County Set to Name Dr. Ian Hoffman New Health Officer

Press release from the County of Humboldt:

Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Ian Hoffman.

Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Ian Hoffman.

Dr. Ian P. Hoffman is expected to be named the county’s new health officer, pending confirmation by the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors Tuesday. He replaces Dr. Teresa Frankovich, who stepped back from the position earlier this week.

Dr. Hoffman holds both a Doctorate of Medicine and Masters of Public Health from the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Rutgers. He has worked previously for Kaiser Permanente in Portland, Ore. and San Francisco, as well as at Open Door Clinic in Arcata, Southwest Community Health Center in Santa Rosa and La Clinica de La Raza in Oakland.

Dr. Hoffman worked with the Latino community in the Bay Area for more than a decade and said he looks forward to continuing that work in Humboldt County. “Yo trabajé por los últimos 12 años con la gente Latina,” dijo el Dr. Hoffman. “Espero seguir ayudando y trabajando con las personas que hablan español en mi trabajo como oficial de salud pública.”

Dr. Hoffman moved to Humboldt County to raise his children near extended family. An avid outdoorsman, Dr. Hoffman spends his time hiking, surfing, backpacking and skiing in addition to his work within the community.

The doctor acknowledged the challenges inherent in taking on this role in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The COVID response in Humboldt County has been robust and cohesive,” he said. “We are well positioned going into the winter with increased contact investigations staff, expanded testing, an Alternative Care Site and planning underway for a vaccine rollout in the coming months.”

He also noted that this has been a challenging time for the community. “I’m new to the fight against COVID in Humboldt County, but I know the community is not,” Dr. Hoffman said. “Many of you have been at this since February and are frankly exhausted by it. I want to listen to and understand those experiences and continue the level of community involvement and openness that has been set by everyone who has been part of the emergency response team.”

Public Health Director Michele Stephens welcomed Dr. Hoffman and said despite the timing of the transition, she had every confidence he is up for the challenges ahead.

“It’s not just COVID,” Stephens said. “As a local health jurisdiction, we’ve maintained our programs and services despite the pandemic. Our community health improvement planning continues as well. Some of Dr. Hoffman’s time will be spent engaged in improving outcomes related to adverse childhood experiences, housing and homelessness and behavior health and substance abuse.”

Dr. Hoffman’s hiring will be official once the Board of Supervisors confirms the appointment.

Dr. Hoffman expressed gratitude that he would not be doing the work alone. “We have the full and ongoing support of the well-established team of Public Health and Emergency Operations Center staff who will continue the work. I will be coming in to lead this already strong team and will work hard to make the transition seamless.”

For the most recent COVID-19 information, visit cdc.gov or cdph.ca.gov. Local information is available at humboldtgov.org or during business hours by contacting [email protected] or calling 707-441-5000.

Follow us on Facebook: @HumCoCOVID19,
Instagram: @HumCoCOVID19,
Twitter: @HumCoCOVID19, and
Humboldt Health Alert: humboldtgov.org/HumboldtHealthAlert

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Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Ian Hoffman.

DEC4 HoffmanPH FINAL (PDF)

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18 Comments
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Lone Ranger
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Lone Ranger
3 years ago

1000 cases and 9 deaths, no way it was here in December 2019. Just out of curiosity how many people in Humboldt die from the flu every year, 10 ,20 30? How many cases of the flu? By the way , science did prove covid was here in 2019.

Canyon oak
Guest
Canyon oak
3 years ago

Now I was raised in California so I was trained to see past skin color, but seriously..
Super yawn, he mine as well be another Rex Bohn!
Common humboldt!
Let’s get a LGB or Q person in there!
We don’t need the likes of Paul McCartney spreading infectious and unifying melodies through the dank catacombs of humboldt bays bong water!

DQ
Guest
DQ
3 years ago
Reply to  Canyon oak

It’s just this kind of comment that makes identity politics appear toxic and self-defeating.

Me
Guest
Me
3 years ago
Reply to  DQ

That’s because it’s toxic and self defeating

DQ
Guest
DQ
3 years ago
Reply to  Me

Certainly some applications are.

I like stars
Guest
I like stars
3 years ago
Reply to  DQ

Which application(s) isn’t toxic and self defeating?

