Although the Board of Supervisors has authority over County issues, under State law, when an emergency of this nature is declared and there is a pandemic of this magnitude, the Health Officer of each county has the legal authority to impose whatever orders she or he deem necessary to protect the public.
On Tuesday, April 21, the Board of Supervisors formed this ad hoc committee to advise the Health Department on COVID19 impacts. The goal of the committee is to work toward having a sustainable COVID-19 mitigation and recovery plan. The committee will be working with the community and industry on issues of concern, advising the Board of Supervisors and the Health Officer on possible ways to interpret and apply Health Orders so they will continue to keep the community safe, but allow more businesses to re-open and provide common-sense applications to outdoor activities.
The Committee has so far conducted 18 public meetings on May 7, 14, 21 and 28; June 4, 11, 18, and 25; July 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30; August 13; and September 3 and 17; October 15 and November 19, 2020, covering recreation and lifestyle services, in-home and other personal services, small businesses, religious gatherings; a plan to move to fully to Stage 2 and, regrettably, the second surge that required postponement of many planned Phase 2 re-openings.
The State subsequently moved to a four-tier reopening plan, which has been the Committee's primary reference point since late August. Under the State's new Blueprint for a Safer Economy, every county is assigned to a tier by the State based on its test positivity and adjusted case rate (see Tier chart at the end of this section). The State reviews data weekly and tiers are updated on Tuesdays. To move forward, a county must meet the next tier’s criteria for two consecutive weeks. On September 29, Contra Costa County progressed from the Purple (most restrictive) Tier
to the Red Tier, and on October 27, progressed again to the Orange Tier. Following a resurgence of new cases and increase in hospitalizations, the County, on November 16, was moved back to the Purple Tier. Click to learn more about tier assignments and metric details.
The Committee and the Health Officer also discuss updates to the State and County Health Orders and projected timeline for reopening businesses, schools, and community activities and answer questions received via the Supervisors' offices and Committee staff. Community leaders and health officials continue to urge county residents to follow the local and state health guidance to protect their families and communities – it saves lives.
A record of all prior Committee meetings is posted on the County website at this link. The committee has moved to a monthly meeting schedule unless changing circumstances dictate otherwise, taking up new developments in the pandemic and discussing a roadmap to recovery.
In Contra Costa and across the nation, historically marginalized communities are experiencing the most pronounced impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Local community leaders continue to call upon the public to take COVID-19 seriously, and take steps to keep healthy and safe:
- Stay home from work or school if you feel sick
- Wash your hands often
- Wear face masks whenever you are near someone outside your immediate household
- Observe physical distancing outside the home and do not make unnecessary trips or visits
- Get tested and follow the health instructions if you test positive or were exposed to someone who tested positive
All Bay Area residents are also encouraged to get tested for COVID-19, and to do so immediately if they have symptoms. Check with your local health department for more information about testing and about efforts in your community to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information, please visit cchealth.org/coronavirus to read the latest health order and its appendices, and for local information about Contra Costa's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here is a link to the updated FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions): FAQs
|
Deputy County Health Officer Dr. Thomas Warne will provide a COVID-19 update at today's meeting. Developments since the last meeting of November 19th include:
Purple Tier Assignment: As of December 8, Contra Costa County remains in the Purple or most restrictive COVID Tier due to case rate and the equity metric. The State will move our county to the next tier once the following three criteria have been met for two consecutive weeks:
-
Cases Rate: Less than 7 new cases per 100,000 residents
-
Positivity Rate: Less than 8% of tests countywide are positive
-
Equity Metric: Less than 8% of tests for residents of the lowest quartile of the Healthy Places Index census tracts are positive
Updated County Quarantine Order: The December 10 Quarantine Order supersedes the October 8, 2020 Order No. HO-COVID19-32, directing close contacts of persons diagnosed with COVID-19 to quarantine themselves, with an exception for certain essential workers in critical infrastructure sectors. Based on updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this Order shortens the quarantine period for most individuals from 14 to 10 days. This Order also prohibits employees of detention facilities and long-term care facilities from returning to work for four days after completion of the 10-day quarantine requirement.
County Vaccination Plan: Contra Costa Health Services has been preparing for the expected arrival of COVID-19 vaccines for several weeks (see the plan here). Initial vaccine shipments are expected to arrive in the next week, but this will depend on the federal and state government approving a vaccine first. The CDC is recommending that the highest-risk groups, healthcare workers and nursing home residents, get immunized first. The very first doses obtained by Contra Costa County will go to frontline healthcare workers at hospitals who work in high-risk settings, such as Intensive Care Units. Nursing home residents and staff will be vaccinated through a federal partnership with CVS and Walgreens pharmacies using a separate vaccine allocation. The Board of Supervisors is also considering advocating to add teachers and school support staff to the high-priority list for vaccination for those school districts that have submitted a reopening plan.
Outdoor Playgrounds: On December 9, the state updated its guidance to allow outdoor playgrounds to open (see attachment).
Holiday Advice: The safest way to celebrate this holiday season is virtually or with members of your household. Gathering with people outside your household – even extended family – increases the risk of getting and spreading COVID-19. There are many ways to enjoy the holidays with loved ones without gathering: see this link for coping with the stay at home order during the holidays.
Following Dr. Warne's remarks, the Committee will allow for Public Comment and will address questions specific to the current Health Order and other guidance documents, attached. |
| RECEIVE status report on the County's COVID-19 status, including the December 10 Updated Quarantine Order, County vaccination plan, holiday planning, and school re-openings. (Thomas Warne, M.D., Deputy County Health Officer) |