If current trends continue over the next two weeks, Contra Costa County should be able to enter the COVID-19 “orange tier” that will allow expansion of some business and cultural activities within the county, health officials said Tuesday.
“People are adhering to our (COVID-19) guidelines, and we appreciate that,” Anna Roth, Contra Costa County’s health director, told the county Board of Supervisors Tuesday morning. “It’s a very promising sign.”
Contra Costa had moved into the current “red tier” on Sept. 29.
Among the things that can happen in the “orange tier” designation that the red tier doesn’t allow includes bars, microbreweries and wine bars being able to serve outdoors without meals; cardrooms — previously outdoors only — can move indoors with 25 percent capacity; family entertainment centers like bowling centers and climbing walls can open indoors, with modifications, at maximum of 25 percent capacity; and cultural ceremonies
(including houses of worship) can go from 25 percent to 50 percent capacity indoors, but still with a maximum of 100 people.
California counties achieve the “orange tier” when their COVID-19 case rate is between one and 3.9 new cases per 100,000 residents, and a positive-test rate of between 2 and 4.9 percent, and maintain those numbers for two weeks in a row.
Roth said the county already meets one key criteria, with a 2.4 percent positive test rate. The case-rate number, she said, was 4.3 per 100,000 residents, and needs to come down to under four to allow a move to the orange tier.
Supervisor John Gioia noted that some portions of Contra Costa — parts of Richmond, San Pablo, Pittsburg, Antioch and Bay Point — continue to have higher infection rates and that the Latinx community, in particular, still sees disproportionately high infection rates.
Dr. Ori Tzvieli, the county’s deputy health officer, said a new testing station opened in Bay Point last Saturday, and that testing appointments are available at testing centers around Contra Costa, with same-day or next-day appointments generally available, with 24- to 36-hour results the norm. The Bay Point testing station is one of five with weekend hours, he said.
Tzvieli and Roth both said Tuesday, as they have for months, that the more testing that happens, the better, and encouraged people to get tested regularly. They also told supervisors they need to improve communications about COVID-19 to the general public, and make the Contra Costa Health Services’ COVID-19 websites — now densely packed with data — easier to navigate.
And the county’s contact tracing efforts are bearing fruit, Tzvieli said. Upon being told of a recent wedding reception that could have been a “super-spreader” event, tracers were able to determine that only one of the approximately 100 attendees has tested positive for COVID-19.
While most of the local COVID-19 news Tuesday was good, Roth and Tzvieli said their department expects to have holiday guidelines in place soon for dealing with expected holiday activities and get-togethers. Roth also counseled all listening Tuesday to not succumb to “COVID fatigue,” and to not let up on taking the needed safety precautions.
Oh boy so glad to have their blessing…
An what new day glow order, to be more socially responsible, will governor put out to screw that up ?
Waaaaait… so the overall trend line since July has continued to look the same despite being closed in July and then kinda opening and then kinda opening more?
It’s almost like the trajectory of cases of Covid has little to do with lockdown behaviors.
Weird.
Okay, here’s the plan: nobody get tested over the next 2 weeks so our positivity rates will be low enough.
Good to hear now PLEASE OPEN UP OUR SCHOOLS!!!!
AMEN I’m paying $90/day for daycare
Does the Latinx community even like or ever use the word Latinx?
I googled your questions and several variety of sources say overwhelmingly NO, they do not.
No, we do not! I was just asking my college age daughter the same question and she’s offended by the term…which by the way, she heard first at her college orientation…Spanish nouns have a gender (male or female).
Definitely not.
According to the new classification- I “qualify” as LatineX. My life would have been very different if I had been allowed to use that “classification” for college funding, Governmently funded jobs, and other “services.” Instead – I helped Hispanic friends of my family gain legalization – (by watching their children, driving them to English Language Classes, inviting them to my wedding,) and other inclusion into life here in the USA. I would like to see LESS division – and MORE Unity. I also think the legalization process needs to be better organized- I that those coming in legally, need lots of support. These people need our help – and they too are frightened and disappointed with illegals receiving the help that those going through the legal process need.
Quit the games and open up the state.
So we can end up like Florida? No thanks let’s wait until it’s safe.
