Stay cautious of virus through the holidays
for coronaviruses.
However, these use new technology that involves the injection of a fragment of genetic material, called messenger RNA (mRNA), that induces a person’s cells to manufacture a surface protein from the virus. This mRNA degrades in the body very quickly and is not incorporated in any way into the person’s body. There is no worry that a person’s own genetic DNA would be altered in any way.
This viral surface protein then stimulates antibody production. These antibodies are very similar to the antibodies in convalescent serum that has been found to neutralize the virus. The shot requires a booster to be given in about 3 weeks. Immunity occurs in over 90 percent of people vaccinated and appears to last at least four months perhaps longer.
As production ramps up, the initial supply will be given to health care workers and other frontline personnel and will be preferentially directed towards areas of the country seeing the greatest numbers of cases. Reports are that vaccination of health care workers could begin as early as the end of December.
If our experience with other COVID-related responses is a gauge, then I am guessing we will be slow to get the vaccine here, perhaps early February for health care providers and May or June for the general population on the Coast. However, that is just a guess.
Fort Bragg City Manager, Tabatha Miller
Monday, Nov. 16, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that 41 counties in California were now in the purple or the most restrictive tier, including Mendocino County, which had moved to the red tier just three weeks ago.
On Nov. 17, Mendocino County issued an updated shelter-in-place order. The order itself has only a minor change to the prohibition on gatherings by limiting outdoor gatherings to no more than three households and a maximum of 12 people (it had been 20). The order references the California Blueprint for a Safer Economy, which can be found at covid19.ca.gov/safer- economy/, and provides guidance for specific businesses and activities.
A significant change from the red to the purple tier is that restaurants are no longer allowed to have indoor dining. Even while in the red tier, indoor dining was limited to 25 percent of normal capacity.
I understand the challenge this raises for our local restaurants as winter and our rainy season starts. Just as a reminder, at its May 26 meeting, the City Council unanimously approved Urgency Ordinance 962-2020, which allows existing businesses to request a temporary waiver of zoning requirements and standards in order to adapt their business model to fit within the SIP.
Early on, several restaurants applied for a waiver to allow seating on the sidewalk and/or in public or private parking areas. Additionally, it could be used to set up a loading zone for takeout. The city’s ordinance also allows businesses to temporarily change use, so long as there is not an increase in intensity and the use is allowed in that zoning district. The idea is to create a tool that will allow businesses to pivot their business models and continue to operate within the ever- changing regulations.
Email smallbiz@fortbragg.com with questions, inquiries and/or to request the temporary waiver form.
Another possible source of revenue for restaurants is the Great Plates Delivered program, which delivers prepared meals to qualifying homebound seniors or high-risk individuals who do not receive meals from another federal program. The program provides economic stimulus to local restaurants, through funding from FEMA, the State of California and Mendocino County. For more information, call Mendocino County at (707) 463-7900.
In November, the City extended its contract with the Idea Cooperative, which is responsible for the Visit Fort Bragg Campaign, social media and website, for five more months. The goal is to support our local businesses through the fall and winter seasons.
The November promotion is a Fort Bragg holiday gift guide to promote the unique and local products available in our fine town. More than 50 local vendors are participating, so if you have something unique to showcase and we have not yet reached out to you, please email us at smallbiz@fortbragg. com. Likewise, if you own a local business and want to be added to the small biz email updates, just email us at the same address.
This year Small Business Saturday will be observed on Nov. 28. This is a counterpoint to Black Friday and Cyber Monday and is intended to encourage patronage of our small local businesses.
According to Forbes magazine, three times as much money stays in the community when you shop at locally- owned businesses versus shopping at a local chain. As you plan your holiday shopping, keep our local products and businesses in mind. Purchasing gift certificates is another way to support our local businesses, purchased as gifts or for your own use later.
Late last week, I was included in an email survey of California cities asking about Transient Occupancy Tax or hotel tax receipts for the third fiscal quarter of 2020 — July through September. The respondents were random but the figures were dramatically different.
By way of comparison, the City of Fort Bragg had the best quarter ever and our revenue was up 8.4 percent over last year’s third quarter (Fort Bragg was down 10 percent in July, up 14 percent in August and up a whopping 29 percent in September).
In comparison, Monterey, CA reported a 69 percent decline from last year; Temecula, a 30 percent decline; Hawthorne, a 58 percent drop; Barstow was down 10 percent and Davis reported a 44 percent decrease.
On the other side,
Pismo Beach was up 15 percent for the quarter, as were Blythe and Point Arena. This made me feel very grateful for the business we have had this summer but along with moving back into the purple tier, it reminded me that we are far from out of the woods in regard to our collective physical health and collective economic health. Please stay safe over the upcoming holidays and remember our local businesses, neighbors, families and friends.
On a final note, the Annual Lighted Truck Parade is scheduled for
Dec. 5 at 6:30 p.m. By requiring that all participants and attendees wear masks and keep six feet between households on the sidewalks, we are able to hold this holiday event, barring heavy wind or rain. The entry fees have been waived, so contact Steve Wells from the Nor Coast Rodders at (707) 813- 8331, if you have a lighted truck, car, motorcycle — or even a bicycle — and would like to participate.