This week, Danville Town Manager Joe Calabrigo issued a message to the community regarding a recent surge in COVID-19 cases. The message comes after Danville reported 170 new cases in the past 14 days, Danville’s new case rate is among the highest for cities in Contra Costa County.
According to the Contra Costa Health Services website, Contra Costa County has a testing positivity rate of 6.2% with 28,391 total cases with 23,947 recovered and 270 deaths. The adjusted rate is 22.4 cases per 100,000.
On Tuesday, Contra Costa County Board of Supervisor Karen Mitchoff urged the County to increase fines on business who defy the health order. She proposed fines $10,000 to $20,000 highlighting how it would get a business owners attention.
Here is Calabrigo’s message to the community:
To our Danville Community,
The challenge of 2020 continues, even as we are in its final month. The severity of this most recent surge in COVID-19 cases and the rate of hospitalizations has prompted the latest Stay at Home order which is affecting our families, our business community, and our lives.
By now we are all beyond tired of the restrictions that have been placed on us as a result of this pandemic. Danville has never faced a more difficult time in its history. Even so, now is the time. It’s more important than ever to hold the line and push us through into 2021 and the arrival of one or more coronavirus vaccines.
With those thoughts in mind, I am reaching out to you today with two requests:
First, that we each continue to do our part to stop this surge and bring the number of new positive cases in Danville down. With 170 new cases in the past 14 days, Danville’s new case rate is among the highest for cities in Contra Costa County. Our new cases have increased almost seven-fold in the past month, and do not as yet include the potential impact from the long Thanksgiving weekend. Bringing these numbers down will require all of us, working together, wearing face coverings, using social distancing, avoiding gatherings, and continuing to do what is necessary to slow and stop the spread of this virus. This is a tall ask at a time of the year when we all want to spend time with friends and family, but it’s what needs to happen so that we can get back to the type of family and community life that we all appreciate and value so much.
Secondly, we ask that you please do all you can to support our local businesses through this time. While some services have had to close, many remain open and need your help. In addition to the grant programs we have in place to assist businesses, we are also running the Pledge to Support Local campaign asking everyone to shop, dine and spend local, to keep our businesses from succumbing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many local businesses have an online presence where you can purchase goods, services, and gift cards. Support our restaurants by ordering takeout. And while we understand how easy it is to use national delivery services like Grubhub, Doordash, and the like, remember that these services take a large percentage of your purchase price away from the local restaurants for whom they deliver. During this time when restaurants are already limited, we ask that instead of paying these services for delivery, consider using the curbside pickup zones to get your takeout purchases. Our retailers are able to be open but must limit their occupancy. Please be patient and wait your turn.
We will make it through this pandemic, but it will take all of us working together as a community to ensure that the fewest people possible become sick and that our businesses have the support they need to be able to come back once we are able to reopen.
Our Town Council, myself, and Town staff will keep doing what we can to provide assistance and information as we weather these difficult times. We are all looking forward to a better 2021. It’s just around the corner. Let’s do all we can to get us there strong and together.
Stay safe!
Joe Calabrigo
Danville Town Manager
