San Mateo County Health Officer Dr. Scott Morrow defends decision to remain open

By noon Tuesday, six jurisdictions including the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco and Santa Clara and the city of Berkeley will have entered shelter orders mirrored after Gov. Gavin Newsom’s regional approach before required. 

Under the state’s guidelines, a region reporting less than 15% ICU capacity would have to close outdoor dining, playgrounds and indoor hair and nail salons. Retailers, shopping centers and grocery stores would also have to reduce customer capacity to 20% and gatherings between households would be prohibited.  

In mid-March, Morrow and other health officials implemented a similar sheltering order which he “wholeheartedly endorsed” based on a lack of understanding around the highly infectious respiratory disease. Today, Morrow believes slowing the spread of COVID-19 is in the hands of the community, the same belief he had in May when he replaced the shelter-in-place order with guidance on personal behaviors. 

“Just because one has the legal authority to do something, doesn’t mean one has to use it, or that using it is the best course of action. What I believed back in May, and what I believe now, is the power and authority to control this pandemic lies primarily in your hands, not mine,” he said. 

Morrow called the new shelter orders “symbolic gestures” which lack enforcement, adding he’s not sure if health officials know how to motivate residents to reduce unsafe behavior. Recognizing a lack of science connected the spread targeted businesses, he noted counties with stricter restrictions have seen greater spread of the virus than San Mateo County which has tried to remain as open as safely possible. 

Rosanne Foust, the president and CEO of the San Mateo County Economic Development Association, shared gratitude for the decision to keep businesses open, having previously noted many wouldn’t survive the county’s late-November move into the state’s most restrictive purple tier.    

“I am grateful that Dr. Morrow and our county leadership recognize the need to balance public health and safety with small business survival. It is truly a balancing act but the recognition that the virus spiking and increased positivity rate cannot be scientifically connected to our small businesses is an appreciated data-driven position,” said Foust in a statement. 

Instead of breaking up gatherings, Morrow raised concerns greater restrictions would just drive groups indoors, which is “a much riskier endeavor.” And a shutdown of the economy could lead to additional job loss, hunger, despair and more deaths unrelated to COVID, he said. 

“The structure of our economy is, for the most part, if you don’t work, you don’t eat or have a roof over your head,” Morrow said. “And I wonder, are these premature deaths any less worrisome than COVID deaths.” 

Within hospitals, he said medical facilities are currently prepared to manage a surge while other planning processes have not begun. Many hospitals have not adopted policies to pause elective procedures, freeing up personnel to respond to a surge. Additionally, capacity maximizing efforts haven’t been initiated while barriers limiting capacity haven’t been addressed, he said. 

In day-to-day operations, he voiced grave concern for reducing grocery store capacity to 20% and questioned decisions to permit professional sports activities, directly stating “it is not essential.” And the loss of a quality education will be felt for generations, he said, supporting the stance that schools should be open. 

“Beyond the basic human needs for air, water, food, shelter and safety, it has, to date, been impossible for me to define what is ‘essential’ to the 800,000 people who live here,” said Morrow. 

Acknowledging a rise in cases, predominantly among residents 20 to 40 years old, he said the county could soon see a shelter order levied by the state, which he and other county officials would support. 

He reiterated his belief that residents should act collectively in the best interest of the community, by staying home unless truly necessary, using face coverings and social distancing. While he emphasized individual responsibility over stricter state mandates, he said roughly 90% of residents could still contract the virus with up to 15,000 active cases in the county.  

“These active infections are EV-ER-Y-where. Literally, they are in every corner of the county,” said Morrow. “This is a horrible, nasty and lethal virus that is highly transmissible and one you do not want to get. To get out of this situation depends on all of us.”