Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

San Diego County meets 4 of 5 criteria for reopening, extends stay-at-home order

San Diego County meets four out the five criteria to begin reopening businesses, according to a press release issued by county officials Thursday, April 30, but along with the good news, came some bad as the county announced despite meeting the criteria, it would extend the stay-at-home order indefinitely, citing the need for guidance from the state before lifting the order.

According to the press release written by San Diego County communications officer José A. Álvarez, the county is using five federal criteria and state recommendations to determine when and how to ease or lift restrictions made by the local health officer stay-at-home order issued earlier in April.

"The county has met four of the five federal criteria – symptoms, cases and hospitals –and has made progress in the remaining testing criteria," Álvarez said.

According to the criteria set forth by the federal government, to reopen states must show a downward trajectory for the number of cases of COVID-19-like and case reporting flu-like symptoms for 14 days, a downward trajectory of documented cases of COVID-19 for 14 days. Hospitals must treat all patients without crisis care and hospitals must have COVID-19 testing in place for all at-risk health care workers to include antibody testing.

To date, San Diego has seen a 14-day downward trajectory in the number of people with influenza-like illness at local emergency departments. From March 16 to April 15, the percent of emergency department visits for influenza-like illness dropped from 10% to 3%, Álvarez said.

The county must register a downward trajectory of COVID-like syndromic cases reported within a 14-day period. While the trend has varied it has been declining in recent days, he said in the press release, adding that the number of positive cases of COVID-19 in comparison to the number of tests administered over a 14-day period is in a downward trajectory.

"Since April 6, the county has experienced a decreasing percentage in positive COVID-19 tests among San Diegans," Álvarez said.

According to the press release, the local health care system has been able to handle the number of patients needing hospitalization for COVID-19 and other illnesses and diseases. Currently, hospital capacity remains stable.

"We have met four of the federal criteria and will continue monitoring to make sure the trends continue," Dr. Wilma Wooten, public health officer for San Diego County, said.

To meet the fifth of the federal criteria, "robust" testing needs to be in place for at-risk health care workers, including antibody testing.

"The county and local hospitals have extended their testing capacity and can perform 3,400 tests daily," Álvarez said.

Despite meeting four of the five criteria, San Diego county announced it would extend the stay-at-home order indefinitely, citing the need for guidance from the state before lifting the order.

San Diego County is testing roughly 3,400 people per day at county testing sites and local hospitals.

Currently testing is available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at North Inland Live Well Escondido Center, 649 W. Mission Ave., in Escondido and from 1-7 p.m. Monday through Friday at Live Well Center at Chula Vista, 690 Oxford St., in Chula Vista.

The county's first drive-up site is located at the San Diego County Credit Union Stadium in Mission Valley at 9449 Friars Road in San Diego with more sites soon to be deployed, the county said. Testing at all three sites are conducted by county public health nurses and using the county public health laboratory with results typically taking between 24-48 hours.

As of press time, 139 COVID-19 related deaths were reported, and the total number of cases for the county is 3,927.

Most recent numbers released at 8 a.m. Monday, May 4, show 13 people in Fallbrook and two people in Bonsall have been diagnosed with the virus. Both represent some of the smallest numbers in the county with Bonsall's infection rate per 100,000 residents being too low to calculate. Fallbrook comes in second at an infection rate per 100,000 of 42.6 behind the city of San Marcos with a 34.5 infection rate.

For more information, visit www.coronavirus-sd.com.

Kim Harris can be reached by email at [email protected].

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 
Rendered 02/24/2024 19:11