Even the WHO says, lock downs are not the solution. Chug follow the science and quit drinking the Democrat’s Kool Aid.
do we have your permission President Newsom?
he aunt nancy said he could be president after kamala…
God Help Us!
@Ash~
Yep,…We know Harris will be running the show if Biden wins, and the Squad will join her & Bernie,….
Ditto, God Help Us.
so we can trick or treat!? at 25% capacity…
Why can’t we take away their colored crayon so we don’t have to worry if we’re in a red, orange, blue, purple zone? Would make it easier to me.
Just read an article on a European site. It says that with the PCR test being 99% accurate, there is an automatic 1% error (read false positive) rate. It also said that this matters a LOT because when you test mostly healthy people without symptoms, you get way more false positives. It would make sense to test only symptomatic people to confirm that they do indeed have Covid, because then there will be much fewer false positives.
And just like that, Covid would be over…
Mike
The world needs fewer people who believe anything they are told. I find it ironic the side claiming to be academic and follow science and data are a bunch of childish lemmings willing to cover their mouth because someone says to. No science or explanation needed…eye roll.. cute
70% of people who contract COVID-19 wore a mask all the time
6% of people who contract COVID-19 never did
That is directly from the CDC website
They provide this data and also say masks help.
The word help appears to mean help to spread the virus.
That’s science and data Mike.
When CDC tells you to do something, maybe you should ask why
CDC Morbidity and Mortality weekly report September 11, 2020 vol.69 No.36 page 1261
@Mike
That’s where you we fundamentally disagree. If the local, state, and federal government along with the news media, social media, Hollywood actors, school districts and anyone else can cherry pick facts, so can I. So if you’re ok with all the facts and choose the mask that’s up to you. As long as we all understand that the data does support the mask theory.
Proof reading is important. I mean “does not support” the mask theory. Because it clearly does not. I gave you that one accidentally, but don’t expect it in the future.
To be clear, I understand if every major entity came out tomorrow and declared the virus was over, some would still wear a mask. The level of brainwashing that has taken place on a global scale will in the future be considered crimes against humanity. Some of you will wear a mask for the rest of your lives no matter what. I feel bad for you. I hope we can get you the help you need to feel safe again going forward.
Letting Churches go from 25% to 50% capacity does us no good when the maximum capacity remains at 100. Our Sanctuary is rated for 1,200 occupants! Where is the science to support this government overreach? We could have 300 people in attendance and practice ‘social distancing’ better than the folks visiting Newsom’s winery!
Chuckie – you hit the nail on the head brother.
This is all about control and removing religion. Newsom gets to have his winery and Nancy gets to get her hair done. But us God fearing folks are forced to give up the ability to practice our beliefs (even while social distancing).
It’s worrisome and disturbing. I pray for America.
Exactly – this one makes no sense. There are some churches that are enormous.
So I tested negative on 28 September, which 14 days later means….absolutely nothing.
The lab company shouldn’t even get paid if it takes longer than 48 hours. Pointless
First, contra costa needs to be split into smaller counties. Second, the “director of health” or whatever their stupid title is called needs to be a position that is eliminated along with the “assistant directors”. Health is between you and your doctor.
The deaths and various other negative effects from these draconian, inhumane, and unconstitutional lockdowns will be felt for years, if not decades or multiple generations.
Hundreds of millions of people, perhaps billions, around the world will suffer from either poverty, hunger, malnutrition, or death as a direct result of these lockdowns.
They told nazis under at the Nuremberg trials that taking orders wasn’t an excuse from accountability. There is no excuse for what these tyrants have done and continue to do.
“There is no excuse for what these tyrants have done and continue to do.”
The countries that followed very rigid guidelines about letting people even go outside have had much more success in terms of containing the virus. The rules are there to protect you from the disease and in your case from your self.
LOL Chuq. Where do you get this information? I’m gonna need a source for that statistic. Not that it matters. Your authoritarian fetish is showing.
Actually, @chuq, that’s not universally true. Spain has faster Covid growth than the US right now, after putting their population under house arrest for over six weeks. Seriously, children were not even allowed to go outside, period, for six weeks. You needed explicit permission to go to the grocery store or pharmacy.
