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Sonoma County's semi-shutdown takes effect
A ban on certain indoor gatherings and request for Sonoma County residents to stay home for the next month is set to go into effect. That makes Sonoma County the first in the Bay Area to re-introduce rules seen in the early days of the COVID pandemic. KTVU's Tom Vacar reports.
The many doctors and scientists who said that there would be a winter a COVID-19 resurgence need only look to Sonoma County, a place that administered over a million doses of vaccines, is 78% fully vaccinated and 53% boosted.
It is a resurgence setting new records.
Sonoma County's health officer says she's tired of dealing with COVID too. Dr. Sundari Mase did the math.
"We've been at this for nearly two years now, and it's frustrating to still be dealing with the masking, social distancing, and other safety matters. I get it," said Mase
Though Omicron patients are less likely to need hospitalization, there are so many cases, hospitals could still be overwhelmed.
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"I'm making an appeal to all residents to stay home as much as possible for the next 30 days. Limit travel outside the home, to just going to work and the school and only making trips such as going to the grocery store or the doctor's office," said Mase.
Where Sonoma County prohibits people from gathering until February 11 are wedding venues, meeting halls, gyms, or auditoriums.
"Deja vu all over again. It's as if we didn't get anywhere over the last two years. I kind of wish they took a stiffer stance at the beginning," said Steve Steidl, who frequently uses a Petaluma gym.
"If we can tamp down the spread and the rise in cases, I think it would be worth it. Sure, we'd all like to get back to normal," said Cravins Candy Emporium owner Meredith Douglass.
The extremely popular Mystic Theater and Music Hall had to cancel the two concerts on the marquee and everything else for another month. And, this is the third time during the pandemic they've had to close.
The Sonoma order is rife with exceptions. Family gatherings are not included nor any event in a church, nor in workplaces, shopping malls, restaurants, cafeterias, museums, school classes and outdoor recess.
"I support that because we need to get it down; the cases. Too many cases going around in Sonoma, Marin, all the North Bay," said River Front Cafe owner Elias Ghattas.
"I like to follow the guidelines. I think they're doing a good job with keeping up with, you know, keeping up with the changes in the variant," said Sonoma County resident Gregg Fautley.
Again, this request is supposed to be over by February 11, but COVID does not keep a calendar.
"While we may all be done with COVID, COVID is not done with us," said Mase.