By Bruce McPherson, Fifth District Supervisor
The County of Santa Cruz has been almost singularly focused for two months on managing the local response to COVID-19 in partnership with our cities, state and federal officials, medical providers and nonprofit organizations.
Our community has risen to the task of flattening our infection rate to one of the lowest in California, with a doubling time for cases now at 24 days compared to 6 days when the novel coronavirus pandemic began in early March.
As we increase testing, prepare alternative care sites and expand sheltering and food services, we also have our eyes trained on recovery.
Many of you may be wondering: How long will we have to shelter in place? How long will social distancing be required? When will our schools and businesses reopen? In other words, when will things get back to normal?
The simple answer is: We should expect cautionary measures to be the “new normal” for 18-24 months and to be flexible as conditions change. As the Board of Supervisors heard during its April 28 meeting, the County has a phased strategy for determining how and when to ease restrictions.
Staying at home, while successful at slowing COVID-19, has caused grave financial impacts for our families, businesses and workforce that we must address through reopening without causing a spike in illness.
Called SAVE Lives Santa Cruz County, the letters that define the strategy stand for distinct phases of recovery: (S)low the spread, (A)dapt to the new normal; (V)accinate and therapeutics; and (E)levate readiness for our next public health threat.
We are still in the first phase, though I anticipate a modest lifting of restrictions very soon for some activities currently barred under the local shelter-in-place order that expires May 3. However, we must expect the overall order to be extended in step with statewide and Bay Area restrictions as we boost testing, isolate and quarantine, and conduct contact investigations.
We expect to modify physical distancing in businesses, schools and childcare centers as part of the second phase, followed by a focus on vaccination and therapeutic interventions as they become available in the third phase.
Finally, before we can truly get back to normal, we will prepare for the next major public health threat, acknowledging that no one — from the federal, state or local level — was truly ready for what we experienced this spring.
Our local recovery plan dovetails with state guidelines for reopening as outlined by Governor Gavin Newsom in mid-April. California must be able to achieve the following in order to ease stay-at-home orders:
- Monitor and protect through testing, contact tracing, isolating, and supporting those who are positive or exposed;
- Prevent infection in people who are at risk for more severe COVID-19;
- Ensure hospital and health systems are prepared to handle surges;
- Develop therapeutics to meet the demand;
- Support physical distancing in businesses, schools, and childcare facilities;
- Determine when to reinstitute certain measures, such as stay-at-home orders, if necessary.
While we look to the future, we also continue to evaluate current conditions, including how to manage the impacts to our parks and beaches. With good weather returning, we have seen an influx of non-residents to our coastline, in addition to area folks who want to use these amenities, and attendant lack of physical distancing.
I expect some additional measures soon to address this issue, as well as parking in neighborhoods adjacent to areas where state or local lots have been closed to reduce crowding.
Finally, the financial ramifications on local government cannot be overstated. The County has spent more than $7 million to date on responding to COVID-19. Additionally, we anticipate deep losses in sales tax, lodging tax and fees that fund core services — losses that could easily surpass the Great Recession.
We are working with our federal leaders, such as Congressmembers Anna Eshoo and Jimmy Panetta, to urge direct payments in the next fiscal stimulus package to local governments on the frontlines of managing COVID-19.
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I encourage you to contact our COVID-19 Call Center with any questions or concerns at 831-454-4242, and as always, I invite you to be in touch with my office at 831-454-2200 or at [email protected].
co.santa-cruz.ca.us/bruce-mcpherson