On Tuesday, the Contra Costa County board of Supervisors received an update on COVID-19 which show all but one business is now complying with the health order while warning of a winter surge.
Anna Roth, Health Services Director, stated this would be the last update of the year noting that 1-year ago COVID-19 was headed to the county and arrived. She then provided an update currently in Contra Costa County.
“Currently, we have 1,458 active covid cases in our county, an increase of 19% in the last two-weeks,” said Roth with the test positivity rate now steady at 2.3% while hospitalizations are at 36—last week she reported 33 hospitalizations.
“We are now at 76.7 percent of all residents in Contra Costa County are fully vaccinated,” said Roth while the county has given over 2 million doses. “We aren’t done yet as what we are seeing across the state is California is seeing a winter surge in COVID-19 cases.”
Roth said this has prompted the State of California to implement a new mask mandate for indoor spaces.
“We have not seen Omicron in Contra Costa County, Delta still remains the prominent strain,” explained Roth—but did say Omicron showed up in wastewater samples but assumes cases are coming soon.
Enforcement
Roth says they have taken steps to ensure timely response as well as better communication regarding complaints for health order – 4 new staff members and clerical staff to follow up on health order complaints.
“In the past week, we have followed up on every outstanding complaint related to health officer orders or health order violation involving county food permit holders for the month of November,” said Roth. “Out of the 13-cases outstanding, we went back and found 7 in compliance, did take action on 6 of them. 1 facility received a notice of violation, notice of fines. We had 5 notice of violation and 2 notices of fine, did suspend 1 operating permit for a restaurant that is now in compliance.”
Roth said all but one is in compliance but were following up with that one.
Roth then explained the complaints over the past several months:
- June – 3
- July – 0
- August – 24
- 68
- October – 97
- November – 99
- December – 95
New State Health Order on Masking
Dr. Chris Farnitano explained that everyone must wear face coverings in indoor spaces regardless of vaccine status. This is based on current trends and the anticipated impact of Omicron. He said County Costa remains stable, but the rest of the state is experiencing a surge.
Cases in California have increased 47% since Thanksgiving and statewide hospitalizations have gone up 14%.
“There is growing evidence that the Omicron variant is much more contagious than delta,” said Farnitano while he called the State Order similar to the Bay Area Order and will last from Dec. 15 – Jan 15.
He said states are taking this action in preparation of a post-holiday surge with Omicron.
He told the Board of Supervisors that although they do not have a case on record of Omicron, he believes its in the county because a lab that test wastewater last week found genetic evidence of Omicron virus in a sample from the Central Contra Costa Sanitation District. Also been located in water samples in the South Bay, Sacramento and Central Valley.
“There is evidence this Omicron is more contagious than Delta,” said Farnitano. “Washington State is already seeing 13% of their cases as Omicron and that percentage has been doubling every 1-2 days. Similar has been seen in parts of Europe with cases rapidly doubling.”
He continued.
“The data show that Omicron is likely 2-3 times as contagious as Delta. Also, early data is showing very little if any protection from natural immunity from protection with a prior strain. So, if natural immunity was your reason not getting vaccinated before, that rationale no longer exists,” said Farnitano. “You are not protected from Omicron. If you felt safe because you were being careful, that rationale no longer exists. Omicron will find you.”
He said two doses of the vaccine or one of Johnson & Johnson will provide some protection, but that is no longer enough and urged people to get boosted.
He provided a sample scenario where although Omicron may be milder, but even if cases with hospitalizations is only half of delta, if the case load goes up 10 times than what it is now, that represents 200 in the hospital which is closer to the “summer surge”.
“We just can’t rest on the hope that Omicron is milder,” said Farnitano.
Board of Supervisor Discussion
Supervisor Federal Glover highlighted although its the end of the year, the public health services has stepped up in many areas and was appreciated for their work.
Supervisor Candace Andersen said she was pleased with the results of being in the top 2% when compared to the rest of the country—only 40 counties had better statistics.
“We have had so fewer deaths,” said Andersen. “That goes to the great efforts of your team.”
Andersen asked for clarification on the masking requirements as Contra Costa County allows fully vaccinated gyms to operate without masks as well as office settings.
Farnitano explained he is still looking for clarification, but if there is no provided by Wednesday, they would have to follow the state order and wear masks.
“That will not be welcome news,” said Andersen.
Supervisor John Gioia said with the Governors announcement by increasing the masking requirements in those counties who did not have a mask update, it won’t effect the Bay Area or Los Angeles as much as they had a masking requirement.
“I think its just a realization we are headed into another winter where people are more indoors and greater risk of transmission, so the message still remains to be cautious,” said Gioia.
Supervisor Karen Mitchoff call this 22-months none of them would have ever imaged.
“I know last week our Board was very strong in sending the message to a very small minority businesses in our community that were not abiding by the order and I appreciate that health services has gone out,” said Mitchoff. “They are finding it really isn’t that difficult to do this. I do note that one restaurant in the county continues to say its just too difficult and if the county keeps pressuring them to do this they will just close because they cannot afford to lose any more business. My message is really sincerely and kindly you are looking at this the wrong way, if you start doing that, you will gain business.”
Mitchoff said over the last week, she received several very “vitriolic” and could not characterize the types of language that has been used and name calling.
“I just let it go because I understand people are very frustrated, but I would also say to those individuals because of your behavior, yes I am assuming you are not vaccinated or following the rules. That we are now having to go to what we have already been doing in Contra Costa County—and if you want to continue to send me emails telling me what kind of b-i-t-c-h I am and some very other worse terms, you go right ahead. Putting your effort into that, instead of doing what is right for the entire community to make us safe, would really be much more appreciated. I am going to jump to the conclusion the reason we are going to have to mask up again in the State is because of individuals in other parts of the state who haven’t been following what our health officer or other health officers have been saying. We will get through this much quicker if everybody would just get vaccinated and wear a mask until we don’t have to wear masks anymore. Its really not that difficult.”
1 comment
F these clowns!
DO NOT COMPLY!!!
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