The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued guidance to local health departments (LHDs) detailing COVID-19 workplace outbreak reporting requirements mandated by AB 685 (Chapter 84, Statutes of 2020).
Under the new law set to take effect on January 1, 2021, employers must notify employees who may have been exposed to COVID-19 and report workplace outbreaks to the local health department.
[Editor: Yesterday’s report in the Benicia Herald print edition was excellent, giving cumulative numbers for the virus here in Benicia. Reprinted here with permission. – R.S.]
Solano County’s 95th Covid-19 death marks a grim reality as the holidays continue; leaving a bleak outlook for the start of 2021
Benicia has recorded 57 percent of its positive cases since Election Day
Benicia Herald, by Galen Kusic, Editor, December 27, 2020
Over the past week, Solano County has seen its most rapid increase in COVID-19 cases yet, rising from 15,008 to 17,330, an increase of 2, 222 in just seven days. That is an average of 317 cases a day, as Vallejo now has the highest amount of positive cases in the County since the pandemic began with 5,170. The County’s 20.9 percent seven-day positivity rate is the highest since the pandemic started.
In Benicia, the total number of cases has climbed to 469. Since Nov. 3, Benicia has experienced 271 new cases, over 57 percent of the city’s overall cases since the pandemic began in March. On average, the city’s residents have endured an average of over five new cases daily since Election Day, Nov. 3.
The County’s 95 total deaths has begun to rise as of late, and modeling suggests that into the next month those numbers will soon begin to soar. With hopes that the vaccine will help stop the spread, Gov. Newsom’s stay-at-home order is in effect for at least another two weeks while hospitals struggle to keep ICU beds open.
Currently, Solano County has 12 ICU beds open or 2.7 beds per 100,000 people. The Bay Area’s regional ICU capacity has now dwindled to 9.2 percent as other parts of the state have no ICU capacity, especially in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley.
By Roger Straw, December 28, 2020 [Sources: see below.]
Monday, December 28: 1,188 new cases over the 4-day holiday break, no new deaths. Since Feb: 18,518 cases, more than 740 hospitalized, 95 deaths.Compare previous report, Thursday, Dec. 24:Summary
Solano County reported 1,188 (!) new cases over the 4-day holiday break. In just the last 14 days, Solano has seen an increase of 4,564 new cases. We’re averaging 326 (!) new cases every day! (source: covid19.ca.gov) Total of 18,518 cases since the outbreak started.
Deaths – No new deaths reported today, a total of 95 Solano deaths since the pandemic began.
Active cases – Solano reported572 (!!) more active cases today for a total of 2,127 active cases. Solano’s average number of Active Cases during October was 284, average in November was 650 – and TODAY we are at 2,127! Is the County equipped to contact trace so many infected persons? Who knows? To my knowledge, Solano has offered no reports on contact tracing.
Hospitalizations –CAUTION ON SOLANO HEALTH DEPARTMENT REPORTING: According to Solano Health Officer Dr. Bela Matyas, the County “occasionally” updates Age Group hospitalizations retroactively, adding substantial numbers. Thus, many hospitalizations are never reported as CURRENTLY hospitalized. Today, Solano reported 12 additional CURRENTLY hospitalized persons, total of 130. And among the age groups, the County reported an increase of 16 in hospitalization numbers, for a total of 744 persons hospitalized since the outbreak began. [For the numbers used in my manual calculation of total hospitalizations, see age group stats below. For COVID19-CA.GOV numbers, see BenIndy page, COVID-19 Hospitalizations Daily Update for Solano County.]
ICU Beds – Solano County reported a sharp drop in ICU beds available today, falling from 21% available to only 11% available today, still in the YELLOW DANGER ZONE. COVID19-CA.GOV reported today thatSolano hospitals had 11 available ICU beds as of yesterday, December 27. (For COVID19-CA.GOV info see BenIndy page, COVID-19 Hospitalizations Daily Update for Solano County, and for REGIONAL data see COVID-19 ICU Bed Availability by REGION.)
Testing – The County report on COVID-19 testing today showed “UNAVAILABLE.” As of last Thursday, Solano had tested a total of 159,358 unduplicated residents since the outbreak began. 35.6% of Solano County’s 447,643 residents (2019) had been tested.
