Today’s announcement of Dr. Teresa Frankovich’s resignation as the Humboldt County Health Officer has come as a surprise to many. While I am disappointed in this great loss to our county, I applaud Dr. Frankovich’s decision to make her family a priority.
As a public servant, this job no doubt has a heavy impact on one’s personal life, family and overall well-being. Dr. Frankovich has had to make some very difficult decisions in the interest of protecting the health of our community and has faced fierce criticism in the process.
Despite all of this, during her time as Health Officer Dr. Frankovich has conducted herself with the utmost professionalism and compassion, putting the community and its needs above her own. She has led the community through this Public Health crisis and helped guide us through the Federal, State and local pandemic response. It has been an honor to work with her and I am grateful that she has agreed to offer her support and assistance in the meantime as the County works to appoint another qualified individual to fill her position.
Despite Dr. Frankovich’s resignation, the County’s COVID-19 response endures. The Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services continues to oversee the County Emergency Operations Center, which has been activated since March to support Public Health by providing emergency logistics and management to slow the transmission of COVID-19 in our community, prepare for medical surge and supply medical providers and first responders with the proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to do their jobs safely. With this emergency response projected to continue into the next calendar year, my office remains prepared and available to assist Public Health and our community where needed.
From the very beginning, we have said that we are all in this together. This is certainly still true. No person or agency can fight a pandemic alone. We must all work together to protect our family, our friends and our fellow community members.
Thank you, Dr. Frankovich, for giving your all to the citizens of Humboldt County. I wish you success, peace and happiness in your future endeavors.
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