Santa Clara County joined California on Monday to cancel a home order so businesses could reopen under previous press restrictions.
Immediately applicable, outdoor dining and personal care services can be restarted, and professional, collegiate, adult and youth sports can also be resumed.
“Santa Clara County is still experiencing very high COVID-19 transmission,” said Dr. Cody, provincial health officer, said. ‘Our joint action so far has saved lives and protected our healthcare system from collapse. I encourage all residents to be vigilant, wear a mask when leaving your home, keep a distance of at least 6 feet from everyone outside your household and be vaccinated if it is your turn. ‘
State officials said they are beginning to see the COVID-19 boom in California, although many hospitals barely have room for patients.
Intensive care units in Santa Clara County remain barely below their capacity.
As of January 23, 307 ICU beds were occupied, 160 of which were with COVID-19 patients. According to the province’s website, the maximum ICU capacity is 317 beds. Local hospitals care for 545 COVID-19 patients, including ICU patients.
According to state data, only 8.2% of its ICU beds are available in the Bay region.
Yet government officials said they saw signs of hope.
“Californians have heard the urgent message to stay home as much as possible and have accepted the challenge to slow down the boom and save lives,” said Dr. Tomás Aragón, California public health officer, said. ‘Together we have changed our activities because we know that our short-term returns would lead to longer-term profits. COVID-19 is still here and still deadly, so our work is not over yet, but it is important to recognize that our joint action has saved lives and that we are making a critical turn. “
The stay-at-home order had limited restaurants to delivery and delivery – includes outdoor and indoor. This allows the retailer to continue with a capacity of 20%. It closed barber shops, nail salons, personal care services, cinemas, museums, bars and wineries.
Before the province went under the home’s home order on December 4, it was in the press level, which imposes the most restrictions but allows many businesses outdoors. Below the purple level, people can eat outdoors and hair and nail salons can provide services indoors with masks and limited capacity. Non-essential retail stores can fill a capacity of up to 25%.
Gyms can allow people to exercise outdoors. Body-piercing studios and tattoo parlors can also open indoors with customizations.
Schools have to wait until their provinces are in the less restricted red level for five consecutive days, but can still hold personal lessons if they have already reopened the campus with a waiver.
Despite the rise of COVID-19 patients in Santa Clara County ICUs, dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of health and human services in California, said most people in the state heed advice to stay home and avoid holiday gatherings.
“California is slowly beginning to emerge from the most dangerous surge of this pandemic to date, which is the light at the end of the tunnel we were hoping for,” Ghaly said. ‘Seven weeks ago, our hospitals and medical workers in the leading regions were shaken to the limit, but Californians heard the urgent message to stay home, if possible, and our increase after the December holidays did not overwhelm the health care system to the extent that we did not fear. . ”
Senator Dave Cortese, who represents most of San Jose, expressed support for the changes, saying the revised order would alleviate businesses struggling with closures.
“Thanks to the joint efforts and sacrifice made by community members in California, we have made progress in slowing the spread of this virus, ensuring that our hospital system is not overwhelmed, and the lives of each of us are protected,” said Cortese.
But other representatives of the South Bay seem to be left in the dark about the changes in the restrictions of the state.
In a tweet, the meeting, Evan Low, representing Cupertino, Campbell and parts of San Jose, implied that people had asked him about the state’s plan to lift the stay-at-home order before he was even notified. .
People: Is that true? CA lifts the shelter in its place?
Me: Huh? I have not heard yet.
People: It’s everywhere on Twitter.
I: O.
People: Are you not a civil servant? Do you not have to carry knowledge?
Me: * sigh * 🤦♂️ Where to start … pic.twitter.com/hn1LhIeR6g
– Evan Low (@Evan_Low) 25 January 2021
The province counted 98,057 cumulative COVID-19 cases and 1,234 deaths.
Contact Mauricio La Plante by [email protected] or follow @mslaplantenews on Twitter.