Mike Callagy
Entering the first week of the state’s new coronavirus ranking system which placed the county in the tier with strongest business restrictions, county officials warned residents “we are not getting out of this anytime soon.”
During a virtual press conference Wednesday, County Manager Mike Callagy outlined the state’s color-coded system for assessing the risk of spreading COVID-19, sharing doubts the county would see additional restrictions rolled back for at least three weeks.
“We know that that’s not going to happen as things are looking right now,” said Callagy. “We expect new data reflecting the state’s calculations by next Tuesday so maybe that will start the two-week process … but that’s why it’s so important for people to wear their masks and continue to socially distance and not let their guard down because the more people we have impacted and sick, the longer we will spend in the purple.”
Within the purple tier, business operations and other activities are the most restricted, requiring many establishments to limit operations to outdoors. As of Monday, salons and barber shops were given the green light to reopen indoors with modifications while malls and retailers were permitted to operate at up to 25% capacity. The county will have to meet the next tier’s criteria for two consecutive weeks before being allowed to further expand business operations.
While the county has maintained a low positive test average to stay in good standing with the state, Callagy said the targeted testing method in the county will make staying below the required threshold of less than seven new cases per 100,000 residents difficult.
“We’ve become very flexible in testing. We can go in and test clusters as they come up and therefore may have more positive cases than someone else who’s just [testing the] general population,” said Callagy. “We are doing targeted [testing], and will continue to do targeted testing because we believe that is good for San Mateo County. We want to find out where those cases are so that we can contact trace and keep them somewhere isolated and keep them away from other folks so that it doesn’t continue to spread.”
Deputy Chief of Health Srija Srinivasan expressed optimism for contact tracing efforts and said the county has begun text messaging surveys to residents who don’t answer their phones to encourage engagement. Currently, 115 county employees have been trained to perform contact tracing efforts.
“We feel like with the capacity we’re able to keep pace with the virus but all still have to keep focused on those core behaviors,” said Srinivasan, echoing Callagy’s message of adhering to safety practices of handwashing and social distancing.
Callagy expressed optimism for county COVID-19 data. As of Wednesday, the county reported 8,311 residents had tested positive for the virus, most of which from the Latino community and those in the 20 to 29 age range and 30 to 39 age range. Of those who have tested positive, 132 have died.
While the case count continues to trend higher than the seven positive cases per 100,000 residents needed to move to a less restrictive tier, county officials said hospital data has been looking strong. The county reported its lowest number of hospitalized residents due to the virus at 46 patients, 12 of which were receiving care in the ICU. No out-of-county patients are currently receiving care within the county and Callagy noted hospitals maintain a substantial surplus of beds and respirators.
County efforts to assist those struck hardest by the pandemic were also applauded during the press conference. More than 180 unhoused residents are being provided with shelter in hotels and over 8,900 residents have received a $1,000 grant through the Immigrant Relief Fund, established by the Board of Supervisors to assist those shut out of federal aid due to their immigration status.
When speaking on access to assistance, Callagy also touched on the importance of residents to complete the U.S. Census by Sept. 30. The county has been leading the state in responses to the nine-question survey, intended to be completed for every resident regardless of age or immigration status. Though 77% of San Mateo County households have responded to the survey, Callagy stressed the need to count everyone, adding $76 million of federal aid is lost annually for every 10% of residents not counted.
“That’s $76 million, you spread that over 10 years and that’s an astronomical amount that could do so many things for school and housing and all the needs we have in this county. Really every person does count and we need to have every person counted,” said Callagy.
(650) 344-5200 ext. 106
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Dirk van Ulden said:
LittleFoot said:
Good luck. There is no more selfish + ugly community than Burlingame.
CA Is Burning said:
Dirk van Ulden said:
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(6) comments
You bet, they'll lock us down..........forever!!
Useful Idiots
Just another layer of bureaucracy parroting the orders/plans which have come down from on high. No concern for the thousands who have been damaged by this phony virus response. They point up the line and claim that nothing can be done...while each of them still draws a paycheck.