And now, having embraced the lockdown path, they find that it didn’t change anything, it just delayed it while wrecking the economy and people’s livelihoods. Lockdown is the bluntest of blunt tools. And we already shot that bullet – it’s gone. Not coming back.
Next up… we need to more studies about the psychological damage that “strict” lockdowns have done to the public.
Lol….Chuq is a chump. If it wouldn’t be so sad it would be funny.
How about the medical journal The Lancet?
“In April, 2020, excess mortality was still 36%. In the first 2 weeks of May, 2020, excess mortality decreased to 3%, and in the last 2 weeks of May, 2020, the number of deaths was lower than that observed in the previous years (−7%). Lombardy, the most widely hit region, lagged behind: in the first 2 weeks of May, 2020, the excess mortality was still 20%, corresponding to more than 700 excess deaths. In the last 2 weeks of May, 2020, mortality was also lower than that observed in the previous years in Lombardy.”
Yes, Chuq, if you put your whole population under house arrest transmission goes down. But then what? You’ve bought some time, but other than that nothing has changed in terms of being able to re-start your economy and life. Locking down has to be a transition to something sustainable. And in the US, where lockdown isn’t really lockdown (thank goodness), what it really means is poorer people keep going to work and get Covid while rich and white-collar people hide at home. Rich people’s kids go back to school or have support for distance learning while poor kids get jack. The disease continues to spread, but really slowly, so more people are still susceptible when winter comes. Young people are put on a leash, when otherwise they could build up a reservoir of immunity that, in a few months, would be a buffer for at-risk people. In some cases short shutdowns can be justified, but only when they are quickly replaced with sething sustainable.
Just in time for Newsoms court date over the legality of his seizing control of all state and private business. Just in time for an election. Throw away your mask it’s worthless propaganda.
October 21st court date for Newsom!
Good news today: Gretchen Whitmar appealed her verdict and the Michigan court ruled against her again today! This really strengthens the case against Newsom……..maybe other abused states will follow suit. Nobody likes a dictator.
Worthless propaganda? Are you late for your attempt to kidnap the governor with the rest of the frothy mouthed whackos?
If by frothy mouth wackos you mean anarcho democrats. No I’m not late. You are such a hack it’s pathetic. How worried are you about dems losing everything because you went all in on insanity? Masks science says I’m right and you are wrong.
oct 21
https://www.thepress.net/news/state/superior-court-rules-against-newsom-sets-stage-for-oct-21-trial/article_0516faf4-39dd-5e0c-9fb9-3788f46a9233.html
good start, maybe it will be the end of gavin’s dicktatorship, ya i meant to misspell it
#RecallGavinNewsom
Don’t dream, it’s over
Masks are BS and the colorful tiers are BS.
I’m curious why people are wearing masks alone in cars and walking alone outdoors on public streets ? Is it political?
Six feet away from another human and outside there’s no need for mask
I Only wear one the moment I walk into a store bc I have to
Saw a woman walking with two children on a deserted street all in masks
Personally, I think that’s child abuse
People wearing masks alone in cars are just following the directive of Joe Biden, who is currently running for senate.
And, and, and, the Mormon guy who ran for President in 2012 thinks it’s a good idea also……..
Some people keep their mask on for all their errands, including the driving time between errands. People will put their masks on upon arrival of their first errand, then keep it on until completion of their last errand. That way, they touch their mask as few times as they need to.
Some people walking on streets might be overly cautious, but that’s their decision to make.
In the situation you saw, it could be that the two children weren’t of the same family, and the parents wanted the kids to be wearing masks if they were going to be walking close together. It could have been a woman walking her daughter, and her daughter’s friend or a neighbor’s daughter. It’s highly unlikely they were walking around for the purposes of making a political statement.
I’m assuming this is an honest question. So the reason I wear one in public even if I’m not near anyone is because of unexpected encounters. I have turned corners and almost run into people. Been passed by coughing homeless people. There is evidence that viral load is reduced by a mask and there is a link between the amount of virus received and your outcome.
@Puffandstuff
I’m with ya. I only wear a mask when inside somewhere that is a business. I see lots of people walking or biking with mask on. The folks walking whether with or without a mask, freak out and make sure to go six feet away from me just because I don’t have a mask on. Last time I checked, I haven’t seen any science that proves literally walking past someone for one second is going to give you COVID. The best is when they have a mask on, gloves on, walk six feet away PLUS turn around and put there back to you. LOL. I’m sorry I just can’t live my life all freaked out like that.
