Supervisor Jim Provenza yesterday posted the county update on COVID—I made the quick comment, “You guys opened too soon” and, while it got a bunch of likes on Facebook, Provenza himself offered no response. In fairness, Yolo County was hardly alone in opening too soon, and the public has been too lax on avoiding large gatherings and wearing masks, but what has happened in Yolo County should be illustrative of the danger lurking here.
The announcement yesterday was that Yolo County was placed on the state’s monitoring list for exceeding metrics related to elevated disease transmission and limited hospital capacity for three consecutive days, due to recent increases in confirmed COVID-19 cases.
For elevated disease transmission, the county exceeded the case rate of more than 100 cases per 100,000 residents over a 14-day period.
As of July 8, Yolo County reported a case rate of 117.2 per 100,000 residents.
For those arguing that this simply represents more testing, back in April and May there was plenty of hospital capacity in Yolo County. As of yesterday, Yolo County, according to the county release, “has 0% of staffed ICU beds available.”
According to the county, “Drivers for the exceedances include community transmission due to social and family gatherings, workplace transmissions and the increase in widespread testing at skilled nursing facilities.”
Yolo County is at 760 cases—a total that represents a remarkable and alarming increase over where things were in May when the county pushed the state to re-open.
Yolo County actually fought for approval to re-open. If you recall, one metric was supposed to be no deaths over a two-week period, and on the 14th day, two people died at a nursing 
facility. But they were still able to get a waiver, and by May 20 were approved to move into stage 2.
That allowed for dine-in restaurants, hair salons, barbershops and even places of worship.
One person argued that one death in 14 days being able to shut down the county’s economy was “ridiculous.”
But some of us were concerned that there was a lack of an evidence-based approach to re-opening. The pace of the re-opening seemed too soon, given the presence of the disease.
The result of opening too soon is that the rate of transmission, which rarely topped five cases in a day in May in Yolo County, has now absolutely exploded as the chart at the top shows—and it began right when things started reopening.
The number of cases in Davis remains relatively low at 79, but that is nearly triple what it was at the beginning of June. The resurgence has led back to the closure of bars, restaurants no longer serve dine in, and the county has recently moved to crack down on businesses allowing people to come in without masks.
In a release on Tuesday, “the County in collaboration with the cities of Davis, West Sacramento, Winters, and Woodland have developed an enforcement strategy to ensure businesses and organizations comply with state and local health orders.”
The county’s Board of Supervisors adopted an urgency ordinance on July 7 allowing for the enforcement of penalties for violating Public Health orders, ranging from $25 to $500 for non-commercial violators and from $250 to $10,000 for commercial violators.
The ordinance is enforceable by the county within the cities, which may also adopt similar ordinances to expand the enforcement options available to their staff.
“The recent rapid spike in numbers of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 necessitates an increase in enforcement,” said Chair of the Yolo County Board of Supervisors Gary Sandy. “These efforts will primarily focus on those that fail to take appropriate measures to protect the public. It is in everyone’s interest to promote a safe and healthy environment. Fortunately, the majority of our Yolo County community has been supportive, aware and engaged. We are grateful for their support and cooperation.”
I personally believe if people simply adhered to regulations on social gatherings and wore masks with social distancing, we could contain this virus without needing to shut down the economy again.
However, for those who believe that economy and containment are zero sum games, remember as I argued last week, the presence of the virus continues to suppress the economy. People are not traveling, they are not going out, they are in essence voting with their feet. That will hold the economy way back.
For those arguing that this is only a matter of more testing, it has been repeatedly pointed out that the rate of positive tests is increasing faster than the rate of testing. In fact, testing is now in short supply, suggesting that we still may be undercounting.
They may also point out that the rate of deaths remains low. That is true, but likely to change. And is. California reported that it recorded its highest number of deaths in a day yesterday.
California is nearing 300,000 cases—remember when California was doing relatively well compared to other states, before it prematurely re-opened?
California’s hospital beds were filled with 6,100 patients with COVID-19 as of Tuesday, state health officials reported Wednesday, bringing the number to a new all-time high.
