Two years ago this week, a local lab detected the first case of COVID-19 in Sonoma County. Few could have imagined the challenges we would face - or how long this crisis would last. Over the next 24 months, more than 82,000 cases would be detected in Sonoma County. Our elders and members of disadvantaged communities would be hit the hardest, but everyone’s life was changed in ways big and small. Now, with 80 percent of our county’s eligible population protected by vaccines, we are entering a new phase of the pandemic, with cases, hospitalizations and deaths all in decline. Although it is too soon to declare an end to the pandemic, the key metrics are moving in the right direction. This month’s edition has the latest information on our fight against COVID-19 and other important news about Sonoma County.

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COVID-19 update

What a difference a month makes. Today, we are detecting 13 new cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 residents each day, down from almost 200 cases a day at the beginning of February. Two dozen people are hospitalized for COVID, down from more than 100 a month ago.

The decline in cases, however, obscures an important detail about the nature of the pandemic: people who are unvaccinated continue to fare far worse than people who are vaccinated. How much worse? Those who are unvaccinated are more than twice as likely to get COVID-19, 15 times more likely to be hospitalized for the virus, and nearly 11 times more likely to die from it.

It is the reason why the county and its health care partners have worked together to deliver more than 1 million doses of vaccine to Sonoma County residents over the last 14 months, a milestone reached in February. As a result, more than 80 percent of eligible Sonoma County residents are now fully vaccinated and 64 percent are boosted, giving Sonoma County the 10th highest vaccination rate in California. It is an achievement that has made our community safer by slowing transmission and keeping people out of the hospital.

As a result, Sonoma County on Feb. 10 lifted a temporary 30-day ban on large gatherings that it put in place to prevent superspreader events during the omicron surge. The county also has aligned with state actions to ease masking requirements in public indoor settings. This week, the California Department of Public Health strongly recommended that all people continue to wear masks indoors in public, but lifted an order that made masks mandatory in many places for unvaccinated people.

After March 11, the state will no longer require masks in schools and child care facilities, though they will be strongly recommended. Masks will still be required for everyone in high transmission settings like public transit, health care settings, long-term care facilities, emergency shelters, correctional facilities and homeless shelters. Sonoma County plans to align with the updated state rules, said Dr. Sundari Mase, the county’s public health officer.

“We are in a much better place than we have been,” Mase told the Board of Supervisors in an update on March 1. “Things are going the right direction.”

Watch a video of the March 1 COVID-19 update:

Board of Supervisors COVID information update video still

Find a vaccine. Get tested.

Los Guilicos campus to become Cal Fire base

Sonoma County and Cal Fire are joining forces to create a year-round fire base at the county’s Los Guilicos campus in Sonoma Valley, the first fire camp in the county since the 1990s. A firefighting team is expected to occupy the camp during fire season, which lasts about nine months a year, and a fuel abatement team will occupy it during the wet season, about three months a year. The three-year lease agreement, approved on Feb. 8 by the Board of Supervisors, will significantly improve response times and resources in the event of wildfire or other emergencies.

“It is exciting to see the unused facilities at the Los Guilicos campus put to such good use for the community,” said Supervisor Susan Gorin, who represents the Sonoma Valley.

Watch a tour of the future Cal Fire base here:

Los Guilicos campus sign, where Cal Fire is expected to establish a year-round fire base.

Town hall on drought: Thursday, March 10

Graphs showing current water levels at Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino - Lake Sonoma is at 61.1% capacity and Lake Mendocino is at 62.4%.

Join Sonoma Water on March 10 for a virtual town hall meeting to discuss the latest information on local drought conditions, water supply management efforts and conservation measures. Our region just experienced the third-driest water year in 127 years. As a result, everyone needs to make changes to our everyday habits to eliminate water waste and preserve our water supply, or we could face even more drastic measures if the drought continues. The panel will include representatives from the California Department of Water Resources, California State Water Resources Control Board and the National Marine Fisheries Service as well as Sonoma Water, Santa Rosa Water and the Sonoma County Farm Bureau. The forum will include a question and answer session.

The Zoom webinar will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 10.

More information

Registrar of Voters flyer announcing the change to Voters Choice Act election model in Sonoma County.