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago

Another fear mongering racist not promoting science? Another here to kill small business and sober healthy gatherings with crafty false sense of security and non science based solutions? Another to hunt our own people and destroy many that got out of black market? Another enforcer infringing on civil rights while letting real criminals and fear based whistle blowers continue to cause trouble? I guess we will see how many businesses he goes after, how someone not from here may cause further harm to this community than has already been done. Math and particle physics… science and not method myth (statistics, percentages)! It is nice to see how many corrupt are being taken out in this time and smaller groups are learning to work together but let’s hope we now have someone who understands reality and community over policy!

Ernie Branscomb
Guest
Ernie Branscomb
3 years ago
Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago

Statistics are method myth when based on scientific procedure! CDC viral outbreak procedures are lax and too late in the game. The maximum exposure would have occurred in the first 30 days; The rest is the viral enigma as to whether testing, SIP, or even by particle physics of mask and viral blockage are true…. science says the precautions at this point are beyond the initial load and something like herpes zoster, too little too late – it’s going around so enjoy life and not destroy civil liberties. Be safe and educated but this isn’t going away. SARS second go around is back, may go dormant again and then back again but nothing that can be stopped, the only thing we can stop is life to enjoy in the precious time we all do have and if you want to talk statistics, we might trip off the porch and snap our neck in the frost which is about statistically the same chance.

Lynn H
Guest
Lynn H
3 years ago

Wasn’t here in Dec? Hmmm… IDK ;

Serologic testing of U.S. blood donations to identify SARS-CoV-2-reactive antibodies: December 2019-January 2020 https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciaa1785/6012472 full txt available- click PDF. Specifically addresses samples taken from Ca, Wa, and Oregon.

also antibodies detected in Italian blood samples taken in Sept 2019
https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-circulating-italy-earlier-thought.html
“They found that 111 of these 959 people, all asymptomatic at the time their blood was drawn, had SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in their blood at the time it was taken, meaning that about 11.6% of the entire group had been infected with the virus before March. Specifically, the researchers found coronavirus antibodies in 23 patients who gave samples in September and in 27 who gave samples in October. They also found that 53.2% of these cases were participants from Lombardy.”

also, was possibly detected in a Spanish sewage sample taken in March 2019; https://bgr.com/2020/06/29/coronavirus-testing-wastewater-spain-march-2019-study/ Puzzling study detects coronavirus in Spain wastewater from March 2019

It’s definitely possible. Many here believe they had it in Dec 2019 – Jan 2020.

I tested pos for it about a month ago, but it was exactly like what I had before in January. Then it was worse. Lost sense of smell for 3 days, vaguely described lung damage on CAT scan and thought I was dying. 2nd time very mild.

Humboldt County Line
Guest
Humboldt County Line
3 years ago

I’m super glad a public official is going to be hyper focused on helping 11% of the population!!! I bet all his friends from Portland are smelling their own farts while they congratulate each other about his virtuous statements.

Lynn H
Guest
Lynn H
3 years ago

Dr. Hoffman, please save yourself some misery and don’t take a lot of the comments here personally. There are a lot of trolls and Q-anon people commenting on this blog. Be well and thank you for taking it on.

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Lynn H

Would you rather they not be anonymous so you can subversively attack or rather avoid education and questioning as Einstein states that the most intelligent people ask questions and not rely on ignorant arrogance. It’s not personal, but a public position effects all.

North west
Guest
North west
3 years ago

What a thankless job. I feel sorry for anyone that has to deal with turmups dominions of virus denials.

Free estimates
Guest
Free estimates
3 years ago
Reply to  North west

Thankless? What about that sweet $120k a year? I’ll issue word salad statements that provide no actual information for that pay. No problem!

To be fair, we haven’t seen what Dr. Hoffman’s methodology will be for press releases, so I’ll reserve judgement for now. Hopefully he can improve upon the previous public health officer’s information campaign. Or, maybe he can whip up some of grandpa Albert’s good time medicine.😉 I’d be ok with just the latter.

cutomorrow
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Free estimates

no thanks Free, we’re good

Free estimates
Guest
Free estimates
3 years ago
Reply to  cutomorrow

Good on the press releases or the tickets to the magic show?

cutomorrow
Guest
3 years ago

Wonderful !