---

---

Though the number of new COVID-19 cases reported over the holiday weekend were “at least in the double digits,” Del Norte County’s public health officer says it slowed down from the previous week.

However, Dr. Warren Rehwaldt said, local public health officials don’t think that’s a trend downward, more of a dip.

This comes after a surge in new cases that had public health nurses so busy contact tracing they couldn’t update the COVID-19 Information Hub between Nov. 20 and Nov. 25.

On the eve of Thanksgiving, at about 6 p.m., the Public Health Branch reported 40 new coronavirus cases since its previous update, bringing the total number of active cases in Del Norte County to 93.

That news came about two days after Del Norte County moved into the Purple Tier, the state’s most restrictive category on its Blueprint For a Safer Economy.

“The amount of cases we have had in the last two weeks, and the amount of contact tracing generated from each case has been overwhelming to our Public Health system,” the Public Health Branch’s brief stated. “We had to make the decision to follow up with patients or to focus on our data and some specifics of the cases will need to be added at a later date.”

At Pelican Bay State Prison, there are 34 inmates with active disease, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Population COVID-19 Tracking page.

There are currently 18 active cases among prison staff, according to CDCR.

Case investigation and contact tracing is the most time consuming part of disease planning and management, Rehwaldt told the Wild Rivers Outpost on Monday.

But, according to Rehwaldt, those who believe they may be positive for COVID-19 should take on much of the investigation themselves, especially now that multiple vaccines are in various stages of development and FDA approval.

“Right now we need to have time for our staff to help develop our vaccination program,” Rehwaldt said. “We’ve been doing that, but it’s reaching the point where we need to pivot and focus on that and not so much on case work.”

With the new COVID-19 vaccines that have been developed, Rehwaldt said he and county public health staff have been attending weekly briefings to stay up to date. It’s up to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee On Immunization Practices to determine who is included in the first phase of a vaccine, he said.

The State of California has a similar advisory board that’s tackling the same issues currently, Rehwaldt said.

“When we have a final answer, then we can really start identifying down to individuals who in our county gets vaccinated first,” he said. “Basically it’s going to be healthcare workers, or some description of healthcare workers — who may or may not qualify has yet to be determined — and then elderly people in skilled nursing facilities and then it moves down the list.”

Essential workers in other fields may be on that list as will the elderly and those with co-morbid conditions that make them susceptible to serious illness from a COVID-19 infection, according to Rehwaldt.

However, due to Del Norte’s size, Rehwaldt said he wasn’t expecting many doses during the vaccine’s first roll-out.

“We may be able to get less than 100 doses, maybe a lot less for all I know,” he said. “It’s not going to go very far. We will learn the system they put in place and work out the nuts and bolts of how to make this work.”

What would help Public Health staff, Rehwaldt said, is for Del Norte residents to make sure they take the proper precautions if they think they’re sick. This includes getting tested and staying home from work until they receive their results.

“If you’re sick, go get tested, but stay home while you’re waiting for the test to come back," he said. "Reach out to us. Tell us what’s going on, who you might have had contact with, who’s living in the household that’s considered a contact — basic information.”

There are resources on the CDC and California Department of Public Health websites on what to expect and what to do while waiting for COVID-19 test results.

Rehwaldt also encouraged those who test positive to reach out to their known contacts themselves, informing them that they may be exposed.

“We’re still going to make calls, but it’d be much easier, much faster if people had done that stuff in advance,” Rehwaldt said. “Then we’re just recording it.”

Meanwhile, Del Norte’s position in the most restrictive Purple Tier means that most businesses and activities, including churches, are having to operate outdoors. Enforcing these restrictions will be difficult, Rehwaldt said, adding that people aren’t likely to get arrested.

There could be fines and citations for businesses that don’t comply with the restrictions, however, he said.

“Enforcement, it’s really tough, and we’re going to have to take it one week at a time and see what develops,” Rehwaldt said. “Especially if we start tracing cases back to certain businesses or a church and that place needs to put better practices in place or make sure they are paying attention to the restriction. There are penalties that are potentially associated there.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Crescent City Downtown Divas has canceled its annual Christmas parade, which was scheduled for Friday.

According to a news release on Wednesday, the nonprofit organization, which holds monthly Live From Downtown: It’s First Friday! events, there were plans to partner with Crescent City and hold a “reverse parade.” But that was before Del Norte County entered the Purple Tier on the state’s Blueprint.

“The pandemic has played havoc on the Divas’ entire season of Live From Downtown: It’s First Friday! events with the Christmas parade being the finale,” the organization stated. “We are saddened that we are unable to make this work and ask for your understanding and support.”

The Downtown Divas hope to bring the monthly event in Downtown Crescent City back next year.

---

SHARE →