Park concerned about surge of COVID cases in S.J. County
“Health experts are saying that based on the rate of rise in cases, we’re going to be entering a surge that will possibly be as bad as the one we experienced last summer.”
MAGGIE PARK SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER
In two weeks, the new COVID-19 case rate in San Joaquin County has more than doubled, according to Dr. Maggie Park, the county’s public health officer.
The last time she presented a COVID-19 update to the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors on July 13, the new case rate was 4.7 per 100,000 residents. As of Tuesday, the rate had increased to 11.5 per 100,000 residents.
When the state ended the Blueprint for a Safer Economy on June 15 and reopened the economy, the rate had been 3.2 cases per 100,000 residents.
Park said the two-week surge was “a bit concerning” and that if the Blueprint for a Safer Economy was still being used, the county would be relegated back to the purple, most restrictive tier.
“Health experts are saying that based on the rate of rise in cases, we’re going to be entering a surge that will possibly be as bad as the one we experienced last summer,” Park said.
Last summer’s surge forced Gov. Gavin Newsom to mandate a lockdown in an effort to keep people from interacting with those outside their households and slow the spread of COVID-19.
The lockdown effectively closed nearly every economic sector of the economy.
In addition, the California Department of Public Health, guided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mandated residents wear masks and maintain physical distancing of at least six feet.
While the possibility of another large surge in COVID-19 cases is on the horizon, Park said she is hopeful the governor will not call for another lockdown.
“We don’t want to lock down again,” she said. “We’re doing everything short of that scenario, because we don’t want to close down businesses or schools. That’s why we’re asking residents to continue washing their hands and masking up when they are indoors outside their own homes.”
In addition to the county’s case rate increasing, the test positivity rate is on the rise as well, climbing to 6% over the last two weeks up from 4.9%.
Hospitalizations from COVID-19 have spiked as well, up to 74 Tuesday from 43 two weeks ago. Park said that as of Tuesday, 25 people were in the intensive care unit and 13 people were on ventilators.
The county has had a total of 76,915 cases and 1,462 deaths due to COVID-19 since March of 2020, and Park said that as hospitalizations and deaths increase, so will the county’s case rate.
The main reason for the surge is the onset of the delta variant of the virus, which accounts for 83% of new cases in the state, Park said.
Currently, 314,004 county residents are fully vaccinated, making up 48% of the eligible population.
During the public comment portion of Tuesday’s meeting, Lodi residents urged supervisors to create a resolution
excluding children from wearing masks.
Parent Tom Moccia accused the CDPH of lying to California residents when the agency said it would follow CDC masking guidelines earlier this summer.
The CDC had originally said that when social distancing of at least 3 feet was not possible on campuses, districts should implement and enforce masking policies.
In turn, the CDPH said because many districts in the state cannot maintain 3 feet of physical distancing, it would recommend all students and staff wear masks, regardless of vaccination status.
“It’s unethical to mandate children wear masks in school,” Moccia said. “It goes against all science. If parents want to send their kids to school with masks, that’s their choice. This is what this is about. It’s about choices and freedom.”
Lodi parent Michelle Grupe said her 11-year-old son feels “like a threat to others” when he has to wear a mask, and is also afraid of getting sick when he leaves the home.
“Children do not need to wear masks to prevent transmission,” she said. “Research has shown that adults are the primary drivers, and children rarely have reactions to this virus.”
Board vice chairman Chuck Winn agreed with parents, and said he didn’t see mandating masks for children would prevent the spread of the virus.
“Even if they do it, there’s touching and contact and a whole host of things (that could cause spread),” he said. “We’ve been following the rules, and we as a board are up here frustrated because some of the things we hear or are told, are contrary (to others). The number one issue I have is people just want to make their own choices, and every time we make recommendations, we’re taking that away from people.”
Shortly after the board’s COVID-19 update, the CDC issued new mask guidance that recommended everyone in K-12 schools wear masks, regardless of vaccination status.
Park said the CDPH might update its mask guidance by Nov. 1.