We need the community to partner with each other now more than ever!
Over the course of the last week, multiple press releases have gone out about numbers of COVID-19 cases in our Sierra County communities. “Why is this happening?” you might ask.
Looking at the current national, state, and local COVID-19 data, the dramatic increase in cases is not surprising. Let’s take a look:
United States: It took 10 months to reach 10 million cases. It only took 10 days to reach the most recent 1 million cases. Many states are reporting record numbers of cases and hospitalizations.
California: We are seeing the highest number of cases and hospitalizations in the last two months. Deaths are sure to follow within the next few weeks.
Sierra County: There has been a 116% rise in positive COVID-19 cases in Sierra County within the past two weeks. We now have 13 total cases, 7 active cases, but thankfully no hospitalizations or deaths.
These few cases in Sierra County have led to many close contacts who are now at-risk for infection and illness. It is not known how some of our County residents have been infected but what is known, is that there are known activities that increase risks for exposure:
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Working in a profession that may more frequently expose an employee to those that are sick with COVID-19, such as health care workers and first responders.
Working in places where COVID-19 protocols that reduce transmission are not followed. These protocols include wearing face coverings, staying distanced at least 6 feet, and frequently cleaning and disinfecting.
Although people may follow guidelines at work, it is typically after-work activities where people let down their guard that causes community spread. People then often bring infection back into the workplace. Thus, working in places where co-workers may implement COVID-19 precautions at work but then stop these practices outside of work can lead to significant increases in risk.
Visiting people that are outside your household without wearing face coverings or properly distancing. Traveling for leisure, shopping, or frequenting public places that do not require face coverings (i.e. bars and restaurants).
Attending large gatherings in-person or attending potential “super-spreader” events (i.e. religious services, protests/rallies, barbecues).
To be
begin
colder winter for everyone.
frank and honest with you, we are heading into a serious time for Sierra County. If we do not taking this virus seriously on an individual and community level, this could be a very dark and
P.O. Box 7, Loyalton, CA 96118(530) 993-6700www.sierracounty.ca.gov
Sierra County has been fortunate to be in the Blueprint for a Safer Economy’s least restrictive “yellow tier” for the past five consecutive weeks. However, Sierra County Public Health Department anticipates that we will transition to a more restrictive tier, following the local rise in COVID-19 cases.
Do the right thing to keep Sierra County residents safe, and the schools and businesses open!
- Keep your distance
- Wear a mask - it is required by law to wear them as outlined by the California State Health Officers Order
- Wash your hands
- Expect coworkers to do the right thing by wearing face coverings
- Expect businesses to do the right thing by establishing strong requirements for wearing face coverings
by the public and employees while in their place of business - Do the right thing by minimizing the mixing of households and communities – there is still a State
“Stay-At-Home” Order in effect, which was updated on October 29, 2020
We know that winter is upon us and there will be limited opportunity for outdoor meetings and activities. People are tired and have COVID fatigue, which is understandable. However, gathering indoors or becoming lackadaisical with COVID-19 precautions poses a very real and dangerous threat to Sierra County.
Now is not the time to throw caution to the wind!
On the horizon there is so much promise. Treatments are being developed and vaccines are being produced that have shown >90% effectiveness, and being poised for distribution. Manufacturers still need time to solidify these treatments and vaccines, which is why we need your help. We are asking for you to dig deep. We ask for your ongoing sacrifice to wear a face covering, stay distanced, and continue to avoid activities (that we have given up for so long) that increase the risk for disease transmission. To continue, or start, to use all precaution. We ask for your patience and that you stay home and not gather. We ask you to try unconventional approaches for the holidays, like hosting a virtual Thanksgiving or Christmas light viewing from your car.
Let’s work together more than ever, and help each other through these challenging times. In other words, as has been done so many times in the past, let us roll up our sleeves and pull up our bootstraps for the long haul.
Celia Sutton-Pado, MD
Public Health Officer
Sierra County
For more information, please go to: http://sierracounty.ca.gov/COVID-19 Email: [email protected]
https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_totalcases https://covid19.ca.gov/state-dashboard/
http://sierracounty.ca.gov/582/Coronavirus-COVID-19
For more information regarding face coverings, please visit:
- https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/CDPH%20Document%20Library/COVID- 19/Guidance-for-Face-Coverings_06-18-2020.pdf
- https://www.bing.com/search?q=cdc+how+to+choose+a+face+mask&form=EDGTCT&qs=AS &cvid=2f0ac22645ef49fd8f7c0801324bd527&refig=bb7bee372e48468ab6b5c1031a7a47ce&cc =US&setlang=en-US&plvar=0
- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/masking-science-sars-cov2.html
For more information regarding the State “Stay-At-Home” Order, please visit:
https://covid19.ca.gov/stay-home-except-for-essential-needs/