California counties recorded 146 deaths on Wednesday, breaking a record for the most deaths in a 24-hour-period set on May 19 with 122, according to data collected by The Chronicle.
The rate of deaths is not a leading indicator—it is a lagging indicator, and the rate of deaths represents a false hope.
The LA Times reported that “deaths are a lagging indicator, and many experts predict an increase in the coming weeks.”
They added, “Experts say it can take three to four weeks after exposure to the virus for infected people to become sick enough to be hospitalized, and four to five weeks after exposure for some of the most vulnerable patients to die from the disease.”
Governor Newsom said Monday that, while a higher percentage of coronavirus tests are confirming infections, “we’re not seeing a commensurate increase yet in mortality.”
Some of that may be due to a shift in who is getting the disease, with more younger people testing positive for the virus, a trend that has become more apparent as the economy has reopened.
But this week’s death toll shows how much we do not know about this, and is only hinting as to how bad it can get.
—David M. Greenwald reporting
The county’s Board of Supervisors adopted an urgency ordinance on July 7 allowing for the enforcement of penalties for violating Public Health orders, ranging from $25 to $500 for non-commercial violators
I for one wear a mask and I believe everybody should wear masks but the socialist arm of the county board of supervisors has no business requiring the public to wear a mask that is totally unconstitutional you cannot demand people to wear a mask or you cannot tell people what clothes to wear I think you’re going a little bit on the far side if you want to politely ask the public to wear masks that’s one thing but don’t require it
I would like to know where the ACLU stands on this I think those four little letters stand for the American civil liberties Union.
Actually they can declare a public health emergency and require people to wear masks. They can also institute quarantines, stay at homes and curfews. Seems like masks would be effective enough to slow the spread if people wore them (and by wearing them, not below their noses) and would be less disruptive than the other tools they have at their disposal.
Is it unconstitutional to fine people for not wearing a seatbelt?
It’s not really about the constitution. It’s about protecting all of us – people who want to wear a mask and those that do not. It puzzles me that people seem to believe that requiring masks and isolation and urging people not to gather in groups in enclosed spaces is so antithetical. This is a pandemic. There is a virus among us that has no cure, is easily transmissible, and can be spread without showing symptoms. Take a look at Sweden where the government did not lockdown, bars/restaurants stayed open and the only lockdown was for seniors. They are paying a huge price in elevated rates of mortality compared to comparable countries and their economy is taking a hit like the other Scandinavian countries.
If the country was being invaded by an enemy and the government mandated that we all grow vegetables in our yard and food is rationed would you say that is unconstitutional?
“If the country was being invaded by an enemy and the government mandated that we all grow vegetables in our yard and food is rationed would you say that is unconstitutional?”
Given the entitled attitudes so often expressed here, many would say exactly that. The appeal from one “guest author” to reopen for financial gain is sadly reflective of too large a portion of the community.
Chris
First, I am glad to hear you are voluntarily wearing a mask. Perhaps you are unaware that many in the county are not choosing to do so when “asked politely” thus putting all at greater risk. As for your remaining points, there are some inaccuracies.
First, it was not the socialist arm of the BOS that acted. It was the entire board. Supervisor Chamberlain, not known for his socialist ideology said it most clearly in my opinion. His advice from the previous BOS meeting was for ” people to get outdoors and stay away from other people.” If this wise advice had been followed, no further steps would have been needed. However, it was not as is clear from the data, thus necessitating the need for regulation as he acknowledged with his “reluctant” yes vote.
David has pointed out that a pandemic or public health crisis does entitle the county health officer to issue orders for masking, quarantine, isolation, and even mandatory monitored medication as in the case of tuberculosis.
Finally, on a lighter note, you are incorrect about the government’s ability to dictate clothing. 50% of our population are prohibited from going out in public with our breasts exposed and 100% of the population must have their genitals covered. This is not to save people’s lives but rather to protect people’s delicate sensibilities about the “private nature” of certain aspects of the human body. Yet I hear no outcry about the unconstitutionality of these sartorial dictates.
Except if people want to protest for BLM.
