Humboldt County is following the state’s lead in dropping its indoor mask mandate for fully vaccinated people, and we take a look at why. And we’re looking at how a pair of restaurants are adapting to ongoing COVID life, one by dropping the brick and mortar in favor of a truck, the other by turning […]
Ian Hoffman
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Public Health Press Conference: Mask Mandate to Lift
During yesterday’s Public Health COVID-19 press conference Health Officer Ian Hoffman further explained why the county has chosen to lift its mask mandate next week, stating that the current Omircon COVID-19 surge has shown a “different scenario” than what the county faced during the Delta-fueled surge. On Tuesday, Hoffman told the Humboldt County Board of […]
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Humboldt to Lift Mask Mandate, Following State’s Lead
When the state of California rolls back its COVID-19 mask mandate next week, Humboldt County will follow suit, Health Officer Ian Hoffman told the Board of Supervisors this morning. Hoffman said the county plans to rely on testing, ventilation and vaccination efforts moving forward, adding that with the Omicron surge easing, county public health will […]
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The Stress Test
Back in August, when Humboldt County schools returned from summer break for in-person instruction amid a surge in COVID-19 cases fueled by the Delta variant, concerns were pervasive. Parents worried whether their children would be safe in the classroom, while others questioned whether schools would act as virus incubators that hastened community spread. School administrators, […]
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Officials Say Testing Supply Shortage Will Likely Continue Amid Omicron Surge
The COVID-19 testing supply shortage will more than likely continue throughout the Omicron surge, which is expected to peak locally in one or two weeks, Humboldt County Health Officer Ian Hoffman said during a press conference today. “The big take home is if you are having trouble finding supplies, know that you are not alone, […]
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NCJ Preview: Spectator Ban, Outgoing Health Officer, Cookie Perfectionism and More
There’ll be no spectators at Humboldt County school sporting events, at least for the next couple of weeks. We’ll go into how the Humboldt Del Norte League came to that decision in the face of quickly rising COVID-19 case numbers and the ensuing backlash. We’ll also get into where our county is in terms of […]
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Omicron Surge: Humboldt Officials Talk Hospital Preparation with Peak Expected in February
Omicron has arrived and is spreading in Humboldt County, with case numbers double and triple in a matter of days, as hospitals brace for potential impacts from the highly contagious virus. During a county COVID press conference today, Roberta Luskin-Hawk, CEO at Providence in Humboldt County — which includes St. Joseph and Redwood Memorial hospitals […]
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UPDATED: Hoffman Announces Resignation as Health Officer
Humboldt County Health Officer Ian Hoffman announced during his COVID-19 update this morning before the board of supervisors that he will be resigning from the job effective March 4. Hoffman stepped into the job last December, taking over for Teresa Frankovich, who announced in September of 2020 she’d be stepping back from her duties, saying […]
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Signs of Omicron: HumCo Officials Talk Surging Cases and Staffing Shortages
Today’s closure of McKinleyville Middle School in the wake of significant staffing shortages due to COVID is likely a harbinger of what’s to come in the coming weeks as the Omicron variant makes the rounds in the community. Humboldt County is showing all the classic signs of entering into a surge of COVID cases driven […]
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Public Health Confirms 10 New COVID-19 Cases, One New Hospitalization
Humboldt County Public Health confirmed 10 new cases today, along with one new hospitalization. Today’s cases — which make 156 so far this week on the heels of 118 confirmed last week — come after laboratories processed 312 samples with a test-positivity rate of 3.2 percent. After recording a test-positivity rate of 10.1 percent in July — […]
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Public Health Confirms 75 New COVID-19 Cases, 1 New Hospitalization
Humboldt County Public Health confirmed 75 new cases today, along with one new hospitalization. Today’s cases — which make 146 so far this week on the heels of 118 confirmed last week — come after laboratories processed 120 samples with a test-positivity rate of 62.5 percent. After recording a test-positivity rate of 10.1 percent in July — […]
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Public Health: Another COVID-19 Death, 71 New Cases
Public Health reported today that another local resident has died of COVID-19, while also confirming 71 new cases of the virus and three new hospitalizations since Friday. Today’s report comes after Public Health confirmed 118 new cases of the virus, with four deaths and 10 hospitalizations last week. New countywide masking and quarantine orders, meanwhile, […]