Tighter restrictions in hard-hit Santa Clara County to flatten curve on COVID-19
SAN JOSE, Calif (KTVU) - Santa Clara County is the hardest hit in the Bay Area, with almost 1,000 COVID-19 cases, and 30 deaths directly tied to the virus.
The county's public officer Dr. Sara Cody said current measures—staying inside, social distancing; and sanitizing, are working. But residents are not out of the woods yet, which is leading to a tightening of restrictions in advance of an anticipated surge of cases.
“Every unnecessary with another person increases the chance that the virus may spread from one person to another,” said Cody.
To completely flatten the COVID-19 infection curve, Santa Clara County officials announced on Tuesday an extension of the shelter-in-place order until May 3. Additionally, social distancing by residents is mandatory. And all construction is now halted, except projects deemed necessary such as projects related to limiting the spread of the Coronavirus.
Related: White House projects 100K to 240K US deaths from virus
“We cannot afford to simply hope we can impose these regulations weeks from now. This is the moment when it counts the most. Weeks from now we only will have regretted that we did not move sooner,” said San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo.
All businesses that are not essential are required to close immediately. The San Jose police department has already begun patrols by health compliance officers. Officials say warnings can escalate to suspension of a business license or a misdemeanor charge of violating a public health order.
District Attorney Jeff Rosen said there have been 2,000 complaints so far, but most business owners are voluntarily following the new orders.
“It is often very hard to measure the results of a good deed your good deed, your sacrifice, your civil duty, will be measured in lives,” he said.
The number of COVID-19 cases in this county has ballooned from 138 to 890 in just the past few weeks Officials said they're now seeing a slowing in growth, and that tightening restrictions could accelerate the decline.
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“We need to do more to give our healthcare providers every advantage we can, so they can care for us when we need them,” said Dr. Cody. Added Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors President Cindy Chavez, “The sooner we stay in our homes; the better we adhere to what Dr. Cody is demanding that we do, the more lives we’re gonna save and the sooner I think we’re gonna be back to our old lives again.”
The federal medical station at the Santa Clara Convention Center will begin seeing patients starting Monday. Officials said that will free up hospital beds for an anticipated surge in patients in the coming weeks.
Additionally, 500 ventilators are headed to this county which has 152 COVID-19 patients in ICU, but more are expected.