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 15 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, 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. A record of those meetings is posted on the County website at this link. The committee plans to change its meeting schedule to monthly unless changing circumstances dictate otherwise, taking up new developments in the pandemic and discussing a roadmap to recovery.
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.
In Contra Costa and across the nation, historically marginalized communities are experiencing the most pronounced impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Today local community leaders are calling on 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
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Deputy County Health Officer Dr. Thomas Warne will provide a COVID-19 update at today's meeting.
Following Dr. Warne's remarks, we will allow for Public Comment and additional questions specific to the current Health Order, attached, other guidance documents, also attached, and Timeline.
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. 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.
For Contra Costa County to move down to the next tier, daily new cases (per 100k) must be between 4-7 and positive tests must be between 5-8%. If a county’s case rate and positivity rate fall into different tiers, the county remains in the stricter tier. Click to learn more about tier assignments and metric details.
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