Solano COVID trends not looking good today (exception: no deaths)


By Roger Straw, Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Solano County reports 75 new COVID infections since Monday, adds 18 previously undisclosed hospitalizations.

People with mild COVID can have long-term health problems.  And: More than 70% of COVID-19 patients studied report having at least one “long haul” symptom that lasts for months.”  It’s not over yet!

Solano County COVID report on Wednesday, June 30.
[Source: see far below.  See also my ARCHIVE spreadsheet of daily Solano COVID updates.]
Solano County COVID-19 Dashboard – SUMMARY:

The trends don’t look so good today: Solano County reported  75 new COVID cases since Monday’s report, an average of 38 per dayMonthly: Solano County saw 1,288 new cases in April, an average of 43 per day.  In May, Solano reported 920 new cases, an average of 30 per day.  So far in June, 680 new cases in Solano, an average of 23 new infections each day.   Solano’s 183 active cases today is much higher than Monday’s 144.  Our percent positivity rate rose significantly today from 5.4% to 6.6%.  COVID is still out there – TAKE CARE!

Hospitalizations – a rare Solano County update

Solano County reported 18 previously undisclosed hospitalizations today.  The County updates these important numbers only occasionally, and only then they must be independently discovered in the County’s demographic chart labeled “Hospitalizations by Age Group.”  That chart hasn’t been updated since May 25, when a total of 1,286 persons had been hospitalized.  Today the County added hospitalizations in the following age groups: 1 youth aged 0-17, 3 persons aged 18-49, 6 persons aged 50-64, and 8 of our elders aged 65+.  New totals today:

Age Group Hospitalizations % of Total
0-17 27 2%
18-49 326 25%
50-64 340 26%
65+ 611 47%
TOTAL 1,304 100%

Apologies – I just realized that these hospitalizations are also recorded on the demographic chart labeled “Hospitalizations by Race / Ethnicity.”  Having not tracked this in the past, I can’t tell you about recent increases, but here are the current numbers.  Interestingly, the total doesn’t square with totals by age groups.  (My hunch is that the County has not updated this chart for a time.)

Race / Ethnicity Hospitalizations % of Total
Asians 184 15%
Black / African American 197 16%
Hispanic / Latinx 327 27%
White 405 34%
Multirace / Others 85 7%
TOTAL 1,198 99%

Solano County reported no new deaths today.  The County total is 244 deaths since the pandemic began.

Cases by City on Wednesday, June 30:
  • Benicia remained steady today, a total of 1,029 cases since the outbreak began, 3.7% of its population of 27,570.
  • Dixon added 2 new cases today, total of 1,947 cases, 9.8% of its population of 19,794.
  • Fairfield added 23 new cases today, total of 9,207 cases, 7.8% of its population of 117,149.
  • Rio Vista remained steady today, total of 396 cases, 4.2% of its population of 9,416.
  • Suisun City added 4 new cases today, total of 2,334 cases, 7.9% of its population of 29,447.
  • Vacaville added 30 new cases today, a total of 8,941 cases, 9.0% its of population of 98,807.
  • Vallejo added 16 new cases today, a total of 10,016 cases, 8.4% of its population of 119,544.
  • Unincorporated areas remained steady for the 54th day in a row today (no increase since May 8!), total of 103 cases (population figures not available).
RE-OPENING GUIDELINES IN SOLANO COUNTY
Solano Public Health

See latest info on California’s COVID web page.  See also the Solano County Public Health Coronavirus Resources and Updates page(Click on the image at right to go directly to the page, or click on various links below to access the 10 sections on the County’s page.)

Solano County Guidance (posted June 15, 2021)

COMPARE: From the most recent report on Solano County COVID Dashboard, Monday, June 28:


The data on this page is from today’s and the previous Solano County COVID-19 Dashboard.  The Dashboard is full of much more information and updated weekdays around 4 or 5pm.  On the County’s dashboard, you can hover a mouse or click on an item for more information.  Note the tabs at top for SummaryDemographics and Vaccines.  Click here to go to today’s Solano County Dashboard.


Sources

Recent Anti-racism letters in the Benicia Herald

Collecting our thoughts here on the BenIndy…

By Roger Straw, June 29, 2021

Check out the growing number of letters sent in to our local print newspaper, the Benicia Herald: strong calls for racial justice, offers of praise where deserved, decrying of local incidents of racism, and opposition to racial bias and expressions of white supremacy.

Below is today’s listing of collected letters.  Check back regularly for new letters at the BenIndy Anti-Racism Letters page.