If you are still confused about who these local “officials” are working for, you have your answer: Themselves. They have forgotten that they “administrate” by our consent and for our benefit. I'm sorry, but I – and possibly many of you readers as well – no longer consent to this stupidity. I hold each and every cog in this Rube Goldberg-esque panic-demic responsible for the damage they have done and continue to do. A reckoning is coming.
I advise each county draft a letter to the empty suit in Sacramento stating their lack of confidence/support for the new coding system, disgust with the irrational/unresponsive leadership being offered and a deadline after which each county will go their own way.
You shouldn't call this a phony virus response! The 13,585 people who have died from this virus in CA even with co-morbidities and the thousands of patients hospitalized and those who have recovered would not consider this a phony response. Nor would the 187,484 people who died in the USA or the 2+million recovering. If you have a better program then be a part of the solution. Or doe you believe in social Darwinism and let the sick and old die. A reckoning is coming, what does that mean?
(Sorry for the length)
It is a matter of perspective. People die everyday...from numerous causes...and this fact did not at any point in history cause us to destroy the economy. It is not the lives of those who died in California and nationally set against the economy, it is lives versus LIVES - the vastly greater number of lives ruined by the government's reaction to what it was convinced was a deadly pandemic.
Aside: Sweden had the answers on how to respond to this threat. They did not shut everyone away. No lockdowns. Have a look if you like.
Now, was it really that deadly (so far)? No. Using your California numbers... 13585 / 39510000 = 0.000344. That is a very, very small number. Balance the well being of 13585 versus 39510000 lives let me know how you come out.
Regarding hospitalizations: People do get sick every year and go to the hospital. And the reason we have hospitals is we (used to) have a functioning economy which kept them operating. They were there for the COVID patients you mentioned. And life goes on.
BUT... People also used to go for regular screenings...and those delayed appointments WILL translate to deaths. Patients stayed away because they were irrationally frightened of contracting COVID. Is this not now trading deaths for deaths?
A better program: (1) Understanding that there is a sub-population that is at higher risk of severe illness or death from this virus, protect them. Ask them to wear masks, wash hands, shelter to minimize exposure, minimize travel. This sub-population might benefit from a vaccine. (2) Know that the vast majority of those who contract this virus have a mild or no reaction at all. Allow the virus to spread (since it is not going away)...as we have with every virus since the beginning of humans. This group need not wait for a vaccine. (3) Offer best recommendations (not sanctions, not edicts, not “laws”) to the rest of the population on how to avoid the virus if they so wish. Personal risk tolerance and personal responsibility is re-established. It is not other's responsibility to protect YOU from inhaling the virus, it is YOUR responsibility to avoid situations which exceed your risk tolerance. I'm not getting between grand parents and grand children.
PART 2
RE: Social Darwinism. Let's look at a forest. There are all species of trees, some small, some full grown, some sick, some dead. A great storm comes along and the strong winds blow down lots of sick and dead trees...but also claims some of the others due to a variety of factors. The result is much less genetic and more environmental, wouldn't you say? Now reflect on the San Mateo County Health Department's COVID death chart by ages. See any parallels?
Reckon-oitering: Who do you know who has permanently lost employment? How many companies have gone under? How many people have exhausted their savings? How many will face eventual eviction? How will we as a nation pay back the trillions we spent chasing this awful strategy? How many of the non-essentials do you think will just sit obediently at home, out of money and passively fade away? This collective “downside” has been described as “inconvenient” by one of the authors of this strategy. Where is the breaking point? Anger and frustration will result. When does each person go to his/her window and shout, “I'm mad as h*ll and I'm not going to take it anymore!”
The County really needs to prioritize reducing community spread so that schools can re-open. The County talks a lot about re-opening indoor hair salons and malls. Please we can't have it all. Government's job is to make trade-offs. In this case, the trade-off is between opening elementary schools (outdoors as has been planned by most) or opening indoor gyms and indoor hair salons.
Parents have had enough with the lack of leadership and focus on what needs to be done by the County inorder to open elementary schools safely.
We know that the County is getting lobbied by businesses.
What about public education? That's the number one essential government service. The county needs a plan on how they will open elementary schools, and when they can show they can do that safety AND THEN open businesses.
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