Positive Test Rate – OVER 1 IN 5 ARE TESTING POSITIVE – VIRUS SPREADING IN SOLANO LIKE WILDFIRE
Solano County reported our 7-day average positive test rate today at 22.9%, up from last Thursday’s 20.9%, and far and away over the State’s purple tier threshold of 8%. Average percent positive test rates are among the best metrics for measuring community spread of the virus. The much lower and more stableCalifornia 7-day average test rate has also been on an alarming rise lately, down from last Thursday’s 12.1% to 11.6% today. (Note that Solano County displays past weeks and months in a 7-day test positivity line graph which also shows daily results. However, the chart does not display an accurate number of cases for the most recent days, as there is a lag time in receiving test results. The 7-day curve therefore also lags behind due to unknown recent test results.)
By Age Group – Continuing the post-Thanksgiving surge in all age groups
Youth 17 and under – 146 (!) new cases today, total of 2,077 cases, representing 11.2% of the 18,518 total cases. No new hospitalizations reported today among this age group, total of 17 since the outbreak began. Thankfully, no deaths have ever been reported in Solano County in this age group. But cases among Solano youth rose steadily over the summer, from 5.6% of total cases on June 8 to 11% on August 31 and has plateaued at over 11% since September 30. Youth are 22% of Solano’s general population, so this 11.x% may seem low. The significance is this: youth are SERIOUSLY NOT IMMUNE (!) – in fact at least 14 of our youth have been hospitalized since the outbreak began.
Persons 18-49 years of age – 613 (!!) new cases today, total of 10.558 cases. This age group is 41% of the population in Solano, but represents nearly 60% of the total cases, by far the highest percentage of all age groups. The County reported 3 new hospitalizations among persons in this age group today. A total of 236 are reported to have been hospitalized since the outbreak began. Solano recorded no new deaths in this young group today, total of 7 deaths. Some in this group are surely at high risk, as many are providing essential services among us, and some may be ignoring public health orders. I expect this group is a major factor in the spread of the virus.
Persons 50-64 years of age – 257 (!!) new cases today, total of 3,809 cases. This age group represents just over 20% of the 18,518 total cases. The County reported 8 new hospitalizations among persons in this age group today. A total of 204 are reported to have been hospitalized since the outbreak began. No new deaths in this age group today, a total of 16 deaths.
Persons 65 years or older – 172 (!!) new cases today, total of 2,065, representing 10.9% of Solano’s 18,518 total cases. The County reported 5 new hospitalizations among persons in this age group today. A total of 287 have been hospitalized since the outbreak began. No new deaths were reported in this age group today. A total of 72 of our elders have died of COVID, accounting for 76%of Solano’s 95 total deaths.
City Data
Benicia added 19 new cases today, total of 488 cases since the outbreak began.
Dixon added 62 (!) new cases today, total of 1200 cases.
Fairfield added 328 (!!) new cases today, total of 5,285 cases.
Rio Vista added 13 (!) new cases today, total of 156 cases.
Suisun City added 88 (!) new cases today, total of 1,295 cases.
Vacaville added 403 (!!) new cases today, total of 4,588 cases. Something is happening in Vacaville – stay tuned!
Vallejoadded 275 (!) new cases today, total of 5,445 cases.
Unincorporated areas remained steady today, total of 61 cases.
Race / Ethnicity
The County report on race / ethnicity includes case numbers, hospitalizations, deaths and Solano population statistics. This information is discouragingly similar to national reports that indicate significantly worse outcomes among black and brown Americans. Note that all of this data surely undercounts Latinx Americans, as there is a large group of “Multirace / Others” which likely is composed mostly of Latinx members of our communities.
Asian Americans are 14% of Solano’s population, and account for 10% of cases, 12% of hospitalizations, and 18% of deaths.
Black Americans are 14% of Solano’s population, and account for 11% of cases, but 16% of hospitalizations, and 21% of deaths.
Latinx Americans are 26% of Solano’s population, but account for 17% of cases, 24% of hospitalizations, and 17% of deaths.
White Americans are 39% of the population in Solano County, but only account for 29% of cases, 29% of hospitalizations and 32% of deaths.
