Humboldt County Public Health Officer Teresa Frankovich stressed the importance of social distancing and sheltering in place in a video sent to local media Monday afternoon, even as the county Public Health lab reported no new cases of the COVID-19 virus. “The whole point of us all making this sacrifice is it improves our odds,” […]
public health
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Public Health Officer Explains Shelter in Place Order
Humboldt County Public Health Officer Teresa Frankovich explained at a press conference this afternoon that the shelter-in-place order taking effect locally at midnight tonight is a response to changing COVID-19 conditions elsewhere and “not because there is a significant change in our own community.” “I’m issuing this order right now because of the changes that […]
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Drastic Change
On March 11, Humboldt County Public Health Officer Teresa Frankovich sat behind a small table in a downtown Eureka conference room and calmly explained that she had declared a local health emergency in response to the COVID-19 virus, describing it as a proactive step that would free additional resources and increase coordination between state, local […]
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What You Need to Know
With the COVID-19 landscape changing minute-by-minute, here’s a quick rundown on some of the basics, including what symptoms to look for, whom to call and where to look for more information, as well as what financial assistance is available if the virus impacts a person’s business or ability to work. What to watch for: According […]
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St. Joseph, Redwood Memorial Open COVID-19 Screening Tents
St. Joseph and Redwood Memorial hospitals have opened tents on their campuses to begin screening patients who have “significant” symptoms consistent with the COVID-19 virus. “To be clear, each site is meant to serve only as an initial touch point for those who feel as though they are exhibiting significant symptoms consistent with COVID-19, such […]
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Coronavirus Case Confirmed in Humboldt
According to a DHHS press release, Humboldt County has its first confirmed case of COVID-19, more commonly referred to as coronavirus. “It’s important to remember that the risk to the general public remains low at this time,” said Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Teresa Frankovich. “Despite the fact that Humboldt County now has a confirmed […]
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Lung Roulette
In the umpteenth sign that vaping illicit THC concentrates is a terrible idea, state officials announced Jan. 28 that tests conducted on a random sample of the more than 10,000 cartridges seized in raids of illegal dispensaries in Los Angeles last month yielded some alarming results. Specifically, the tests found that 75 percent of the […]
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County Confirms First Local Whooping Cough Case Since 2016
Humboldt County public health officials are on alert after a Eureka teenager tested positive for the highly contagious whooping cough earlier this week. According to a press release from the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services, a follow up investigation identified 40 people who may have had contact with the teenager while he […]
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HumCo Health Officials Eyeing Measles Outbreak in Washington, Bracing for the Worst
Humboldt County officials are activating a response protocol amid a measles outbreak in a Washington state suburb of Portland that has seen at least 31 people contract the highly contagious viral disease. “We’re basically bracing ourselves, crossing our fingers and hoping this doesn’t happen but making sure we’re prepared if it does,” said Humboldt County […]
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Drunk in Public
In the long, hot month of August, as ash fell from the sky, the sun and moon did a brief astronomical dance and the public’s attention darted from national tragedies like Charlottesville and local dramas like the arson and razing of Eureka’s Blue Heron Motel, law enforcement officers in Humboldt County quietly continued to work […]
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Sorry, Kids: Tobacco Buying Age Hiked to 21, Vaping Restricted
Beginning June 9, you’ll have to prove you’re 21 to buy tobacco. Thanks to a bill sponsored by Assemblymember Jim Wood, California is joining Hawaii as the second state in the nation to raise the minimum age for tobacco purchases. Members of the armed services are exempt. The announcement that Gov. Jerry Brown had signed […]
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Chickenpox, anyone?
For the folks who think that natural immunity beats a vaccination,Trinidad Elementary School has turned into a textbook lesson on how to grow your own outbreak. Chickenpox has spread swiftly through the 180-student school, apparently contracted so far by at least 16 children and adults. The numbers aren’t surprising given that roughly 20 percent of […]