Starting August 4, Dr. Larissa May will serve as Yolo County’s Interim Health Officer until a permanent Health Officer is selected from the recruitment process.
Dr. May is a professor of emergency medicine and a public health expert at UC Davis Health. She is a board certified emergency physician, with an interest in quality improvement and patient safety. Her work has often focused on the epidemiology and management of infectious diseases, including best practices for diagnostic testing, outbreak response and infection prevention. Dr. May has many accomplishments and awards in the medical field, including recently receiving the American College of Emergency Physicians’ Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Section Service Award. She also was honored with a Chief of Staff Award for her outstanding contributions as leader of the Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship Program at UC Davis Health. Dr. May received her Bachelor of Science (BS), Medical Degree (MD), Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) and Master of Science in Health Science (MSHS) from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Mary Ann Limbos, who was acting Health Officer when Dr. Chapman retired, will be returning to her Deputy Health Officer position with Yolo County. Dr. Limbos currently has other commitments as Medical Director for California Children’s Services and as a local pediatrician and cannot serve as the County’s Interim or acting Health Officer for the long-term.
Dr. Limbos and Dr. May will each take 50% of the Health Officer’s responsibilities. As the Interim Health Officer, Dr. May will be providing subject matter expertise, helping to craft policy and health orders, and guiding the Board of Supervisors on health strategies and concerns. Dr. Limbos will continue to provide key clinical consultation to the County’s Public Health and COVID-19 response teams and support schools and childcare facilities in their re-opening plans.
“It is an honor to serve as Yolo County’s Interim Health Officer in these unprecedented times and to share my expertise as a medical professional in the goal of public health of our local community,” said Interim Health Officer Dr. Larissa May. “I look forward to working with Deputy Health Officer Limbos, the members of the public health staff and the Board of Supervisors in using best available evidence and guidance to improve the health and safety of all members of our community.”
“We are quite fortunate to have secured someone whose credentials and experience are as extensive and relevant as Dr. May’s,” said Chair to the Yolo County Board of Supervisors Gary Sandy. “She will bring a fresh perspective to the crisis and her background in public health and research at UC Davis will be invaluable in combatting the spread of the COVID-19 virus in our community.”
Residents can call Yolo 2-1-1 for resource information. For information about Yolo County’s current response to COVID-19 visit: www.yolocounty.org/coronavirus-roadmap. Follow Yolo County on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/YoloCounty/ or Twitter at: https://twitter.com/YoloCountyCA.