{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"KZYX News","title":"\"Covid is not over\"","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":389,"description":"May 20, 2022 — The pandemic is not over, with small outbreaks, high transmissibility, and new, highly contagious variants. But with treatments available and hospitals not seeming to be at risk of getting overwhelmed, new health orders are not likely to appear on the horizon soon. \r\nPublic Health Officer Dr. Andrew Coren shared his recommendations earlier this afternoon, which included universal indoor masking and staying up to date on vaccines and boosters. High-risk individuals who test positive, he said, should immediately request treatments from their providers, because treatments need to be administered within five days of the onset of symptoms to be effective. The county is currently in the orange zone, for substantial transmission, but is rapidly tipping into the red zone, for high transmission.\r\nCoren tried to convey the nuances of a pandemic that is dragging into its third year, saying, “Orders is not where we’d like to go…but a lot of things have changed since we had all those orders,” one being that the community has learned to protect itself. “What I heard this morning is that many people think covid is over,” he said. “We need to emphasize to people that covid is not over…we’re rising in numbers. We haven’t yet seen the mortality numbers, but they may come.” As the pandemic continues, so, too, does the likelihood of more variants. “None of us are interested in imposing orders when people know what to do,” he concluded.\r\nTest-to-treat sites, where people can receive treatment as soon as they test positive, are starting to be available in the county. The OptumServe sites are supposed to offer test-to- treat services, dispensing a prescription for treatment to qualified patients after a telemed call with a provider. That option at the testing site on the fairground in Ukiah is subject to nursing availability, which Coren said, “OptumServe is working on correcting.” He added that the clinics are applying for waivers from the state to offer test-to-treat...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/xZpAumwbhFUpJUYcwaQ1-q6snzOyqAm13l7cW6AWPCM/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9mMzkz/NjAwNjc2OWMyZmFk/YWY2YTdmYjI5M2Mz/YWMxNy5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}