LAKE COUNTY— “Sadly, we received word late this week of our 13th death,” noted Dr. Gary Pace, Lake County’s health officer late Friday adding that the latest death was a person over 65 years old and had longstanding health issues. “This tragic death is connected to a second facility-based outbreak; 27 residents infected, nine staff,” he noted and added the earlier outbreak, in a different facility, is under control, with no new cases in 10 days.
A state operated website tracking COVID-19 cases in nursing facilities in California reveals 28 cumulative residents have been infected at Rocky Point Care Center in Lakeport and fewer than 11 COVID related deaths at the facility. The earlier outbreak occurred at Lakeport Post Acute according to the state data, bringing the total of deaths at these facilities to eight (out of 13 in Lake County.)
According to Pace, the county recently experienced a surge of new cases, peaking at 78 during the week of September 13 to September 19, with nursing facility outbreaks and some community spread contributing to the spike. In addition, he noted that evacuations from the LNU Complex fires and Labor Day weekend activities were additional complicating factors.
As of press time Monday, the county’s health department reported 630 total cases, 46 which were active and 571 recovered.
What Will the Next Few Months Look Like?
Pace noted in his press release that “significant business restrictions and changes of schooling and lifestyle have been a deeply frustrating norm for seven months now.” He noted that most predict COVID infections will increase in the coming months, due to flu season, colder weather and indoor activities and also noted that If most people get flu shots, that would help Lake County weather the next few months. “These can be obtained through medical providers and many pharmacies,” wrote Pace, while promoting the drive-thru clinic event held at the racetrack at Lake County Fairgrounds this past weekend.
When Will a COVID-19 Vaccine Realistically Be Available?
Echoing a time table outlined by state leaders, Pace noted that a vaccine would most likely be ready after the first of the year. He added that Initial supplies will be limited, and probably directed to hospital workers and others at highest risk. “Once supplies increase (possibly early spring), it will start to reach the general public,” said Pace. “There is great hope for some sort of normalcy by summertime 2021; the promise of a vaccine is driving those hopes.”
How Can We Push for Orange and Promote our Local Economy? Invest in Prevention
According to Pace, the county can move out of the state’s Red Tier into the Orange over the coming weeks by wearing masks, keeping distance, and avoiding social gatherings, all measures he believes will allow indoor activities to expand.”
“Investing in prevention keeps our communities safe, and allows businesses to not only stay open, but expand services. Precautions accelerate progress toward normalcy and save lives,” said Pace.
Fate of enforcement ordinance remains in limbo
In late September, the Lake County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to send a referendum to the Registrar of Voters to verify 2,507 signatures on the petition filed on September 16, seeking to repeal the ordinance the board approved on August 16 regarding enforcement of COVID-19 requirements for local agencies and businesses.
The efforts to repeal the newly adopted ordinance has been spearheaded by a group of protesters calling themselves “The Konocti Patriots” who gathered the requisite signatures. The referendum will be checked for validity and if it reaches the threshold of required signatures, the board would either be forced to strike the newly enacted enforcement ordinance or put it to voters to decide in a special election. In the interim, county staff confirmed last month that the ordinance was effectively suspended. It was to have gone into effect on September 18.
One of the reasons given by the group to protest the ordinance is because of potential fines to local businesses although Pace said publicly that even though he heard from people that businesses can be fined $10,000, a claim which was repeated by Matt Nelson, candidate for District 4 Assembly seat currently held by Cecilia Aguiar-Curry. Pace said there’s nothing like that in the ordinance with the highest fine being $500.
The County’s Registrar of Voters’ office legally has 30 days to count the signatures (Per Elections Code sections 9114 and 9915 from the date the petition was filed, in this case Sept. 16, 2020 leading to a deadline of Oct. 29, 2020.)
At a recent meeting of the board of supervisors, a representative from Lake County Farmers’ Finest, the nonprofit which operates the Tuesday and Saturday Farmers market in Lakeport, told of her negative experiences with “anti-maskers” and said that stated she was concerned it would continue to disrupt local businesses while proceeding to retell the account of a recent incident which occurred where an individual “barged into the farmers market intentionally intimidating and endangering market staff, vendors and customers.”
A detailed reading of the ordinance in its entirety, shows it to be very light in enforcement and gives businesses plenty of time and opportunities to correct any infractions or violations prior to any administrative fines or penalties being levied by the county. This did not deter Bryan Dobrowski, a prominent member of the Konocti anti enforcement group at a recent BOS meeting from threatening Supervisors Moke Simon and Tina Scott with a recall effort should they choose not to give into their demands.
Pace went on public radio this weekend and answered questions about contact tracing, the enforcement ordinance and possible threats to himself and his department from anti-mask groups. “All we know right now is that the way to limit the transmission, the way to decrease the number of cases is to wear masks, the more people who do that the better,” said Pace. He added neither he nor members of the Health Department staff have been directly threatened by anti-mask groups like the one which picketed in front of the Health Department offices in Lakeport last month. He called allegations and threats on Facebook and the recent plot against the mayor of Michigan “very disturbing.”