For D.C. protests, Proud Boys settle in at city’s oldest hotel and its bar
The Hotel Harrington and Harry’s Bar in downtown D.C. have been frequented by Proud Boys in recent months. (Craig Hudson for The Washington Post)The Washington Post, by Joe Heim and Marissa J. Lang, Dec. 27, 2020
Located just five blocks from the White House, the Hotel Harrington is the city’s oldest continuously operating hotel and has a long-standing reputation as one of the most affordable in the heart of the District. But over the past few months, the Harrington has been gaining a new reputation: Proud Boys hangout.
The militant right-wing organization that vigorously supports President Trump, which has clashed in violent street battles with members of antifascist groups and others who oppose Trump, has made the Harrington its unofficial headquarters when members come to the District. Several hundred Proud Boys recently stayed at the hotel while in town for the Dec. 12 protest of Joe Biden’s election as president.
More protests by pro-Trump groups are planned in downtown D.C. on Jan. 6.
Wearing their signature black and gold colors, large numbers of the group spent much of the afternoon of Dec. 12 drinking openly and chanting on the street in front of the hotel at 11th and E streets NW. They ranged in age from late teenagers to 50- and 60-year-olds, though most appeared to be in their 30s and 40s. Others filled the outdoor patio at Harry’s, the hotel bar, where they had gathered on previous protest weekends and on the Fourth of July. Harry’s closed midafternoon, but the patio and street in front of it remained crowded throughout the night.
The repeated and growing presence of Proud Boys at the bar and hotel has unnerved some guests and workers, many of whom are Black and Hispanic and were intimidated by their presence, according to two employees who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
In the past three months, Harry’s has been cited three times for violating social distancing and mask regulations. The violations occurred on weekends when large numbers of Proud Boys and other pro-Trump supporters, in town for demonstrations, were in the bar.
For the hotel and the bar, there seems to be uncertainty about what steps they can or should take. Ann Terry, the general manager of the hotel, declined to comment. During a brief phone call, John Boyle, the owner of Harry’s, declined to comment other than to say that the bar closed early on Dec. 11 and 12 because of concerns over not being able to maintain coronavirus social distancing guidelines. The bar’s website announced it will be closed on Jan. 5 and 6.
Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the Proud Boys, said in an interview, that in the past, the group’s members have stayed at the Harrington and frequented Harry’s because they’re accessible to downtown D.C. and close to the Trump hotel and the White House.
He said that the corner in front of the hotel and bar has remained a gathering point for the Proud Boys, but that the group had outgrown Harry’s because it wasn’t big enough to accommodate all of its members who attended the most recent protest, which he said numbered about 1,000.
Tarrio said the group’s members would not stay at the hotel or go to the bar if the businesses asked them to stay away.
“Of course not. I wouldn’t want to go somewhere, a private business where I’m unwelcome,” he said. “There’s many other options.”
Tarrio said he wasn’t aware of reported incidents of Proud Boys refusing to wear masks inside the bar or hotel but said “for the most part, we’re not big on masks.”
Since opening in 1914, the 250-room Harrington has billed itself as an affordable tourist hotel, hosting tens of thousands of visitors to the District over the past 106 years. It was also a family business. Charles McCutcheon, the owner of the hotel until he died earlier this year, was the grandson of its co-founder. Many employees of the hotel have been there for generations.
For some of them, a longtime employee said, there is a fear that the hotel’s reputation is being tarnished by the Proud Boys’ repeated presence at the hotel and bar.
“It’s sad that they feel so comfortable here because obviously nobody who works here supports this stuff,” the employee said.
As dark approached on the night of Dec. 12, members of the Proud Boys donned Kevlar helmets, bulletproof vests, protective forearm coverings and large rucksacks. Many carried long poles, long-handled black flashlights and collapsible batons. Some carried cases of beer. They departed the hotel in packs and began marching through the District’s downtown chanting “Whose streets? Our streets!” and “F— antifa!”
The group made repeated efforts to approach Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House, where they hoped to encounter a smaller number of antifascists and others who had gathered to voice their opposition to Trump and keep his supporters from removing signs or artwork critical of the president and memorializing Black people killed by law enforcement.
D.C. police spent much of the night trying to keep the groups apart and at one point established a police line along 15th Street NW. Unable to break through the barrier, a group of Proud Boys doubled back to the hotel holding a Black Lives Matter banner from a nearby church. They carried it in front of the Harrington and lit it on fire as members circled the flames yelling and hooting.
