'Do not gather': Santa Clara County health leaders make plea ahead of Christmas

SAN JOSE, Calif. - The COVID pandemic calls for scaled-back Christmas celebrations, with limits on family gatherings as health officials forewarn of a surge in infections after the holiday. 

Santa Clara County's top health official, Dr. Sara Cody, has strongly discouraged holiday gatherings and travel during COVID as it increases the risk for exposure. 

She was joined by other health experts at a press conference Wednesday afternoon where they pleaded for residents to adhere to health directives and recommendations as Santa Clara County reports nearly 60,000 COVID cases and 632 deaths. 

631 COVID patients are currently hospitalized and there are fewer than 35 ICU beds left.

COVID-19 is projected to be the third leading cause of death in Santa Clara County this year, behind only cancer and heart disease.

"Tragically, these are 632 families who are grieving this holiday season. Let’s not forget the countless others who have loved ones in the hospital, and the healthcare workers trying to keep them alive as we speak," said Cindy Chavez, president of the County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors. "A simple family meal may seem harmless until it is too late. Please protect the ones you love by staying home and staying safe."

County officials said, just before Thanksgiving an average of three people died each day from COVID. A month later, that average increased to nearly six people per day. The county’s seven-day average positivity rate as of December 13 was 7.7%, the highest since the pandemic began in March. That’s compared to 3.4% on November 19, one week before Thanksgiving Day, and 1.3% on May 27.

Cody said, "The numbers do not lie. We have now seen how Thanksgiving gatherings fueled the spread of the virus and we must slow it down now before it completely overwhelms our health systems. We are nearly at the breaking point."

Dr. Ahmad Kamal, director of Health Care Preparedness said there are people in gurneys without a bed to go to. "We are talking about people not getting hospital care," he said. 

Top executives from California's largest hospital systems say ill-advised Thanksgiving gatherings are to blame for the recent COVID surge, putting out a "desperate call" for residents to avoid a Christmas repeat that would overwhelm the state’s medical system.

Yet they see airports teeming with travelers. They're worried because the spread is silent, and the consequeces to the community are severe.

"We simply will not be able to keep up if the COVID surge continues to increase," Kaiser Permanente chairman and CEO Greg Adams said. "We’re at or near capacity everywhere."

Officials said doctors and nurses are running on fumes.

"It's physically and emotionally exhausting for everybody involved," said Dr. Heng Duong, from Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.

"This is the time we want to come together. We need to come together. But we cannot come together in person. We cannot come together in person. It's just not safe this year," Cody said.

Officials are advising people to wear masks, social distance, and stay home as much as possible and not socialize with others.