ANTI-RACISM LETTERS IN THE BENICIA HERALD

Benicia is definitely NOT the happy little totally progressive, inclusive community many of us have long thought it was.  Racism is real in Benicia.  See the following letters which appeared in the print edition of the Benicia Herald, and a few from the Vallejo Times-Herald(And check out Benicia Black Lives Matter: Our Voices, also published here and in the Benicia Herald.)

Benicia Herald letters on racism
Date Author Link to letter
Sunday, June 27, 2021 Brandon Greene Equity Training & Critical Race Theory – Open Letter to Solano County Board of Supervisors – Board discussion ‘disappointing but not surprising’.
Sunday, June 27, 2021 Craig Snider Reflections on Systemic Racism and White Privilege – We Can Do Better.
Friday, June 25, 2021 June Mejias Fairytale? Myth? Lie – (The children are watching & listening) – Definitions for Our Times.
Wednesday, June 16, 2021 Carrie Rehak I Can’t Breathe – Refinery fumes, George Floyd and COVID-19.
Sunday, June 13, 2021 Kathy Kerridge Implicit Bias or Outright Racism – Racism is alive and well in Benicia.
Sunday, June 13, 2021 Jean Walker Shine a Light on Solano County Sheriff – Open letter to Board of Supervisors.
Sunday, May 23, 2021 Roger Straw Intensive Care for Benicia – I See You Differently Now – A white American’s deepening awareness of Black lives.
Wednesday, May 12, 2021 Mark Christian Silence is Complicity – America not a place of liberty & justice for all, Sheriff and Solano supervisors complicit.
Sunday, May 2, 2021 C. Bart Sullivan, Esq. A World Without Prejudice Requires Vigilance – Early childhood innocence, BLM, Local writer with head in sand.
Friday, April 30, 2021 Vicki Byrum Dennis SURJ / BBLM Study & Action Course – How can whites become allies? History, racial injustice is systemic. SURJ invitation.
Wednesday, April 28, 2021 Susan Street Off the Mark As Usual – Local writer missing the mark, praising City leadership, racism is real.
Sunday, April 25, 2021 Jean Walker What Can I Do to Make Racism Go Away in Benicia? – Racism is systemic, white privilege, pleased with City Resolution 20, critical of appointments, SURJ.
Friday, April 23, 2021 Nathalie Christian White Supremacy Is Not a Cancer, It Is a Choice – Jan. 6 in D.C., Sheriff’s deputies, call to action.
Wednesday, April 21, 2021 Benicia Mayor Steve Young On the Hate-Crime & Arrest Last Weekend – Racism in Benicia, Raley’s incident, racial bias conscious and unconscious, City took first steps Equity Mgr, we can do better.
Sunday, April 18, 2021 Ralph Dennis Two Peas in a Pod – Raley’s incident, Sheriff investigation 2 peas in a pod.  Be an ally, don’t blame BLM or City hiring of Equity Mgr.
Contact the Benicia Herald – write your own letter!

To add your voice, write to Benicia Herald editor Galen Kusic at beniciaherald@gmail.com.  Note that the Benicia Herald’s online edition is not currently being maintained.  To subscribe to the print edition, email beniciacirculation@gmail.com or phone 707-745-6838.  Main phone line is 707-745-0733; fax is 707-745-8583.  Mail or stop by in person at 820 First St., Benicia, 94510.  (Not sure of days and hours.)

Solano County Board of Supes ‘not ready for topics that deal with the ugly underbelly of America’

Danette Mitchell: Is Solano County ready for a serious race discussion?

Vallejo Times-Herald, by Danette Mitchell, June 25, 2021

While many companies understand that discrimination is wrong — both legally and morally — do employers want diversity and inclusion, or do they want comfort and assimilation?

Last week’s lengthy Solano County Board of Supervisors discussion about a specific Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training became heated, sending a message that they are not ready for topics that deal with the ugly underbelly of America.

While discussing racism is an uncomfortable topic, we can’t talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion and not address race. Supervisor Erin Hannigan and human resource leadership presented a proposal to have Jei Africa, director of Marin County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, conduct a series of equity training workshops to address race, racism, racialization, White privilege, and implicit bias.

Hannigan attended the training. She believes the education would provide the board with foundational knowledge and an understanding of the terminology from a historical perspective, adding that the topics are uncomfortable. The training would also include the history of slavery, redlining, Jim Crow, and immigration, concluding with becoming an anti-racist/multicultural organization.

Hannigan also stated that the training would help with discussions around policies, equity, and procedures because they would all speak from the same playbook. Hannigan added that city employees should see the board taking the lead on the equity training.