City officials later said four churches in downtown D.C. had Black Lives Matters signs removed and damaged. Tarrio told The Washington Post he was among those responsible for tearing down and burning the signs.
For the most part, police were successful in keeping the groups apart, but there were skirmishes. At least four people were stabbed during a melee near Harry’s. Police have declined to comment on the political affiliations of those involved.
In the days after the protest, District leaders expressed concerns about the Proud Boys’ presence.
“These Proud Boys are avowed white nationalists and have been called to stand up against a fair and legal election,” D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) said. And D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) said a beautiful weekend “was ruined by white supremacists who came to our city seeking violence.”
Bowser said that the city had encouraged Harry’s to close early for the protest weekend and that the bar was not open after 4 p.m. on either Dec. 11 or Dec. 12. The mayor declined to draw a connection between the violence late that Saturday and the bar around which Proud Boys and other Trump supporters continued to gather through the night.
But D.C. Council member Brooke Pinto (D), who represents the ward in which Harry’s is located, said the bar’s complicity in allowing “hate groups” to gather should not be overlooked.
“I am angered and troubled by the violence committed by white supremacists in our city and in Ward 2 over the weekend and last month,” Pinto wrote in a statement to The Post. “Harry’s disregard for public health guidance as these hate groups have gathered in their establishment without masks and without being socially distant before taking to the streets and further jeopardizing the health and safety of District residents is absolutely unacceptable.”
Pinto said she would like to see greater enforcement of the District’s coronavirus protocols and would “encourage local businesses to protect our residents first,” though she did not elaborate on how businesses such as Harry’s might do so. Boyle did not respond to Pinto’s comments.
Harry’s Bar at Hotel Harrington, which opened in 1914 and hosts tens of thousands of visitors each year, has recently become a popular spot for members of the Proud Boys. (Craig Hudson for The Washington Post)
In all, Harry’s has been cited for flouting the city’s mask ordinance three times since October.
On Oct. 10, an investigator from the D.C. Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration noticed a server was not wearing a mask as he waited on tables filled with patrons who were also barefaced though they were not actively eating or drinking, according to the ABRA incident report.
The investigator issued Boyle a warning and noted that Boyle said it “would not happen again.”
A month later, on the night before the “Million MAGA March,” a city investigator reported patrons were not wearing masks and were moving about the bar freely, gathering in large groups and flouting social distancing requirements. Outside the bar, he wrote, more than 50 people were gathered listening to loud music and drinking in the street. The investigator called the situation “unacceptable” and issued Harry’s a $1,000 fine.
Boyle “admitted that he lost control of the establishment,” according to the ABRA report. The investigator found “the establishment was basically operating as normal prior to Covid.”
The next day, after thousands of Trump’s most ardent supporters packed D.C. streets and marched to the Supreme Court, many gathered at Harry’s to celebrate.
Dozens of maskless people were gathered outside the bar, waiting to be seated, the ABRA investigator wrote, while patrons inside crowded around small tables and moved freely around the establishment without donning face coverings.
The ABRA investigator slapped Harry’s with another $1,000 fine, its second in as many days.
Patrick Young, 37, spent most of Dec. 12 at Black Lives Matter Plaza, poised to defend the space in which racial justice activists have gathered for months.
Throughout the day, he said, he saw “marauding bands of Proud Boys” try to make their way past police lines and into the plaza.
He was worried that as the night wore on, and as far-right agitators imbibed more, the threat of violence would increase, he said.
The next day, he called Harry’s Bar, asking to speak with the owner. To Young’s surprise, Boyle answered the phone.
“I told him I was very concerned that the bar was becoming a base of operations for the Proud Boys,” said Young, an organizer with the activist coalition ShutDown DC.
It and other local social justice groups have for weeks encouraged their members to call Harry’s and encourage the bar to denounce the Proud Boys and close during large pro-Trump gatherings.
Downtown hotels also received calls and emails from D.C. residents and activists imploring them to deny service to visiting Trump supporters.
ShutDown DC organizers said they will continue to lobby business owners and city officials to do more. Harry’s, they said, will remain priority No. 1. The group launched an online petition this week calling on ABRA to revoke the bar’s liquor license.
“As long as people are coming into our community with the expressed intent of terrorizing our friends and neighbors, we are going to work to keep each other safe,” Young said.
Peter Hermann and Julie Tate contributed to this report.
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