True dat.
Because more younger people were out protesting.
Except that there is no evidence to support your claim. And in fact, the city that has seen the most protesting, has seen the least rise in COVID cases. That would be Davis.
More younger people all over the nation are getting COVID than before because of protesting.
Do you have information that shows that that is true? It has been more than a month since most of the large demonstrations (although some persist). The number of cases among younger individuals has grown. Remember it takes a while for the disease to incubate and show symptoms – typically 2-14 days. And the demonstrations were not just by young people, yet the numbers of cases are spiking among those age groups.
I have still not seen any protester post that they have COVID. My nephew just tested positive and is now in the hospital, but he wasn’t a pretester. I know literally hundreds of protesters especially through Facebook and have yet to see one. And the county is not listing that as a proximate cause – they listed other factors – workplace, family gatherings, nursing homes, etc.
Well that settles it, David hasn’t seen any protester post that they have COVID so COVID wasn’t spread at any of the BLM protests across the nation.
Keith
I would love to see your evidence demonstrating a larger effect from the demonstrations than from attendance at indoor events such as bars, indoor restaurants, parties, and religious services.
How about looters? Have you seen any looters post that they have COVID-19?
I don’t even know any looters. I know of hundreds if not over 1000 people who have been protesters. None that are looters.
I was just wondering if looting spreads the CV-19, since, apparently, protesting does not. Have their been any non-peer reviewing studies with added hypotheses on this subject?
I think it is the precautions you take rather than the activity.
It isn’t a matter of degree. This isn’t a competition.
Is that also true when conservatives protest?
Why wouldn’t it be? My complaint was the lack of masks by those arguing to re-open.
It would be.
And on that, we agree.
And — best wishes for your nephew.
Not only out protesting . . .
UC Berkeley has 47 new COVID-19 cases, mostly from week of frat parties
https://www.berkeleyside.com/2020/07/08/uc-berkeley-has-47-new-covid-19-cases-mostly-from-week-of-frat-parties
With Greek Rush coming in just 6-8 weeks to U.C. Davis, can we get the message out to the Greek community here about what just happened in Berkeley? As students from all over the State, such as the Covid-19 center of infection, Los Angeles, all descend on Davis? What do you all think is going to happen in Davis in the fall? I think it’s pretty clear.
Whaaaaaaaaaat? If the county was fighting to reopen, who was it fighting, and how did it get a waiver if it was fighting not to re-open? I’m confused.
Alan,
The answer to your question is – the state. Technically the county did not meet all criteria for “re-opening” but petitioned the state to open early due to individual county characteristics and unfortunately was granted the exemption which led, IMO, to the premature opening.
I misread the sentence. Makes sense now. Or it makes sense that it was a bad idea, I should say. Sounds like politicians gave in to the business community, and now it’s hurting businesses even worse, and those who have — and who will — get sick. Ug.
This is a failure of leadership, from federal to local. Yolo has been better than most, and I’m happy to live here. BUT — a huge problem is the use of the term ‘reopening’. It gave people, because they are stupid and/or not paying attention, the false belief that the threat was diminishing. As the Utah director of public health pointed out (quite against the conservative state’s stupid, lagging policies), when businesses are opening and people are out more is exactly when to be the MOST cautious.
Real leadership would be a coordinated, strong, widespread, consistent message of caution. But that may be impossible in Stupidmerica. I can’t believe what a bunch of freaking morons we are. Look at the Covid-19 curves on World-O-Meter. The US is up there with Mexico and Brazil. Compare to Taiwan, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Czechia, Australia, Singapore. Those are hardly similar societies, yet they all have been able to control this a lot better than we have. My conclusion is that American society and culture is flawed to the core, and we — leaders and residents — are a stupid, stupid people.
But I must add a small bit of County spirit – “Yolo County – We aren’t quite as freaking stupid as most of America!” Rah, Rah, Sis-Boom-Bah!
This is a fun conversation
Let’s say the county health department caught me not wearing a mask when needed the county official whips out his ticket book and he asked me my name and I tell him to go kiss off what is he going to do???
