Solano County boosts virus response efforts
FAIRFIELD » To many Californians, this valley city along Interstate 80 roughly halfway between most Bay Area cities and Sacramento is best known for its Air Force base and Jelly Belly factory.
Now, Fairfield sits at the heart of a troubling turn in the U. S. fight against the coronavirus disease that has alarmed health officials around the globe since it emerged in China, with news that a Solano County woman caught it without exposure abroad or from other infected people.
It is the first U. S. case of the disease known as COVID-19 not linked to overseas travel or other infected people, suggesting the virus could be circulating in the community.
Solano County announced Thursday it has declared a local emergency and activated its Department Operations Center to bolster response efforts “in identifying, screening and following up with individuals potentially exposed to the virus” and to collaborate with local, state and federal agencies working to contain the disease.
“I guess I am rather wary,” said Jackie Starr, who owns the Napadashery women’s clothing store on Texas Street, where in recent weeks she’s been careful to disinfect countertops and various corners of her shop. “I’m not going into stores like Target right now, where there are a lot of people. And I’d definitely hesitate to eat out at restaurants as much.”
Even before Wednesday’s latest case, Fairfield, Solano County’s largest city, was playing an outsized role in the nation’s efforts to safely bring Americans home from China while keeping the coronavirus from spreading in the United States. Travis Air Force Base, the county’s biggest employer, was among five military installations around the country that quarantined hundreds of American evacuees.
Most of those quarantined at Travis have since been released after showing no signs of the disease. But a few who tested positive have been taken to hospitals in San Francisco or Sacramento. And that has Fairfield residents concerned.
“How do we know if someone has been in contact with people who work there who came into contact with it?” asked Starr’s friend and employee, Adriane King of Suisun City. “Someone could walk into the store who has.”
State officials Thursday sought to tamp down fears while acknowledging the disturbing development.
“We do realize this case we’re discussing today represents a turning point,” State Health Officer Dr. Sonia Angell said in a Thursday morning news conference with Gov. Gavin Newsom, who said that state officials anticipated this development.
“We are meeting this moment with the kind of urgency that is necessary,” Newsom said. “I don’t want to overextend any anxiety people may experience. Nothing so far has surprised us. What happened in Solano County was not a surprise to anybody. The only surprise was that it didn’t happen sooner. People should go on day-to- day lives with some common sense.”
Clifford Gordon, who owns Gordon’s Music and Sound on Texas Street, said he and other residents are trying to keep it in perspective, noting there’s only one local case in a county of more than 400,000 residents.
“People are definitely concerned,” Gordon said. “But it’s just one case so far.”
The Fairfield- Suisun Unified School District and Vacaville Unified School District notified parents Thursday about extra steps being taken to keep the virus in check, such as wiping down shared surfaces, particularly tables, doorknobs, sinks and desks, with disinfectant.
Authorities have not indicated whether the woman who tested positive, who was seen at NorthBay VacaValley Hospital in Vacaville on Feb. 15 and transferred to UC Davis Medical Center near Sacramento four days later, had any connection to local schools.
The Fairfield- Suisun and Vacaville districts saw no noticeable change in attendance.
Tim Goree, executive director of administrative services and community engagement at FairfieldSuisun Unified, said the district was reviewing options Thursday but nothing as extreme as closing schools is anticipated.
“At this point there’s no reason to close schools,” Goree said. “We’re obviously very concerned about the safety of our students and staff. At this point, Solano County Public Health told us there’s no cause for panic, just keep doing what you’re doing such as washing hands.”
Newsom said Thursday that 8,400 people with exposure risk are being monitored at home throughout the state.