I was wearing my mask while driving because I forgot to take it off after grocery shopping.
Two weeks….right around election time…shocking
How many people were calling this months ago.
This is ridiculous
Recall Newscum. He’s a blowhard and a million other descriptors I will be banned for using
and here comes the Jury Summons… oh no I don’t think so. After putting fear into everyone they pull this ? and make you travel to Pittsburgh from Walnut Creek where Covid is rampant and rising??
stuff it!
“bars, microbreweries and wine bars being able to serve outdoors without meals”
This is another one that made no sense to me. What do meals have to do with it? Hops and Scotch, down by PH Bart, has been open outdoors, but you have to buy like a $3 flatbread. So someone has to work in the small kitchen rather than being outside … and this helps, how?
Newscum’s hair must be ‘waaaaay’ past his shoulders by now…(sarcasm) Maybe Bella Pelosi can get him appointment at her salon!
I bet he uses a lot of oil now.
Hopefully the science as it were validates the move to the orange tier. I would hate to think it’s for the purpose of engineering a soft landing for a potential Harris/Biden administration. If Trump wins and we go straight back to red, there is our sign. If Covid hadn’t been used as a political weapon early on it would be easier to be more trusting.
I mean how about no one get tested during these two weeks. Wonder why things are looking odd, and then we are the ones,
to blame ourselves haha
1. we never did a lock down – not even close
2. we have enough people who simply don’t believe science and masks
3. therefore we simply won’t get back to what anyone wants to get back to
It’s a very simple issue and Science does not care about anyone’s beliefs…
Our Governor is nothing more than a Geopolitical dictator. He’s turned the meaning of the word “science” into an abortion. Which given his predispositions makes a great deal of sense.
The science behind masks is weak. And that’s ok, in my book. It probably helps and it’s a lot better than closing life down. But there is no reason to conclude that, because it hasn’t gone away, it must be the fault of maskless people. There are lots of other factors: some people still have to work in person. Some people have to share rides to work or use transit. Some people have to live with several other people in the same bedroom. All of that matters way more than mask-wearing. Why do you think cases are higher in Richmond and Bay Point and San Pablo? (As opposed to more conservative but wealthier parts of the county.) Is that just random?
It’s just a psychological reflex to think that everything would be fine if those *other people* would just behave. The age-old need for a scapegoat.
Symptom-less people, please stop getting tested.
What’s happening in the Midwest? 20+ states are blowing up after 8 months of watching other states and seeing what works and what doesn’t. Even if the management doesn’t make the people straighten up and fly right, they should at least point to what acting stupid gets you. (sick)
(Oops, that statement almost violates my no name calling oath!)
We are a lot less in control of this than some like to think. It’s probably luck and weather that made the first wave hit the NE, the second wave hit the Sunbelt, and the current wave hit the Midwest and north plains etc. It’s not because people in the Midwest were super virtuous for months and then became evil.
Kary Mullis, Inventor and Nobel prize of the PCR tests currently being used by the governments to show people have Covid and thereby all deaths and case numbers/ lockdowns, debunks its use for viruses and other infectious diseases. First HIV now Covid
Demand the outlawing of PCR tests. This is the biggest global scam of all time.
Search: Kary Mullis or Dr. Thomas Cowan for complete explanations of what PCR testing was made to do. This is about control
from the cdc website
CDC Study Finds 85 Percent of Coronavirus Patients Wore Masks
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/pdfs/mm6936a5-H.pdf
A teacher at Mt. Diablo Elementary told her students that she is going to Maui in a few weeks, and will be teaching and getting paid! Wow, students cannot go to school, but teachers are flying on planes, AND GETTING PAID. WOW!
My Mexican neighbors, renters, have been having large parties every week for the last 3 months. All potential spreader events. It’s no surprise that the “LatinX” community is disproportionately affected. They tend to not follow laws, rules, so what do they expect?
funny how bleeding hearts ignore this kind of stuff. whities have feel sorry for illegal aliens and how our white privilege has made their lives so much harder. just ask your school age children, they have been told all this and are tested on it regularly.