Voters in Windsor should be on the lookout for voter information guides arriving by mail soon, ahead of the April 12 special election in the Town of Windsor.

Money available to address community needs

April 7 is the deadline to apply for $34 million in federal funding to help people in Sonoma County harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The county obtained the funding through the American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, and is prioritizing applications that address systemic public health and economic challenges contributing to the unequal impact of the pandemic on certain populations. The goal is to make targeted investments aligned with the accountability and equity principles in the ARPA legislation, the Racial Equity & Social Justice pillar of the county’s Strategic Plan, and the Portrait of Sonoma County 2021 Update.

Learn more

Making Sonoma County more equitable for all

Open dialog is essential to understanding and addressing inequities. Join us in celebrating our diversity and building a stronger community around the values of inclusiveness and anti-racism. Learn how by subscribing to Equity Forward, a monthly newsletter produced by the county Office of Equity. This includes information about local events marking Black History Month, reading and podcast resources, and an update on the county’s racial equity learning program.

Subscribe to Equity Forward

Reducing the risk of fire in our parks

One way to fight wildfires is to manage growth in our forests before the first spark erupts into flames. Sonoma County Regional Parks has launched an initiative to create “shaded fuel breaks” in several areas of the county. Unlike “fire breaks,” which remove all vegetation in an area, shaded fuel breaks leave the forest canopy intact and clear away the understory vegetation. This can decrease the intensity of wildfire and create defensible areas where firefighters can slow or stop a fire’s spread.

Watch this video to learn more:

Video freeze frame for Regional Parks shaded fuel breaks.

Vegetation management is just one of the ways that Regional Parks works to steward Sonoma County’s natural landscape. For a more complete picture, view the Regional Parks annual report online, here.

Board vacancies

Get involved with local government

Government is only as good as the people who step forward to serve others. There are many ways you can become involved in local government by serving on local boards, commissions and committees. Check out the list of current vacancies and discover how you can help shape the future of Sonoma County.

To apply and to learn more

Adopt the pet of the month

My name is Lupo. I am a neutered male Siberian husky who will turn 2 this summer. I’ve made a lot of progress since I came to the shelter last June as a frightened stray, but I need help with socialization and learning to trust again. I am a smart, sweet guy who really enjoys the company of other dogs my size. My caretakers say I would do best in an adult-only home with previous dog experience.

Lupo is one of dozens of dogs, rabbits and other animals at Sonoma County Animal Services in need of adoption.

Watch the tiktok video here:

Learn more

Upcoming events

A megaphone against the backdrop of a blackboard with chalk writing that says, "Save the Date!"

March 7 -- IOLERO Community Advisory Council

March 10 -- Commission on the Status of Women

March 10 -- Board of Zoning Adjustments

March 15 -- Board of Supervisors

March 16 -- Community Development Commission

March 16 -- Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council

March 17 -- Planning Commission

March 17 -- Fish and Wildlife Commission

March 22 -- Board of Supervisors

March 22 -- Commission on Human Rights

March 23 -- Economic Development Board

March 24 -- Ag+Open Space District Advisory Committee

March 31 -- Cesar Chavez Day - most county offices will be closed

April 5 -- Board of Supervisors

Getting outside and enjoying the county

March 6 -- Sears Point/Dickson Ranch Hike with Sonoma Land Trust

March 12 -- Saddle Mountain Hike with Sonoma Ecology Center

March 13 -- Disability awareness month hike at Sonoma Valley Regional Park

March 13 -- Glen Oaks Ranch Hike with Sonoma Land Trust

March 17 -- Hikes with hounds: from coyotes to dogs at Ragle Ranch Regional Park

March 30 -- Sonoma Garden Park Compost Workshop

Learn how to make your home or business

more energy resilient

The Energy and Sustainability Division is hosting workshops in an ongoing series for those interested in learning more about the benefits of making improvements that will help make your home or business more resilient.

The workshops cover a range of topics including evaluating energy use, funding your projects, solar photovoltaics and battery storage, water conservation, wildfire safety, and converting to all-electric at home. In addition to the workshops for homeowners, we are happy to announce that we have also added a workshop for multi-family property owners and managers who would like to learn about resources available for upgrades to make the property more comfortable and resilient while saving money. Presentations will include information about financing and other resources such as rebates and incentives to get projects started.

Learn more and register today