If I walk away from her is it going to arrest me.
Since this offense is a misdemeanor it has to be committed in the presence of a policeman or peace officer what are they going to do?
Yes, if issued a citation and you refuse to sign it you get arrested. True for any ticket.
That is total BS no one is going to be arrested for this no cop in his right mind or look mine who’s going to do this the guy is going to roll his eyes and walk the other way
A ticket is like a moving violation in traffic – it is a civil offense, not a criminal one.
If you are issued a citation and refuse to sign it the remedy is arrest. I’m not saying anything about what a cop will do in a particular situation but that is what the procedure is for refusing to sign a citation.
Chris
Obviously not. This ordinance is not directed at individuals, but rather at repeat business and group offenders and then will mostly apply to those most egregious offenders who have persisted despite multiple attempts at politely requesting, educating, coaching and counseling. But then you would know this if you attended the relevant parts of the zoom BOS meetings which you definitely have time to attend if you have time to read David’s article and make repetitive incorrect or irrelevant comments here.
I’m real curious what instigated this???
Is there a large amount of people in violation? If so why hasn’t it been in the news?
Is this simply the health department beating its chest.
Chris
At last a question I can definitively answer. What instigated this ordinance was actual data which is available to all on the Yolo County COVID Dashboard from which David gleaned the one graph. The numbers are clearly not meeting the established targets for even a partial “re-opening”. This is data-driven, not chest-beating by anyone.
Unfortunately, this illness, life-threatening and/or disabling for many has become politicized causing us to lose track of the real enemy. Our enemy is not business owners. It is not medical experts working with incomplete data. It is not government officials trying to design optimal policy in a constantly changing landscape. The common enemy is the virus. The virus cares about one thing only – ability to spread. Without a vaccine or effective treatment, our most powerful weapon is to deprive the virus of its ability to spread. We will not achieve control until out population as a whole grasps this seemingly straightforward principle as explained by Supervisor Chamberlain.
Yes it is. But in Stupidmerica, if you can’t see the enemy, it doesn’t exist.
” The common enemy is the virus.”
And ignorance, but some in the business and finance sector are certainly complicit in undermining efforts to contain CV19.
John
At the beginning of this ordeal, I would have agreed that ignorance played a major role. And the messaging was ever-changing based on new information. However, now, I believe most of the recalcitrance is based on willful ignorance, inconvenience, and insistence on a return to the way things were rather than a choice to adapt to our new reality. Whatever happened to the spirit of entrepreneurial ingenuity that supposedly made America great? Many business people have adapted. My stylist cuts hair on her back porch. I take Zoom Pilates which my friends and I like better since we get the same outcome without the drive. Our economic system with all its pros and cons was built on innovation, not a dogged adherence to past ways.
” Many business people have adapted.”
Yes, the smart ones. Last week our air conditioner died from old age. We called a five-star rated company (Rhymes with Bonney) and their technicians came to the house fully masked and gloved, taking care to make sure my missus and I felt safe with their procedures. As to the “entrepreneurial ingenuity” some businesses have gotten fat and lazy from deregulation over the past two decades and seem to be incapable of adaptation.
I have been to a store just a handful of times since March, like 10-12 times. In that time, I have seen several people in stores without masks — I do my best to yell at them to go f@ck themselves. I asked at a popular drug store chain (rhymes with CVS) why they allowed it – they said they couldn’t enforce because they had a pharmacy and people couldn’t be denied their medication. Go figger – people can threaten others with their selfishness because they can’t be denied life-saving medication. We are a stupid people.
Alan
I am wondering why, at such a drug store/pharmacy, the policy could not be modified to customer choice of unmasked curbside pick up vs masked store entry. Actually, I misspoke. I am not wondering at all. Frankly, I am both saddened and furious, sometimes alternating, sometimes simultaneously, that people are so recalcitrant to change or wedded to only their own perceived self-interest as to be unwilling to make even the most simple, basic accommodation to the well being of others and the community as a whole.
That’s a great idea.
