By Jondi Gumz
The cluster of COVID-19 cases among employees at New Leaf Community Market in Aptos has grown from seven to 14, according to Lindsay Gizdich, New Leaf’s marketing specialist.
Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel said Thursday that one case is a member of the household of a New Leaf worker, but no shoppers are affected.
Gizdich said more than 40 employees at the store tested negative.
“We are still awaiting some test results but can assure the community that all staff members who are working in the Aptos store have tested negative for COVID-19 and have been cleared to return to work by their healthcare provider, “ she added. “We are now conducting temperature checks in addition to the symptoms checks at the start of every staff member’s shift, and are supplying our staff cloth face coverings for required use while working in-store.”
Supplemental paid time off is provided, she said, to encourage workers to stay home when sick.
Newel provided an update at her Thursday press conference on COVID-19.
As of May 1, the county reported 132 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 20 people hospitalized at some point, 88 recovered, two deaths, and 3,648 negative test results.
The state database reported three people currently hospitalized, including two in intensive care.
Asked the gender of COVID-19 cases in the county, which show 56 percent female to 44 percent male, counter to the international trend, Newel said the numbers are too small to draw conclusions.
More men have been hospitalized, she said, and men are more likely to have underlying health conditions — such as heart disease and diabetes — which puts their health at greater risk.
Most of the cases in the county have been mild, and an overflow of ICU patients needing a ventilator has not materialized.
1440 Site Dormant
“Our fears … have not come true so far,” said Dr. David Ghilarducci, the county’s EMS medical director, who had set up the county’s Simpkins Swim Center and the 1440 Multiversity education retreat in Scotts Valley as alternate care sites.
Early forecasts predicting the number of patients were concerning, he said, but the shelter in place order slowing the spread makes those early projections much less likely.
The owners of 1440 Multiversity had donated space, which was set up with 38 beds that were never occupied.
That site is now is in a state of dormancy, Ghilarducci said, noting it can be reactivated if needed.
He said the state has invested in a regional care site, Seton Medical Center in Daly City, that the county could use for a surge of patients.
The county has hired transformation expert Margaret Lapiz to guide the recovery, which starts with increasing test capacity in the next two to three weeks.
Expansion of testing is seen as a critical step to return to normalcy.
The county now has seven testing sites.
Mimi Hall, the county’s Health Services Agency director, did a quick calculation: Each site doing 100 a day could add up to 3,000 a month, approaching the 3,648 negative tests since the virus first arrived.
Newel said businesses that operate outdoors will reopen first, including construction, landscaping, gardening and golf courses.
Tourism?
Asked about prospects for reopening tourism, the county’s top industry along with agriculture, Newel deferred to Gov. Newsom.
“The governor said weeks, not months, so I can’t speak for the entire season,” she said. “I hope you could all get used to reopening in phases.”
Among the summer activities cancelled: Camping at Mount Hermon Conference Center, the Japanese Cultural Fair June 6, Woodies on the Wharf and Monterey International Blues Festival on June 27 and the July 26 Wharf to Wharf Race, which will have a virtual competition, the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music July 25-Aug. 9 and the Church Street Fair Aug. 1-2.
Santa Cruz Open Studios Tour, which usually takes place in October, will be on hiatus, too.
Organizations such as the Santa Cruz Symphony and the Museum of Art and History are creating virtual events for the community.