Frequently asked questions

Confirmed Cases, Confirmed Case Table View, Testing, Trends, Trend Table View, Institution View, Definitions, and Version History.

Staff cases are self-reported and verified with the employee’s respective county department of public health. 

We’re still learning about how #COVID19 affects animals, but it appears that people can spread the virus to animals in some situations. Until we know more, limit contact with pets if you are sick or feeling sick. For more info, see: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/animals.html.

"Increased testing leads to quicker identification of cases and allows for isolation of positive individuals to prevent spread. It also helps identify others who came into contact with infected people. It is with this in mind that Dr. Mark Satterfield, Plumas County Public Health Officer has recommended to all health care facilities and health care providers to “expand COVID-19 testing to less symptomatic patients and those with concerning travel or COVID-19 exposure history”.  According to Dr. Satterfield, “there’s good evidence 25% or more infected people have minimal or no symptoms”. 

 The California Department of Motor Vehicles is extending driver licenses expiring during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Licenses for drivers younger than 70 that expire between March and May 2020 are now valid through May 31, 2020.

Health Professionals, California Needs You!

To ensure adequate staff for health care sites throughout  California, we’re calling on healthcare providers, behavioral health  professionals, and health care administrators to register today.  

We need:

• Physicians (MD, DO), including medical residents
• Pharmacists
• Dentists
• Nurse practitioners
• Physician assistants
• Nurses (RN, LVN, CNA), including nursing students
• Behavioral  health professionals (psychiatrist,  psychiatric technicians  psychologist, psychiatric nurse practitioner, LCSW, LMFT, LPCC)
• Respiratory therapists
• Paramedics
• Medical assistants
• Emergency medical technicians

For more information or to register, click here. 

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) has released models and projections assuming full social distracting through May 2020.  

Updated Daily

Click here for projections for hospital resource use, deaths per day, and total deaths

"Many residents have concerns about our rural county’s response to meet the recommendations for social distancing. The Modoc County Sheriff’s Department released the attached infographic entitled, Fun Things that the Social Distancing Scoreboard doesn’t not take into account for Rural Counties. It explains, “In some rural counties, essential employees account for 75% of the workforce, so very little would change in their day to day patterns.” Emergency Services, Local Government, and State and Federal Institutions make up the vast majority of employment in Lassen County. Most of these workers have been reclassified to different positions within the emergency structure while others continuing to work through these extraordinary circumstances. As the infographic states, “Many people carry a work phone and a personal phone which will look like they are socializing but in fact are not.” - Lassen County COVID-19 Incident Command

Lassen County Press Release: 

Lassen County COVID-19 IC Press Release - 3.30.20

A novel coronavirus means it is new. The virus causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is not the same as the coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans causing mild illness, like the common cold. 

SOURCE: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness. It can spread from person-to-person. It mainly spreads, by droplets from coughing and sneezing. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a novel (new). It was first identified during an outbreak in Wuhan, China in December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) named it. ‘CO’ stands for ‘corona,’ ‘VI’ for ‘virus,’ and ‘D’ for disease. Formerly, this disease was referred to as “2019 novel coronavirus” or “2019-nCoV.”

SOURCES: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/2019-ncov-factsheet.pdf and  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html

Patients with COVID-19 have had mild to severe illness with symptoms of

• fever
• cough
• shortness of breath

Experts are still learning about illnesses caused by COVID-19. Symptoms have ranged from those like a common cold to severe pneumonia. Some people have been hospitalized. Deaths have been reported mainly in older adults or those who have other health problems.

SOURCE: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/symptoms.html

Food service is shifting to Take-Out and Delivery Only.  Please see the Lassen County Environmental Health Departments guidance. 

Emergency warning signs include:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion or inability to arouse
• Bluish lips or face

*This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning.

The time between exposure and symptoms is 2-14 days. To be safe, exposed people are asked to stay away from others for 14 days.

SOURCE: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/clinical-guidance-management-patients.html