I don’t know if the answer I got was store policy or if, when challenged by an arsehole like me who isn’t going to let sh@t like that stand, if they came up with the first answer that came to mind. I will on a positive note that otherwise the store that rhymes with CVS did have all the employees masked and also had huge ventilator tubes hanging from the ceiling (hopefully) circulating air to the outside. So kudos to CVS.
This is stark contrast to the store that rhymes with Rite-Aid, that had two unmasked employees and an unmasked customer and no attempt in sight at increasing ventilation. I hope no one shops there and they go bankrupt nationally.
At last a question I can definitively answer. What instigated this ordinance was actual data which is available to all on the Yolo County COVID Dashboard from which David gleaned the one graph. The numbers are clearly not meeting the established targets for even a partial “re-opening”. This is data-driven, not chest-beating by anyone.
So you’re saying all this was put in place because of data and data only no violations nobody refusing to wear a mask it’s simply because a bunch of people decided that if we pound them people more this will all go away and if we throw in a fine it’ll make those numbers go down even more is that what you’re saying or am I putting words in your mouth?
And all these businesses out there that are getting beaten because of the coronavirus and they’re all desperately trying to conform now have another Hammer over their head this is totally uncalled for.
Chris,
You are definitely putting words in my mouth as I believe you already knew or you would not have included it as an option. However, I will provide you with an analogy that I hope clarifies my position.
Our county health department has really not developed anything new but has merely extended existing ordnances to include the coronavirus. Bear with me. We have long been aware that rats and cockroaches carry with them human pathogens. Because of this knowledge, health departments have long held the right and the obligation to first inform, then coach and counsel, then fine progressively and ultimately to shut down restaurants who continue to allow these creatures to infest their establishments. What we now have is a pathogen that is not transmitted by means of rats or cockroaches but by means of careless human beings. Why should we resist the efforts of our health department to protect the community at large from as lethal a pathogen just because it is transmitted directly by humans rather than by rats or roaches?
Chris
The reason for the ordinance is captured in your own erroneous post. If all of these businesses were “desperately trying to comply”, the ordinance would not have been needed nor adopted reluctantly but unanimously. Not all businesses are trying to comply at all. Some are much more focused on how to hide their insistence on business as usual, just hidden from public view by such strategies as covering the windows and using back entrances to avoid detection, or “closing the bar” to the public but renting the same space out for large undistanced, unmasked parties.
This would also be apparent by listening to the relevant items at the BOS meetings or County Health Council with meeting times and mean of access posted online.
TW, these things are documented as happening? Not surprised, but there are documented instances?
The short answer to your question is, yes. I cannot provide names of the offending businesses because those were rightfully withheld. But several (3 that I can recall) specific examples were cited by both Brian Vaughn and the county counsel whose name is eluding me at the moment. These are clearly not instances of a lack of information, nor of misinterpretation of the information, but rather of overt defiance.
Why do you feel it was ‘rightfully’ withheld? The restaurant in Castle Rock, CO wasn’t hidden when it was shut down after mother’s day defiant opening.
Did Yolo reopen too early?
Duh!
Alan
I feel it was rightfully withheld because the ordinance was not yet in place. While I believe what these businesses were doing is irresponsible and potentially deadly, there was no actual restriction against doing it, merely strong recommendations against it. Now it is against the law, and as is the case with any adult lawbreaker, I believe they can and should be fined and their identity revealed. They have had plenty of warning.
Un freaking believable.
Tell me now this isn’t all political.
https://news.yahoo.com/blasio-black-lives-matter-protests-115502505.html
What kind of democracy is that when only certain protests are allowed and others are not?
Why are the people of NY allowing this or obeying De Blasio’s rules?
Why Keith? It’s just the flu… not much worse. Only kills old people… Who are going to die anyway. And this is really all just a plot to hurt Trump’s chances in November. In fact, this will all go away in November.
Your faux outrage is really over the top given your denialism from the very start of this thing.
And BTW, I was okay with Trump’s (now cancelled) rally this weekend: outdoors, masks encouraged… Not a big problem.
So tell me, will you go on the record saying:
1) everyone should wear a mask when out in public
2) we need to test, trace, isolate, and quarantine to get this under control?
