Positive virus rates, cases, and hospitalizations are all increasing. We are worried about our Intensive Care Unit (ICU) capacity, which is now at 50%.
These indicators call for immediate action, to control this surge.
We can further re-open only when we start seeing a decreased trend in hospitalizations and positive test rates.
What's new? The revised Health Order, effective last night at 11:59 pm (July 12):
- Indoor worship and cultural ceremonies, and indoor protests are prohibited.
- In all outdoor dining settings, staff and customers must now wear face coverings at all times, except when putting food or drink in the mouth.
- Outdoor gatherings of 'social bubbles', or groups of family members from different households, must follow social distancing, and use face coverings (except when putting food or drink in the mouth). A social bubble is a stable or consistent group of no more than 12 people who regularly spend time together. Indoor 'social bubble' gatherings are not allowed.
Many outdoor gatherings in Contra Costa are permitted, including worship and cultural ceremonies, and social protests, as long as
state guidelines are followed for maintaining social distance (six feet apart) and wearing face coverings.
There's still a lot we don't know about this virus. But we do know that it's spread by droplets passing through the air from an infected person to others. We also know that ventilation or fresh air slow this spread, giving more room for infected drops of saliva or mucous to dissipate or die off.
So it makes sense that it's much harder to control the virus indoors. Even when groups of people indoors wear masks, the risk of passing the virus is higher than outdoors, where there is better air circulation.
Let's keep wearing face coverings, social distancing (keeping six feet from each other), washing hands often, staying home if we feel sick, and
getting tested.
And following our health orders which are based on science and the best available data.
We can do this!
For more visit
cchealth.org/coronavirus or call the COVID-19 multilingual call center at 844-729-8410, open every day from 8 am to 5 pm.
