LAKEPORT
Lake County Women’s Club welcomes new members
The Lake County Women’s Civic Club hosted their annual New Member Tea on Friday, Feb. 11, at Lakeport Lagoon today. Six new members, Jennifer Richardson, Trena Pauly, Linda Beeson, Susan Lucatorto, Barbara Davison and Sandra Musick, were in attendance to enjoy an extensive array of sandwiches and sweets prepared by their own executive board of directors and committee chairpersons.
LCWCC could not be happier to have these new members on board to help out as they get busy working on their 27th annual Mad Hatters Ball fundraiser to be held on Saturday, April 23 at Boutique Winery. The theme is “international kindness” and the group will be celebrating food and fashion from around the globe.
What could be an ominous undertaking becomes nothing but a good time with this enthusiastic, creative, fun loving group of ladies who come together to host an event that will raise funds for organizations like Hope Harbor Warming Center, Hospice Services of Lake Co., Lake Co. Vet-Connect, and provide Vocational Scholarships for our local high school seniors.
Tickets for this event will go on sale March 4. If you are interested in purchasing yours, please call Kerry Moore at 707-364-6165.
—Submitted
LAKE COUNTY
COVID-19 Update: Changes to California’s indoor mask mandate are coming
On February 7, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced modifications to State-mandated COVID-19 precautions, which had been enhanced this winter to slow the spread of the Omicron Variant. Effective tomorrow (Wednesday, February 16) the requirement for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to wear masks in all indoor public settings will be lifted. In their Press Release, CDPH noted, “Since California’s peak during the Omicron surge, the state has experienced a 65% decrease in case rates.”
State Public Health officials continue to recommend indoor masking “when [COVID-19] risk may be high.” The current hospital census remained “over capacity” at the time of their announcement.
Additional requirements apply for Indoor (1,000 people) and Outdoor (10,000 people) “Mega Events.”
Masking Will Still Be Required for Unvaccinated Individuals and In Certain High-Risk Settings
Lake County residents are advised, masking will still be required for:
- Unvaccinated individuals in all indoor public settings.
- All individuals in high risk settings, including:
- Public transit (e.g., buses; airplanes; ride-shares) and Transportation Hubs (bus stations; airports, etc.);
- Indoors in K-12 schools and childcare settings;
- Emergency shelters and cooling and heating centers;
- Healthcare settings;
- State and local correctional facilities and detention centers;
- Homeless Shelters; and
- Long-Term Care Settings and Adult and Senior Care Facilities.
Workplaces will continue to be required to meet CalOSHA’s COVID-19 Prevention Standards:
https://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/coronavirus/COVID19FAQs.html
More changes to Statewide and sector-specific Guidance are expected soon. CDPH Guidance documents are archived online at:
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Guidance.aspx
How does COVID-19 risk in Lake County compare to other areas of the state?
Lake County lagged broader Statewide trends in entering the Omicron Surge. While new cases are likewise trending downward here, our Case Rate remains higher than the Statewide rate. 125 Lake County residents have now died since the pandemic began, and each loss has been a tragedy for those connected to the individual that passed away. As of Wednesday, February 9, testing positivity sat at 20.0%, more than double the 8.7% Statewide rate.
COVID-19 remains prevalent in Lake County’s communities, and decreased masking in public settings will bring some increased general risk of transmission.
Lessening of statewide mandates is a sign of positive trends around the State. We ask that all Lake County residents remain sensitive to the fact COVID-19 still presents significant risk, particularly to the most medically vulnerable among us.
Continuing to voluntarily take common sense measures to reduce risk will be important as we work together to navigate this next phase. Thank you all for your tremendous sacrifices and efforts over the past two years. You have made, and continue to make, a difference.
—Gary Pace, MD, MPH
