Ojai Valley News - COVID-19 - Dr. Jim Halverson

Ask Dr. Halverson: How to minimize risk from COVID-19 as Ojai Valley reopens

Details: Published: Friday, 22 May 2020 10:32

By Dr. Jim Halverson

As our Ojai Valley slowly reopens for business, education, recreation and entertainment, here are suggestions and information to keep us less likely to acquire COVID-19 and decrease the chance of transmitting the virus.

Where are people getting infected?

Ask Dr. Halverson: 'The race for a COVID-19 vaccine'

Details: Published: Friday, 15 May 2020 11:50

By Dr. Jim Halverson

When will the coronavirus pandemic no longer alter our daily routines, affect our economy or threaten our health or the health of our family and friends? Some suggest we should go quickly toward normal now. Stop social distancing for all but those at high risk, reopen businesses and resume daily routines similar to 2019. This approach would recommend that more than 50 million Americans continue to shelter in place while the rest resume their jobs, vacations and weekend get togethers.

Ask Dr. Halverson: 'Be a hero'

Details: Published: Friday, 08 May 2020 11:55

By Dr. Jim Halverson

What are you enduring during the COVID-19 outbreak? Loss of income? Job loss? Loneliness? Anger? Fear? Boredom? Fatigue? Loss of routine? We all share this common fact. Life has changed significantly in the past two months.

Ask Dr. Halverson: Understanding herd immunity

Details: Published: Friday, 01 May 2020 12:01

web 4 17 Halverson photo By Dr. Jim Halverson, Special to the Ojai Valley News

It has been six weeks since the March 20 Stay-at-Home order. We continue to have only seven confirmed cases in the Ojai Valley due to your great efforts to follow Public Health guidelines. Thank you!

Predicting how long we will have to live with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its threat to vulnerable people is difficult. Ultimately, it comes down to one factor — the development of herd immunity.

Herd immunity

This is an easy concept to understand — one of few with this virus.

Ask Dr. Halverson: 'Stay home, stay safe and stay well'

Details: Published: Friday, 10 April 2020 18:28

4 10 HALVERSONPIC

Dr. Jim Halverson

By Dr. Jim Halverson

It has been three weeks since Gov. Gavin Newsom's stay-at-home order of March 20. It appears that all of our collective efforts are beginning to show encouraging results. It is critical that we continue to encourage ourselves and others to wash our hands for at least 20 seconds, keep our hands away from our face, stay at home as much as possible and maintain 6 feet or more of social distancing if we must go out.

Current models suggest our Ventura County hospitals and healthcare system will be maximally impacted somewhere between April 20 and April 30. Here are two additional ways you can help keep our Ojai Valley as safe as possible.

1. Allow those who most urgently need testing to have it available for them.

Ask Dr. Halverson: 'Things we won’t ever take for granted again'

Details: Published: Saturday, 04 April 2020 23:01

By Dr. Jim Halverson

As we start the third week since Ventura County’s Stay Well at Home Order of March 20, how are we doing as a valley in our effort to limit COVID-19?

The current numbers are encouraging. As of April 4, there have been five cases in valley residents and no deaths. The threat to our valley is, however, much greater than it was a week ago. The number of infections in surrounding communities is increasing significantly. Many of our valley's essential workers are employed in those communities and some of us continue to go there for essential services.

Cases in Community Memorial Hospital and Ventura County Medical Center are steadily climbing. Here are three suggestions to keep the impact of this highly contagious and potentially deadly virus as low as possible.

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