Benicia CA, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Coronavirus, Covid 19, Delta variant

Benicia still registering above CDC’s measure for HIGH TRANSMISSION of COVID-19

Data shows a dip in 7-day COVID case numbers in Benicia, but transmission level still HIGH

By Roger Straw, September 11, 2021

Over the last 7 days, the number of newly reported COVID infections in Benicia fell from an astonishingly high 105 to 43.  This is good news, but Benicia remains substantially over the CDC’s definition of a HIGH level of transmission.

Based on Benicia’s population of roughly 28,000, when Solano County reports 14 or more new Benicia cases over the last 7 days (the red line in the graph above), the CDC classifies us as having a level of “SUBSTANTIAL transmission.”  If we see 28 new cases over the last 7 days (the purple line) we are in an area of “HIGH transmission.” That’s where we were at the County’s most recent report on Friday, with 43 total new cases over the last 7 days.

Benicia entered into substantial transmission on July 12, and high transmission on July 23, with numbers increasing until last Wednesday, September 8.

The daily data is shown in the chart above and also in the table below.

Note that Solano County’s reporting is often tardy, based on tardy reporting from hospitals and the State.  So the massive rise in outbreaks we saw on September 1 could be off some.  But the CDC’s 7-day formula is helpful in mitigating the delays in reporting, similar to taking an average.  Our numbers continue to be at least in the Substantial range, and the numbers are clear evidence of Benicia’s continuing delta surge.

For more, see my ARCHIVE of daily Solano COVID updates (an excel spreadsheet).

>>The data on this page is from the Solano County COVID-19 Dashboard.  The Dashboard is full of much more information and updated Monday, Wednesday and Friday 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 “Summary, Demographics” and “Vaccines.”  Click here to go to the most recent Solano County Dashboard.

Sources
Benicia CA, Coronavirus, Covid 19, Delta variant, Hospitalizations, Solano County CA, Solano County Health Department, Vaccine

Four dead in So-Lan-O

By Roger Straw, Friday, September 10, 2021
NOTE – This Friday BenIndy report is incomplete due to circumstances beyond my control.  Check back tomorrow, on Saturday, for a my usual in-depth analysis.  – Roger Straw

Friday, September 10: Solano reports 4 dead, 221 new infections and a massive increase in hospitalizations among all ages

Solano County COVID dashboard SUMMARY:
[Sources: see below.]

DEATHS: Four new deaths today, 2 age 50-64 and 2 age 65+.  Total Solano deaths over the course of the pandemic now at 280.

CASES: The County reported  221 new COVID cases in the last two days, 111 per day.

For more, see today’s data in my ARCHIVE of daily Solano COVID updates (an excel spreadsheet

Check back tomorrow for the usual more complete report.  But for now, I’ll just publish a poem I wrote the last time the County reported 4 new COVID deaths, on July 28, 2021.  Note that today’s 4 new deaths make a total of 31 Solano residents who have died of COVID in the 44 days since July 28….

Four Dead

An old old lyric
Anew now in my head,
‘Four dead in O-Hi-O…’
‘Four dead in O-Hi-O…’

The memory lingers from long ago,
Kent State killings
That stalked my college dorm
Like dragon breath
With mental sirens and communal alarms.

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
Still echo beyond that time,
The truth beneath the number four –
Death comes to families and friends
Unprepared for the brutal end of those we love.

And so now again,
‘Four dead’ –
Yes, Four dead in So-Lan-O
In Solano … our county count
Of newly demised, of COVID dead,
The rising toll over just the last two days.

Two of us of middle age
And two beyond those years,
Succumbed to the suffocation
Of the Delta Death,
News of import and deepening unrest,
Setting off sirens and private and public alarms.

Four dead today
In So-Lan-O.

Roger Straw
July 30, 2021

Continue reading Four dead in So-Lan-O →

California elections, California Gov. Gavin Newsom

IMPORTANT – Newsom’s margin has narrowed! VOTE NO! VOTE TODAY!

By Roger Straw, September 9, 2021

The Governor must get 50% or we will be stuck with a right-wing TRUMP nut!

Like many of you, I’ve been slow to get on board with the VOTE NO campaign.  It seemed a long shot that the Republicans could win.

Then – !!!!  I discovered that Newsom is only just barely polling over the required 50%.  If we don’t get our votes in, we could find ourselves in an incredible mess.

Do it today.  >> On your ballot, fill in the NO BOX at the top.  Don’t need to vote any name on question 2.  Just stuff your NO ballot into the yellow envelope, SIGN YOUR NAME under the flap, and seal the envelope.

BEST NOT TO MAIL YOUR BALLOT at this late date!  (They CAN be mailed in as long as the P.O. postmarks them by Sept 14, but you can’t rely on the P.O. these days….)  You can drop your ballot off locally anytime up until election day September 14, and curbside dropoff is available starting TODAY!  See below.

INDOORS DROP OFF – BALLOT RETURN & VOTING ADDRESSES
August 16 to September 14, voters can drop off ballots at the following locations. (Drop Boxes are inside office buildings.)

Click the image for a larger display, or go to the Solano County Registrar of Voters webpage for detailed information.

STARTING TODAY SEPT 9 – “CURBSIDE” DROP-OFF LOCATIONS
Sept. 9, 10, 11, 13 and 14, voters can drop off ballots “Curbside” at the following locations. (Stay in your car, hand ballot to poll workers)

Click the image for a larger display, or go to the Solano County Registrar of Voters webpage for detailed information.

ON ELECTION DAY, SEPTEMBER 14, ballots can be dropped off at any location listed above, plus the poll-place locations listed below.

Click the image for a larger display, or go to the Solano County Registrar of Voters webpage for detailed information.
Benicia CA, Contra Costa County, Coronavirus, Covid 19, San Francisco Bay Area, Solano County CA

Benicia physician Richard Fleming: Comparing Solano County’s COVID numbers to other Bay Area counties

Solano County covid-19 numbers

Benicia Nextdoor, by Dr. Richard Fleming, September 8, 2021
Dr. Richard Fleming, Benicia

There are 9 counties in the Bay Area. In 7 counties, covid-19 cases per 100K are declining. In Contra Costa, the case rate has increased by 4%. In Solano, the case rate has increased by 41%. Our case rate is 59 per 100K. The next highest in the Bay Area is 35.

As far as covid-19 hospitalizations, 4 counties are flat or declining. Solano is among the 5 counties seeing hospitalizations increasing. We now have 30 people hospitalized per 100K. The next highest county is 27. Most Bay Area counties are much lower.

The mortality rate in Solano County is 32% higher than the next highest county.

As far as vaccinations, 53% of our population is fully vaccinated. The other 8 counties range between 65% and 76%.

nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/covid-cases.html

It has been said by some that we are not like the other 8 Bay Area counties. I have to say I don’t understand that statement. As far as our covid-19 metrics, it is clearly true. But I feel Solano County should be able to counter this virus as well as our neighbors in the bay. There is no reason for us to concede that we are, for some reason, incapable of protecting ourselves as well as our peers to the south and the west.

BenIndy editor: for Solano County data, go to nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/solano-california-covid-cases.html