Tag Archives: Coronavirus COVID 19

Coronavirus, Covid 19, Solano County CA

Solano County stay-at-home extension order less restrictive than multi-county Bay Area extension order

By Roger Straw, April 3, 2020

On March 30, 2020, Solano County extended it’s COVID-19 shelter-at-home order through April 30.  The next day, on March 31, six of the San Francisco Bay Area’s nine counties joined in a similar order, extending the shelter-at-home order until May 3, and adding new requirements and restrictions.

Many thanks to Benicia resident Ralph Dennis, who responded to my request for a comparison of Solano County’s extension order with the multi-county Bay Area extension order.

Here is Ralph’s analysis:

The multi-county Bay Area shelter-in-place extension includes at least 7 new directives that are not specified in Solano County’s April 30th extension order.  The Solano order does not specifically state the following closures and restrictions:

    • playgrounds
    • dog parks
    • use of shared public recreational facilities
    • sports such as soccer
    • most residential/commercial construction
    • funerals limited to 10 people
    • food take out businesses must have social distancing protocols
    • essential businesses must scale down

The multi-county Bay Area extension also lists certain businesses considered essential that do not appear in the Solano County order:

    • service providers enabling residential transactions
    • funeral homes/cemeteries
    • moving companies
    • rental car companies
    • ride share services

While none of these “essential businesses” are explicitly named in the Solano County directive, they could be implied in paragraph 1.b.i., “All services needed to ensure the…health, safety and welfare of the public.”

#Masks4All, Coronavirus, Covid 19

Good advice from the Czech Republic: How to Significantly Slow Coronavirus? #Masks4All

Sent to Benicia independent by a Facebook friend…

A KEY ARGUMENT FOR USING HOMEMADE MASKS: Homemade masks are partly effective in individual protection, but they are essential for slowing the spread of the virus in the population. The main outcome of our studies was that they stop around 95-100% of viruses that people emitting by your breath, sneezing, and coughing. People are the most contagious first days without symptoms, that’s why we need masks for all.
.
We have successfully tested the hypothesis at two main technical universities and it is highly recommended by a team of experts COVID CZECH under the coordination of the president of Czech Technical University in Prague. The team consists of a virologist, epidemiologist, doctors with specialization in population protection, chemists, and physicist with specialization if filtration. This group is an advisory expert group for the Czech government in Prague. Now it is obligatory to wear masks in the whole country.
.
Please share and help to spread the key message that can save lives and slow the pandemic. #Masks4All: “I protect you, you protect me.”
.
OUR LATEST RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PUBLIC: https://masks4all.org/
.
— Useful links:
– Tutorial how to do a homemade mask: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNjpH…
– Another tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qpcn…
.
— Scientific Studies
– “We conclude that population-wide use of face masks could make an important contribution in delaying an influenza pandemic. Mask use also reduces the reproduction number, possibly even to levels sufficient for containing an influenza outbreak.” Brienen, Nicole CJ, et al. “The effect of mask use on the spread of influenza during a pandemic.” Risk Analysis: An International Journal 30.8 (2010): 1210-1218.”
– “Any type of general mask use is likely to decrease viral exposure and infection risk on a population level, in spite of imperfect fit and imperfect adherence, personal respirators providing most protection.” – van der Sande, M., Teunis, P., & Sabel, R. (2008). Professional and home-made face masks reduce exposure to respiratory infections among the general population. PLoS One, 3(7).
– Effectiveness of masks compared to respirators: Davies, A., Thompson, K. A., Giri, K., Kafatos, G., Walker, J., & Bennett, A. (2013). Testing the efficacy of homemade masks: would they protect in an influenza pandemic?. Disaster medicine and public health preparedness, 7(4), 413-418. PDF: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/…
– “However, during a severe pandemic when use of face masks might be greater, pandemic transmission in households could be reduced.” MacIntyre, C. R., Cauchemez, S., Dwyer, D. E., Seale, H., Cheung, P., Browne, G., … & Ferguson, N. (2009). Face mask use and control of respiratory virus transmission in households. Emerging infectious diseases, 15(2), 233. – https://www.researchgate.net/figure/F…
.
— Credits (everyone was working for free on this project):
– Authors: Petr Ludwig, Aneta Kernova
– The main actress: Aneta Kernova
ANETA KERNOVA is an actress and director from the Czech Republic. Her first American debut was a leading role in the well-known Wilma Theater in Philadelphia. There she played a Czech Refugee in ADAPT! Aneta is a singer, traveler, dancer, photographer and artistic director of VEKK production – an independent, international company dealing with art… [Source: IMDb » ]

– Animations: www.motionhouse.cz
– Camera: Lubomír Krupka
– Sound and postproduction: BeLoud Studios (Bojan Bojic)
– The venue: WeWork Prague
– English subtitles by www.easytalk.cz
– License: Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed)

Coronavirus, Covid 19, Pacific Gas & Electric (PGE)

PG&E customers to receive climate credit reducing April bills

PGE News Release, April 2, 2020

PG&E Residential Customers Will Receive State-Mandated Climate Credit Reducing April Bills

Helps Residential Customers Under Stay-at-Home Orders Who May Be Using more Energy to Receive Lower Bills

Up to $63 Credit to Benefit Residential Customers during Covid-19 Pandemic

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Pacific Gas and Electric Company residential customers will receive the California Climate Credit on their bills during the April billing cycle. The credit totals $62.91 for PG&E residential customers receiving both natural gas and electric service. For natural gas-only residential customers the credit will be $27.18, and for electric-only residential customers the credit will be $35.73.

This credit is especially timely given that many residential customers under stay-at-home orders may be using more energy than usual, which could increase their energy bills…. [continued – PDF news release]

Coronavirus, Covid 19, Solano County CA

First coronavirus death of a Solano County resident

Solano County Press Release, April 2, 2020

First Coronavirus death of a Solano County resident

April 2, 2020

SOLANO COUNTY – Solano County Public Health officials confirmed today the first Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) death of a Solano County resident. The County resident was 85 years of age or older who recently traveled out of the country and had multiple severe underlying health conditions. Solano Public Health will not release additional demographic data about the patient, including age, gender or city.

“Solano Public Health extends our deepest condolences to the patient’s loved ones in the wake of this tragedy,” says County Health Officer Bela Matyas, M.D., M.P.H.  “We strongly recommend that all Solano County residents, workers, students, and visitors take the necessary precautions to protect themselves against the novel coronavirus. Solano Public Health will continue to work with local, state, federal and community partners to prevent future cases and educate those in Solano County about how to avoid contracting COVID-19.”

In Solano County, there are 61 confirmed cases of COVID-19.  More than two-thirds (69 percent) of COVID-19 cases are individuals 19-64 years of age and nearly one third of cases (31 percent) are age 65 years and older. Earlier this week, Solano County Public Health Officials extended the County’s shelter at home health order and directive through April 30, 2020.

Solano Public Health recommends everyone follow these simple, daily social-distancing and hygiene best-practices to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and respiratory disease in our community, including: avoid public gatherings, avoid all non-essential travel, keep a six-foot distance between yourself and others, wash your hands often with soap and water, stay home when you are sick and get a flu shot.  For a complete list of do’s and don’ts during the pandemic, visit https://Covid19.Ca.Gov.

For more information on COVID-19, including community resources, number of COVID-19 cases, essential vs. non-essential functions, food, employment, healthcare and frequently asked questions, visit www.SolanoCounty.com/PublicHealth, call the Coronavirus warmline, Monday – Friday between 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. at (707) 784-8988, email Covid19@SolanoCounty.com and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SolanoCountyPH.