Health care system capacity alert level dependent on hospitalizations, health care worker infections

HUMBOLDT COUNTY, Calif. (KIEM) — Earlier this week, the health care system capacity alert level on the Humboldt County website went up to level 2 leaving some people wondering why the change.

It comes down to a couple of things, including the number of hospitalizations, which was the main driver of the recent step up from level green to level yellow. The data shows more consistent numbers of hospitalizations on a regular basis.

Health officials are also looking at the number of ICU beds and ventilators being used. Another factor is the number of infections among health care workers.

“For local health care workers, we haven’t had any infections amongst hospital health care workers for several months. We have had one recently, and I’m not including skilled nursing facilities in that number, but there has been one recently. That alone would not trigger movement,” according to Deputy Health Officer Dr. Josh Ennis.

Dr. Ennis reassures the community that Public Health is actively tracking any and all Covid-19 infections among health care workers.