Wednesday December 16, 2020
Due to the dwindling supply of hospital beds for patients requiring intensive care in the Bay Area, the state will enforce a regional order to stay at home in the region of nine counties to slow the spread of COVID-19 and the region’s hospitals avoid getting overwhelmed.
Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) is urging anyone living or working in the province more than ever to follow health advice within the law to protect themselves and their loved ones during the holiday season.
- Avoid in-person gatherings with people who do not live in your household, especially indoors.
- Always wear a face mask and exercise physical distance when going out, and avoid unnecessary trips outdoors.
- Always stay at home if you are not feeling well and consider a COVID-19 test if you have symptoms such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath.
The state’s home stay assignment evaluates California’s hospital capacity by region of the state, triggering when the number of available intensive care unit (ICU) beds in a region’s hospitals drops below 15%.
According to the California Department of Public Health, only 12.9% of IC beds in Bay Area hospitals were available Tuesday afternoon. In Contra Costa, 13% of the IC beds were available.
The number of COVID-19 patients admitted to provincial hospitals occupying county IC beds has more than doubled in the past 30 days.
While the state warrant will add additional restrictions to business and community activities in some other parts of the Bay Area, Contra Costa County will not undergo any practical changes as a result.
We can all support local businesses by shopping through their websites where possible and by taking advantage of the takeout and delivery options for our local restaurants.
Contra Costa and five other Bay Area jurisdictions used local health ordinances to enforce all the features of the state warrant last week, before critically impacting local hospitals, hoping to reduce the transmission and loss of life from rising COVID-19 infections in the region.
The state order will take effect in the Bay Area, including Contra Costa, Thursday at 11:59 PM. At that point Contra Costa will cancel its local order as it becomes redundant. Once activated, the state’s regional stay-at-home order takes a minimum of three weeks. Read the order here.
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