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We’ve got a shorter-than-usual round of Q-and-A today with Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Teresa Frankovich. Below you’ll find a timestamped list of questions posed by local media outlets along with summaries of Frankovich’s responses. 

0:00: How many hospital beds is the county expecting to need for the COVID-19 surge and how much extra capacity has the county added since beginning preparations? 

The baseline at local hospitals is about 170 beds, she says, and staff has worked to optimize local resources, bringing the total close to 300 beds. “Kudos to them for that,” she says. As for the surge, models vary dramatically when it comes to predicting needs. The county is looking to build capacity in “nontraditional settings” to meet worst-case-scenario needs. 

1:39: Is there a concern that the COVID-19 pandemic is detracting from other critical health issues in Humboldt County including the spread of hepatitis, needle litter, the opioid crisis, meth use and spikes in STIs like syphilis and chlamydia?

The COVID response has made some things more difficult, Frankovich says, but basic operations, including communicable disease surveillance, continue. Needle disposal kiosks are still available, but some outreach and messaging has been cut back. 

2:59: Are employers obligated to allow essential workers to work from home when possible?

Employers are instructed to implement the social distancing measures in the county’s shelter-in-place order, Frankovich says. Some jobs just aren’t doable from home, but employers should consider allowing folks to work from home when possible.

3:42: How many COVID-19 tests are currently on backlog, awaiting results? And does this backlog partially explain the recent decline in the rate of confirmed cases?

The county’s public health lab reports results more or less as they come in, with a turnaround time of 48-72 hours, Frankovich says. So there’s no backlog on the county’s end. She does not mention the tests sent by health care providers to commercial labs.

4:07: How many of Humboldt’s 52 known cases have been released from quarantine orders?

County staff is working to provide numbers for people who’ve been released from isolation orders, Frankovich says. They expect to be able to do that starting next week.