For this type of report, the Emergency Operations Center takes questions from the media and the team reads them to the authorities for answers. The resulting video, called Media Availability, is then provided to the media at the end of the day.
Here are some of the main points covered in the December 31 media availability session with a summary of the responses from Humboldt County Public Health Officer Dr. Ian Hoffman, followed by questions we would like to answer, if appropriate.
North Coast News question: With news of a new coronavirus variant arriving from the UK to the United States, is the new variant being tested in Humboldt County? Are current testing methods able to detect it, and if so, will the county be releasing data when the variant is discovered here?
Dr. Hoffman’s response:
Yes, a very good question. Something that has been on my mind a lot for the past few days. We know that this doesn’t just happen in the USA. It’s in California.
There are reports from San Diego that four cases were detected there. It is in several states of the USA Therefore, we are testing locally for this. Tests are available, so when I have updates on this, I’ll let you know.
Media follow-up questions that we cannot ask due to the format:
Does the state of CA have a COVID-19 genetic mapping program in place or does it depend on the CDC to obtain this information?
1 min 5 sec in:
North Coast News question: The Washington Post reported yesterday that about 20% of nationally distributed coronavirus vaccines were actually administered. Do these figures also reflect Humboldt County? Why, or why not, are the numbers different?
Dr. Hoffman’s response:
I would say that our numbers here are probably much higher than that. Do we currently have about 5,500 vaccines in Humboldt County? The vast majority of them go to the St. Joseph hospital system. They have just over 2,000 of them. And they have managed it as fast as they can. They also run a hospital; they are treating the vast majority of COVID patients in Humboldt County. They went through about 1,200 of them, so over 50% of their 2,000.
In addition, other hospitals have gone through several thousand more, so I think it is safe to say that we are very close to 50% of the vaccine that we have in the county having already been administered and we are working hard to overcome the rest as soon as possible.
Media follow-up questions that we cannot ask due to the format:
If the county has not administered the vaccine we currently have, will the state wait for us to go through that portion before giving the county another portion?
2 minutes and 15 seconds in:
North Coast News question: Are there any local statistics on the mental health impacts the pandemic has caused?
Dr. Hoffman’s response:
That is a really great question. I must say that I don’t have the answer to that. I would suspect that the Department of Health and Human Services could, so I would forward the question to them.
Thank you, Humboldt County, from all of us at Public Health, have a safe and happy New Year.
Community members with questions or concerns are encouraged to call 441-5000 for additional information.
For updates on vaccination distribution in California, go to cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/COVID-19Vaccine.aspx.
Local information is also available online at humboldtgov.org or during business hours by contacting [email protected]
Local COVID-19 vaccine information: humboldtgov.org/vaccineinfo,
Humboldt County COVID-19 data panel: humboldtgov.org/dashboard,
Follow us on Facebook: @ HumCoCOVID19,
Instagram: @ HumCoCOVID19,
Twitter: @ HumCoCOVID19and
Humboldt health alert: humboldtgov.org/HumboldtHealthAlert
