DHHS Thanks All the Volunteers Who Have Helped With the COVID-19 Response This Last Year

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Dear Editor,

On behalf of the Humboldt County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and Public Health staff, thank you to the people in our community who have volunteered and who continue to volunteer their time to assist during the COVID-19 response.

When the incident began in February 2020, dozens of volunteers from Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) across the county stepped in and assisted with all facets of the response from scheduling and logistics to helping distribute Personal Protective Equipment to medical facilities and first responders. Now, in the first three months of 2021, volunteers have contributed more than 2,225 hours toward assisting with vaccine clinics from intake to administering shots in arms.

Dozens of retired and working medical professionals including nurses, doctors, veterinarians, dentists, orthodontists, EMTs, bilingual community residents and others have dedicated their time to assist Public Health in administering COVID-19 vaccine to thousands of county residents, in addition to volunteers who have been assisting with contact tracing and all other parts of the response since spring 2020.

Since the COVID-19 response started last year, 180 volunteers from throughout the county have been sworn in to assist, with hundreds more reaching out to the EOC to inquire about volunteer needs.

We are proud to be part of a community of people who care about each other and strive to find time to help. Once again—on behalf of all of us—thank you!

Ryan Derby, Emergency Services Manager

Connie Beck, DHHS Director

Michele Stephens, Public Health Director