Moving forward after a year of shutdowns

It was March 6, 2020 when Yolo County reported its first case of the coronavirus.

The reporters - including two from The Daily Democrat - filled a room at the county’s Health and Human Services Agency to listen to former Public Health Officer Ron Chapman explain the situation. Little did they know this would be the beginning of a global pandemic, which would reshape how people live their lives for months to come.

Following that first case, a year ago today, Yolo County implemented the first in a long line of shelter-in-place orders aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19. Woodland School District campuses closed, shifting to distance learning, some businesses shuttered while others thrived and hundreds of residents lost their jobs.

As of Wednesday, Yolo County reported 13,035 positive coronavirus cases, with 106,623 total tests and 190 deaths. In Woodland, there have been 5,461 cases with 97 deaths.

As daunting as these numbers are, there is reason to believe the worst is now behind us.

In response to the pandemic, several vaccines have been developed and are circulating among the public. The vaccine rollout in Yolo County started in December, and since then eligibility has increased from those age 75 and older, to high risk individuals and those with specific professions such as farmworkers and teachers.

As of Monday, Yolo County expanded this criteria again, adding janitorial workers, library staff, massage therapists and others to this list.

The vaccination system in Yolo County, and throughout California is focused on bridging inequalities, with California’s decision to distribute 40% of vaccine to the poorest zip codes.

In Yolo County, 42.96% of positive COVID-19 tests are from people who identify as Hispanic/Latino, a group that makes up 30.47% of the population.

The vaccine inequity is even more obvious. Of all vaccines given in Yolo County, 12.7% have been given to those who identify as Hispanic/Latino, and 32.8% have gone to white people, according to state data.

Overall, a total of 80,615 doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been given out since December, according to state dashboards.

The county also moved back into the less restrictive red tier last month, allowing more capacity at local businesses. This includes restaurants that have had to navigate through constantly changing guidelines. Now they can operate indoors at 25% capacity.

The move into the red tier also signaled the reopening of the State Theatre, which welcomed back moviegoers on March 5 after almost a yearlong “intermission.” That weekend featured many people in downtown Woodland, taking advantage of local eateries and films on the big screen.

The county also moved back into the less restrictive red tier last month, allowing more capacity at local businesses.

Assuming all the metrics are met, Yolo County will be able to move into the orange tier on Wednesday, which would allow even more activities.

Another positive sign has been the phased reopening of Woodland school campuses. Select students have been participating in a hybrid model - combining distance learning with in person instruction - for several weeks. The next phase would expand this model to all grade levels, welcoming students back to campus starting April 12.

However, it is important to note that all this progress can easily be undone.

While the county’s metrics have improved, California has seen 3.5 million coronavirus cases since the pandemic began.

Now is not the time to get too comfortable. Residents should continue to wear face coverings, practice social distancing, avoid large gatherings and wash their hands. Those who have had the vaccine still need to follow these guidelines to slow the spread of COVID-19.

We are all in this together.