ARTICLE
The last thought in my mind heading into the last month of Summer 2021 was the constant concern about our human actions to stop the COVID-19 virus dead in its tracks. When California and the local Santa Cruz County community reopened in mid-June, there was a joyful look on the unmasked faces and a newfound feeling of freedom after many months. Well, here we are: Two steps forward and one big step back. We think we know what it means, and we know why it happens. Two steps forward, one step back means that things aren’t going smoothly as we hoped. We use it to express discouragement when it feels as if our efforts aren’t yielding results when our progress feels almost non-existent. If there is no lesson learned in fighting COVID-19, human stubbornness and individual freedom have added to the discouraged pandemic world. The news headlines paint a challenging storyline for us: > “Kaiser orders all employees to get COVID vaccine as delta variant spreads in California” (Los Angeles Times) > “I am vaccinated and that should be enough:' Bay Area expresses anger, sadness and relief over renewed mask mandates” (SF Chronicle) > “Bay Area coronavirus cases surpass last summer's peak” (San Jose Mercury News) > “Superintendent’s Community Report | We need to vaccinate all eligible students” (Santa Cruz Sentinel) > “Community colleges offer cash, textbooks to students who get vaccinated” (San Diego Union) > “At some California hospitals, nearly half of workers remain unvaccinated” (Los Angeles Times) In the surrounding Bay Area counties, public health officers report that wearing masks is mandated indoors for both the vaccinated and unvaccinated. As of this writing, our Santa Cruz County Public Health Officer has not made that decision to mandate this order. What are the variant numbers looking like here in Santa Cruz County? Lookout Local reporter Neil Strebig talked with Santa Cruz County Health Officer Gail Newel, who had some good news (vaccinations up) and some bad news (more Delta cases). According to the Lookout report, the bad news: Delta variant cases have doubled in Santa Cruz County. The good news: COVID-19 vaccination rates in the past two weeks have also doubled. While Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel said Tuesday that such a move is under discussion, the area has a lower case rate and better hospital capacity than neighboring counties. Still, she said that two recent deaths are likely COVID-related, the first such fatalities since March. Dr. Newel stated in the Lookout article, “We’ve had double vaccine rates in two weeks but it’s still much slower than where it should be,” adding that a mask mandate wouldn’t change much because individuals refusing to wear one will likely continue to do so. Currently, 76% of the County population aged 12 and over have at least one vaccine, she said. Children under 12 are not yet eligible to be vaccinated against the virus that causes COVID-19. You can read the Lookout report here: Lookout Santa Cruz - Dr. Gail Newel on the Delta Variant The Chamber will continue to monitor information about the County Public Health Officer’s actionable steps and will share any updates with our members and the community.
The last thought in my mind heading into the last month of Summer 2021 was the constant concern about our human actions to stop the COVID-19 virus dead in its tracks. When California and the local Santa Cruz County community reopened in mid-June, there was a joyful look on the unmasked faces and a newfound feeling of freedom after many months. Well, here we are: Two steps forward and one big step back.
We think we know what it means, and we know why it happens. Two steps forward, one step back means that things aren’t going smoothly as we hoped. We use it to express discouragement when it feels as if our efforts aren’t yielding results when our progress feels almost non-existent. If there is no lesson learned in fighting COVID-19, human stubbornness and individual freedom have added to the discouraged pandemic world.
The news headlines paint a challenging storyline for us:
> “Kaiser orders all employees to get COVID vaccine as delta variant spreads in California” (Los Angeles Times)
> “I am vaccinated and that should be enough:' Bay Area expresses anger, sadness and relief over renewed mask mandates” (SF Chronicle)
> “Bay Area coronavirus cases surpass last summer's peak” (San Jose Mercury News)
> “Superintendent’s Community Report | We need to vaccinate all eligible students” (Santa Cruz Sentinel)
> “Community colleges offer cash, textbooks to students who get vaccinated” (San Diego Union)
> “At some California hospitals, nearly half of workers remain unvaccinated” (Los Angeles Times)
In the surrounding Bay Area counties, public health officers report that wearing masks is mandated indoors for both the vaccinated and unvaccinated. As of this writing, our Santa Cruz County Public Health Officer has not made that decision to mandate this order.
What are the variant numbers looking like here in Santa Cruz County? Lookout Local reporter Neil Strebig talked with Santa Cruz County Health Officer Gail Newel, who had some good news (vaccinations up) and some bad news (more Delta cases). According to the Lookout report, the bad news: Delta variant cases have doubled in Santa Cruz County. The good news: COVID-19 vaccination rates in the past two weeks have also doubled.
While Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel said Tuesday that such a move is under discussion, the area has a lower case rate and better hospital capacity than neighboring counties. Still, she said that two recent deaths are likely COVID-related, the first such fatalities since March.
Dr. Newel stated in the Lookout article, “We’ve had double vaccine rates in two weeks but it’s still much slower than where it should be,” adding that a mask mandate wouldn’t change much because individuals refusing to wear one will likely continue to do so. Currently, 76% of the County population aged 12 and over have at least one vaccine, she said. Children under 12 are not yet eligible to be vaccinated against the virus that causes COVID-19. You can read the Lookout report here: Lookout Santa Cruz - Dr. Gail Newel on the Delta Variant
The Chamber will continue to monitor information about the County Public Health Officer’s actionable steps and will share any updates with our members and the community.