beds currently available should it become necessary amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The story, reported by the Times-Standard’s Sonia Waraich, details efforts at three Humboldt County hospitals and notes that […]
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Public Health: People Should Wear Masks When Leaving Home
Humboldt County Public Health Officer Teresa Frankovich is now recommending members of the public wear face coverings when leaving home to conduct essential business, saying the recommendation comes after “emerging information” that suggests a benefit to the practice. “Because of this, I am recommending that all members of our community use face coverings of some […]
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Public Health Announces Two New COVID-19 Cases, First Hospitalization
Humboldt County Public Health announced two more positive COVID-19 tests this afternoon and that a different local resident has been hospitalized with the disease. An investigation is underway into how the latest positive residents contracted the virus, and Public Health released no information regarding the condition of the person hospitalized. The number of confirmed COVID-19 […]
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What You Need to Know About California’s Lockdown of Seniors and the Chronically Ill
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday called for seniors and people with chronic conditions to isolate themselves during the coronavirus pandemic, raising questions about the state’s capacity to ensure delivery of food, medicine and services to some of its most vulnerable residents. Newsom pledged that his office would address specific issues related to this directive […]
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Most Local Bars Remain Open Despite Governor’s Closure Request
Despite California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s calls earlier this afternoon for the state’s bars, nightclubs and breweries to close down, establishments throughout Humboldt County remained open as of 4 p.m. Newsom made the call during a press conference early this afternoon in which he also called for all California residents over the age of 65 and […]
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UDPATED: Almost All County Schools to Close in Effort to Prevent COVID-19 Spread
THIRD UPDATE: Eureka City Schools Trustee Mario Fernandez announced on Facebook that the school board has decided to close all school sites, with their tentative return to classes April 20, 2020. Find a spreadsheet the Humboldt County Office of Education put together to track closures by licking here. SECOND UPDATE: The Humboldt County Office of […]
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Audit Reveals Failure to Test Millions of Babies for Lead
Millions of California toddlers who should have been tested for lead exposure have not received state and federally mandated blood tests, in part because the health hazard — a particular threat to poor children — has not been prioritized by public health agencies, a recent state audit shows. In a searing review of a problem […]
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Joyful Moving
Every year, between the end of December and early January, I read a fair number of articles focused on health and wellness. My favorite this season was: “How to Be Healthy, in Just 48 Words” in The New York Times by Yoni Freedhoff, associate professor of family medicine at the University of Ottawa. The seven […]
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Does My BMI Make Me Look Fat?
OMG! My BMI (body mass index) just jumped from under 24, where it’s been for years, to more than 24. It’s only a matter of time before it tops 25, meaning, according to the World Health Organization, I’ll be overweight. Not obese — that doesn’t happen until it reaches 30. What happened? My weight didn’t […]