County turns the corner on pandemic
On March 19, 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued his first stay at home orders for California in attempt to contain the outbreak of COVID-19.
With a year’s perspective, it was too late.
Newsom’s orders came more than a month after a 57-year-old woman in Santa Clara County died from COVID-19, although it was not until April 22 that her cause of death was revealed as coronavirus. Her death on Feb. 6, 2020, was the first life lost to the virus in the United States.
So much was unknown, even the name now so familiar to almost every person on Earth – the World Health Organization in February 2020 would rename the novel coronavirus COVID-19. “Co” stands for coronavirus, “Vi” is for virus and “D” is for disease.
On March 4, 2020, Santa Cruz County declared a local health emergency. Three days later, this county reported its first case of the coronavirus – a patient who was a passenger on a cruise ship.
On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus a global pandemic.
Within days, most major sports events and seasons were either canceled or postponed. Deaths began to soar. The stock market plunged. Businesses closed and unemployment skyrocketed.
On March 16, 2020, Santa Cruz County joined other counties in the region to announce a shelter in place order.
On the 19th of March, Newsom announced the statewide sheltering order, which restricted all non-essential travel and activities outside the home.
On March 23, Santa Cruz County advised travelers from elsewhere to stay home and to avoid overcrowding beaches.
Within days, most schools had closed. Parks were off limits, even local beaches were closed for a short time.
On March 29, Santa Cruz County reported its first COVID-19 death. The total number of cases in California by that month’s end had reached 7,000 and the death toll was 150.
By April 20, more than 100 coronavirus cases had been recorded in the county.
Store shelves began to be cleared of many items; the great toilet paper shortage began along with a scarcity of disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer. First responders were reporting a shocking lack of personal protective equipment; masks were in short supply.
In the ensuing year, we’ve been through surges and spikes of COVID-19; on-again, offagain stay at home orders and restrictions; and learned that masks and social distancing worked. The supply shortages are mostly history.
And amazingly, the faint hopes of March 2020 for a miracle vaccine have been realized.
But what a toll. As of Thursday, California had 3,516,862 confirmed cases and 54,891 deaths. Santa Cruz County has recorded 14,982 cases; 192 county residents have died from the relentless virus.
“Over a year ago, no one could have imagined what we were about to go through,” President Joe Biden told the nation last week. “But now we’re coming through it.”
And we are, we really are. Despite the early rollout chaos, vaccines, produced and approved in record time, have made a huge difference. Added to the number of people who have contracted coronavirus and developed immunity, active cases in the county and state are dropping significantly, which should continue with Biden directing states to make all adult Americans eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine by May 1. As of last Wednesday, more than 98,000 shots had been put in arms in Santa Cruz County.
Schools are starting to reopen, cautiously. A high school football game took place Thursday at Santa Cruz High. The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk will be able to reopen next month under reduced capacity. More farmworkers are getting vaccinated.
Most significantly, Santa Cruz County, with “only” 284 active known cases, dropped into the more relaxed “red tier” in the state reopening system, meaning retail stores, restaurants and gyms are able to open with limited capacities, but open nonetheless. And county health officials believe a further relaxation of reopening rules is not far off.