Santa Clara County’s COVID-19 affairs are still on a downward trend, meaning the province could move to the orange level of the state next Wednesday.
Public Health Officer in Santa Clara County, dr. Sara Cody, at the health and hospital commission meeting in the province on Wednesday, confirmed that if the province continues to see declining COVID cases and hospitalizations, more businesses could start with greater capacity. Changes will take effect on March 24.
Below the orange level, indoor eateries can be opened with a maximum capacity of 50% or 200 people, depending on which one is the smallest, while amusement parks can open with 25% or 500 people, whichever is the least. Churches can also open up to 50% indoors, while fitness centers and gyms can open indoors with up to 25% capacity.
Santa Clara County last changed its mind on March 2 when it moved from the press level – the most restrictive state – to the red level, which was welcome news for many hardline businesses.
Business and hospitalization numbers are at the same levels as mid-November, Cody said.
“I would say we are only now starting to recover after the fall and winter,” Cody said. But she said residents still need to be careful.
“Just because it’s open does not mean it’s a good idea,” Cody said.
The vaccine may be suitable
Vaccines for the vaccine also opened in the state on Monday to include those 16 and older with chronic health conditions. Qualifying individuals include cancer patients, those with stage 4 or higher chronic kidney disease, individuals with oxygen-dependent lung disease, including individuals with Down syndrome, recipients of solid organ transplants, pregnant individuals, and patients with sickle cell disease.
A list of qualifying conditions can be found here on the state’s website.
But just because the suitability is open does not mean that Santa Clara County residents will more easily make their first vaccination appointment.
“The allocation of vaccines does not meet our ability, so there are very few appointments available for the first dose,” said Jeff Smith, the county’s chief executive. “And we are constantly concerned about the role and timing of Blue Shield.”
According to the numbers submitted to the committee on Wednesday, health care providers in the country have received a total of 61,640 vaccines between Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. That is far less than the 200,000 weekly vaccines administered across the country.
But it is also more than the 53,300 vaccine doses that provincial providers received last week.
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Image courtesy of Santa Clara County Public Health.
Last week, state supervisors pointed fingers at Blue Shield, the state’s new vaccine administrator, for allegedly denying extra vaccines when health care providers in the province fell short.
Blue Shield fired back, saying it actually advocated for more vaccines for the country.
County executive officer Smith said the county will eventually bypass the state completely and go to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to ask for help and extra doses. Currently, two mass vaccination sites in the state receive doses from FEMA, the Oakland Coliseum site and California State University in Los Angeles.
“We try every possible way to get as much vaccine as possible,” Smith said. “I think we are progressing slowly and steadily.”
Contact Madelyn Reese at [email protected] or follow @MadelynGReese on Twitter.