If not… spare me the outrage.
Robb, please tell me that you’re not okay with any leader telling people that only certain types of political rallies are allowed while all others are not.
What if a politician said only open the economy rallies will be allowed and all others are banned?
I’d bet you would be crying foul at the top of your lungs.
Of course I oppose that and have said so on this blog. I made it clear what I was concerned about in ALL of this.
Now… back to you. Will you go on the record? Will you admit this is a crisis? Will you call for masks? Will you call for testing/tracing/isolating/quarantining.
I have put my cards on the table.
Robb, what does any of that have to do with DiBlasio allowing BLM protests but shutting down all other protests or gatherings?
DiBlasio allowing only certain preferred groups is all about politics. There’s nothing wrong with what I stated but for some reason you’re taking a different route.
That said, I do follow the rules and wear a mask whenever I go to a store or a public space.
Keith
Can you explain to me how this is different from the many sheriffs, some in nearby counties, who have stated they will not enforce masking orders?
For heaven’s sake. This is a pandemic and peoples’ lives are at stake. If you do not believe that or do not believe it applies to Yolo County, please look at the Yolo County Covid-19 dashboard for the evidence.
Of course, both the rules and enforcement should be equal for all groups. But how does it help us locally to selectively demean the actions of a single politician across the country when there is so much locally to work on?
Well that’s easy, the sheriffs aren’t telling one group they don’t have to wear masks while enforcing the rules on all other groups in their county.
And, oh yeah, this is not all political. People are dying.
Then BLM shouldn’t be allowed to protest when all others gathering or protests are forbidden.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) should be allowed to protest violations of law, standards… oh… another co-opted acronym that means VERY different things to different folk…
My bad… most of my other examples of co-opted terms, acronyms have been censored/censured by the DV folk… reminds me of an old joke about two phonetically identical terms… one involves a word often used to describe a shovel (now PC incorrect, in ANY context!) and a shovel…
BTW, we need to force playing card folk, to rename one of the suits in cards… an offensive word, which I cannot say, lest I be ‘awaiting moderation’…
If protests are allowed, rules for all protests should be given, not a specific political type of protest singled out. Can we all agree on that?
On single types of protest, je d’accord… all rules should be the same… same for “rallys”… protests and rallies are two sides of same coin… be they anti- something, or pro- something… same rules… same thing.
The issue wasn’t if protests were allowed, it was whether people should be wearing masks and socially distancing while they protest.
No, the issue I brought up is DiBlasio issued an order only allowing BLM protests and all others are banned.
How do you David feel about that?
Given that this is an article on Yolo County – I think the conversation has strayed way too far for me to weigh in further.
LOL, nice dodge. I think it would’ve been easier just to answer my question.
Yes but I have an institutional interest in keeping conversations from veering ridiculously off topic and I honestly don’t care about DeBlasio. I didn’t pull your posts, but I’m simply not going to engage in conversations this far off topic.
Alan
I can agree with that with one caveat. The rules must be enforced equally for all groups. You cannot have officers standing by passively as the rotunda of a statehouse is occupied by arms-bearing, unmasked individuals shouting directly into officer’s faces, while peaceful protesters outdoors are having chemical irritants and “non-lethal” rounds fired point-blank at them, and pretend it is equitable treatment. Same rules, same enforcement for all. Right?
I guess you missed the BLM protesters throwing bricks, rocks, fire bombs and the kitchen sink at the cops. I guess you also missed the burning buildings and looting that occurred at the BLM riots. Tell me where any of the open the economy protesters acted in any such way. Oh, one guy shouted in a cop’s face. My Gawd!
Keith
3 points.
1. It was not one individual shouting in a cop’s face. It was an occupation of a state-building.
2. Since this article was about Yolo County, can you name any instances of property damage or personal injury associated with the BLM demonstrations here?
3. Perhaps it would be best if we were to acknowledge there are those who would resort to violence on both ends of the political spectrum and celebrate the fact that to date Yolo County has not succumbed to violence as a political strategy.