Supervisor Monica Brown feels the training for board members should be voluntary. She also feels the training should be embedded with other training like sexual harassment and ethics. I believe her suggestion would minimize the topics’ seriousness and shorten the training, potentially reducing the effectiveness and impact. We are dealing with a deeply rooted system that legislated and enacted inequalities that persist today. The training should be mandatory for board members.

Supervisor Mitch Mashburn supports the equity training. However, he feels the LGBTQ community and all other ethnic groups, including gender, should be discussed as well. If you support the population, specifically Black people, that has been the most marginalized, others benefit. Race will intersect with the LGBTQ community, Latinos and Asians, but not the opposite. The Black community has many examples of this, like affirmative action, which primarily benefited White women, and the Immigration Act, which pushed Black people, as a collective group, further down the economic and opportunity ladder.

Supervisor Jim Spering stated he is fully committed to equity. He also said he didn’t want one person’s perspective on history and didn’t harbor White guilt, because he has worked hard. Nonetheless, he is still the beneficiary of a system of privilege. Also, the effects of slavery in America are in our DNA, manifesting in behaviors and attitudes.

No doubt, varied emotions often surface when discussing race-related topics. Supervisor Board Chairman John Vasquez was triggered when Hannigan mentioned she lived a life of White privilege, to which he responded, “So you are going to come in and save my life?” He is undecided about the training and would like to wait on responses to the employee survey before committing. His stance appeared to be the consensus of the rest of the board.

Meanwhile, Hannigan commented, “Maybe this is not the right board for equity for this county.” She and Vasquez serve on the Ad Hoc Equity Board Subcommittee formed in 2020 to address employee equity.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are a 450-year-old set of problems that won’t be solved overnight. We are dealing with generations of ingrained behaviors, attitudes, and fears.

Nonetheless, employers want to hear the lyrics of “We Shall Overcome” — not “Strange Fruit,” describing the lynching of Black people.


Danette Mitchell — The Vacaville author is a social issues advocate. 

Vallejo tops 10,000 COVID cases, Solano County adds 52 new infections


By Roger Straw, Monday, June 28, 2021

Solano County reported 52 new COVID infections over the weekend. County updating COVID dashboard only 3 times per week, MWF.

People with mild COVID can have long-term health problems.  And: More than 70% of COVID-19 patients studied report having at least one “long haul” symptom that lasts for months.”  It’s not over yet!

Solano County COVID report on Monday, June 28.
[Source: see far below.  See also my ARCHIVE spreadsheet of daily Solano COVID updates.]
Solano County COVID-19 Dashboard – SUMMARY:

Solano County reported  52 new COVID cases over the weekend, an average of 17 per dayMonthly: Solano County saw 1,288 new cases in April, an average of 43 per day.  In May, Solano reported 920 new cases, an average of 30 per day.  So far in June, 605 new cases in Solano, an average of 22 new infections each day.  COVID is still out there – TAKE CARE!

Solano County reported no new deaths today.  The County total is 244 deaths since the pandemic began.

Solano’s 144 active cases today is down from Friday’s 162.  Our percent positivity rate fell today from 5.7% to 5.4%.

Cases by City on Monday, June 28:
  • Benicia added 4 new cases today, a total of 1,029 cases since the outbreak began, 3.7% of its population of 27,570.
  • Dixon added 3 new cases today, total of 1,945 cases, 9.8% of its population of 19,794.
  • Fairfield added 11 new cases today, total of 9,184 cases, 7.8% of its population of 117,149.
  • After 14 days at 384 cases, Rio Vista added 2 new cases today, total of 396 cases, 4.2% of its population of 9,416.
  • Suisun City added 7 new cases today, total of 2,330 cases, 7.9% of its population of 29,447.
  • Vacaville added 13 new cases today, a total of 8,911 cases, 9.0% its of population of 98,807.
  • Vallejo added 12 new cases today, milestone of 10,000 cases, 8.4% of its population of 119,544.
  • Unincorporated areas remained steady for the 52nd day in a row today (no increase since May 8!), total of 103 cases (population figures not available).
RE-OPENING GUIDELINES IN SOLANO COUNTY
Solano Public Health

See latest info on California’s COVID web page.  See also the Solano County Public Health Coronavirus Resources and Updates page(Click on the image at right to go directly to the page, or click on various links below to access the 10 sections on the County’s page.)

Solano County Guidance (posted June 15, 2021)

COMPARE: From the most recent report on Solano County COVID Dashboard, Friday, June 25:


The data on this page is from today’s and the previous Solano County COVID-19 Dashboard.  The Dashboard is full of much more information and updated weekdays around 4 or 5pm.  On the County’s dashboard, you can hover a mouse or click on an item for more information.  Note the tabs at top for SummaryDemographics and Vaccines.  Click here to go to today’s Solano County Dashboard.


Sources