Category Archives: COVID19.CA.GOV

CA NOTIFY, Contact tracing, Coronavirus, Covid 19, COVID19.CA.GOV

California Rolls Out a Virus Exposure Alert Tool – Here’s How It Works

CA NOTIFY is available today through Apple iOS and Google Android

NBC Bay Area, By Staff Report, December 10, 2020

California is rolling out a voluntary smartphone tool designed to alert people if they have spent time near someone who tested positive for the coronavirus.

The rollout of CA Notify on Thursday comes as the nation’s most populous state grapples with rising cases and hospitalizations nine months after it became the first state to introduce sweeping restrictions due to the pandemic. More than 80 percent of the state’s residents are under orders not to leave their homes for at least the next three weeks except for essential purposes.

Many residents will get a notification Thursday inviting them to participate. The more phones in the system, the better the system will work.

Here’s what to know about the mobile app.

  • The tool doesn’t track people’s identities or locations but uses Bluetooth wireless signals to detect when two phones are within 6 feet of each other for at least 15 minutes, officials said.
  • Californians will be able to activate the tool in their iPhone settings — make sure you’re using version 13.7 or later — or on Android phones by downloading the CA Notify app from the Google Play store.
  • The encounters are temporarily logged in a way that doesn’t reveal a person’s identity or geographic location.
  • If people who have activated the technology test positive for the virus, they get a verification code from the California Department of Public Health and can use that to send an anonymous alert to other participating phone users they might have exposed over the past 14 days.
  •  How quickly you receive the notification depends on when the other person received a positive result and how quickly they consented to activate notifications in CA Notify.
  • Nearly 20 states already have apps based on Google and Apple’s Exposure Notification technology. In California, CA Notify was part of a pilot program at seven University of California campuses.

Coronavirus, Covid 19, COVID19.CA.GOV, Solano County CA

Does Solano County have 33% of ICU beds available, or 17.7%?

By Roger Straw, December 8, 2020

Conflicting sources on Solano County’s ICU bed capacity  – Solano Public Health presents a rosier picture

The State of California has readily available statistics on ICU bed capacity.  COVID.CA.GOV posts the actual number of ICU beds available by State, Region and County.  Solano County had 11 ICU beds available on December 6.

The State of California also  posts the percentage of ICU beds available by State, Region and County.  Solano County had 17.7% of its ICU beds available on December 6.

Solano County Public Health Department does not post actual numbers of ICU beds, but does offer a weekday update showing the percentage of ICU beds available.  According to Public Health, Solano County had 33% of its ICU beds available on December 5.

Now comes the fun part.  Or maybe not so fun.  Note that the State’s percentages do not agree with Solano County’s percentages.  Solano County Public Health Department consistently shows a higher percentage of ICU beds available.  I’m posting below two screenshots, first from today’s California page, then from the Solano County page.

My understanding is that hospitals report directly to the State.  I’m not sure where Solano Public Health gets its information, and why it consistently portrays a rosier picture.  Someone should look into this.

From COVID.CA.GOV on 12/8/20 – Beds available: 17.7%

From Solano County’s COVID-19 Updates and Resources on 12/8/20 – Beds available: 33%

Coronavirus, Covid 19, COVID19.CA.GOV, Hospitalizations, Solano County CA

Solano County hospitalizations on Sunday 2020-12-06: 69 hospitalized, 21 in ICU, more suspected

By Roger Straw, December 7, 2020

11 ICU beds remain available

The State of California’s  COVID19.CA.GOV website is an incredibly rich resource for daily updates with latest data on hospitalizations (and much more) – both for the State and by individual Counties.

Each day the State updates the numbers along with “Change from Prior Day” and “14-Day Rolling Average.”  Below is a summary, followed by a screenshot of today’s results.  The CURRENT data on the CA.GOV Hospitalizations page provides much more by simply hovering over various components.

Today CA.GOV showed Solano County COVID19 hospitalizations as of yesterday, Sunday November 6:

  • 69 Positive Patients (3 fewer than previous day, 14 day rolling average of 66)
  • 10 additional Suspected Patients (3 fewer than previous day, 14 day rolling average of 12)
  • 21 ICU Positive Patients (1 fewer than previous day, 14 day rolling average of 18)
  • 0 additional ICU Suspected Patients (same as previous day, 14 day rolling average of 2)
  • 11 ICU Available Beds (1 fewer than previous day)
As of yesterday, Saturday, December 5, 2020Previous day’s report – data as of Saturday, December 5, 2020
Coronavirus, Covid 19, COVID19.CA.GOV, Hospitalizations, Solano County CA

Solano County hospitalizations on Saturday 2020-12-05: 72 hospitalized, 22 in ICU, more suspected

By Roger Straw, December 6, 2020

12 ICU beds remain available

The State of California’s  COVID19.CA.GOV website is an incredibly rich resource for daily updates with latest data on hospitalizations (and much more) – both for the State and by individual Counties.

Each day the State updates the numbers along with “Change from Prior Day” and “14-Day Rolling Average.”  Below is a summary, followed by a screenshot of today’s results.  The CURRENT data on the CA.GOV Hospitalizations page provides much more by simply hovering over various components.

Today CA.GOV showed Solano County COVID19 hospitalizations as of yesterday, Saturday November 5:

  • 72 Positive Patients (3 more than previous day, 14 day rolling average of 65)
  • 13 additional Suspected Patients (3 more than previous day, 14 day rolling average of 12)
  • 22 ICU Positive Patients (3 more than previous day, 14 day rolling average of 18)
  • 0 additional ICU Suspected Patients (1 fewer than previous day, 14 day rolling average of 2)
  • 12 ICU Available Beds (same as previous day)
As of yesterday, Saturday, December 5, 2020
Previous day’s report – data as of Friday, December 4, 2020