News Contacts: Matthew Davis, Senior Management Analyst and Public Communications Officer (707) 784-6111 | MADavis@SolanoCounty.com (AND) Jayleen Richards, Health Services Administrator, Public Health Division (707) 784-8616 | JMRichards@SolanoCounty.com
Solano County returns to Red Tier (Red Tier (2) effective March March 10, loosening restrictions for certain businesses activities
SOLANO COUNTY –– The State of California announced today that Solano County has moved from the most restrictive Purple Tier (Tier 1) to a less-restrictive Red Tier (Tier 2) of the State’s COVID-19 Blueprint for a Safer Economy. Effective Wednesday, March 10, more businesses and activities will be able to expand capacity or resume operations, including indoor services at restaurants, increased capacity at retail and shopping centers, youth sports activities and an opportunity for schools to reopen.
“The declining number of cases is great news for our community as a whole, with local businesses now able to expand operations,” said Bela T. Matyas, M.D., M.P.H. “However, it is still critical for everyone to continue to practice health and safety measures. Let us all continue to do our part to protect ourselves and others from COVID-19 infection—wear a mask, practice physical distancing, limit gatherings with others outside of the household, and get vaccinated when the vaccine is available for you.”
MOVING INTO THE RED TIER (TIER 2) ALLOWS: ◼ Restaurants indoor dining (max 25% capacity of facility or 100 people, whichever is fewer)
◼ All retail indoors (max 50% capacity of facility)
◼ Shopping centers, swap meets indoors (max 50% capacity of facility, closed common areas)
◼ Museums, zoos and aquariums (max 25% capacity of facility)
◼ Movie theaters indoors (max 25% capacity of facility or 100 people, whichever is fewer)
◼ Gyms and fitness centers indoors (max 10% capacity of facility)
◼ Schools may open while in Red Tier status and provide in-person instruction
◼ Youth sports: Outdoor low-and moderate-contact sports are permitted; outdoor high-contact sports are also permitted if state guidelines are adhered to
BUSINESSES MUST STILL IMPLEMENT STATE-MANDATED INDUSTRY GUIDANCE: Prior to opening under the Red Tier, all businesses and activities must review the State guidelines, complete a State COVID-19 general checklist and ensure a written plan is on file and available for public review. Information and resources on Guidance for Specific Industries is available on the State’s COVID-19 website at www.covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy/
WHAT CAN HAPPEN OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS To move to an even less restrictive tier, the Orange Tier (Tier 3), test positivity rates and additional metrics must continue to improve for two consecutive weeks. If Solano County residents and businesses continue to make progress in preventing COVID-19 transmission, additional business sectors and indoor activities can progressively begin to open, with modifications.
VACCINATED SECTORS IN SOLANO COUNTY
Nearly 90,000 people have been vaccinated and more than 30,000 have received two doses, including the healthcare and emergency services sectors, individuals 65 years of age and older, childcare workers, teachers and school employees, food and agricultural workers.
NOTIFICATION ABOUT UPCOMING VACCINE CLINICS
Solano Public Health urges Solano County residents to register on both the Solano County Vaccine Interest Form and on the State’s MyTurn system to be pre-screened and notified of opportunities to receive a vaccine when it is their turn. Register for the Vaccine Interest Form by visiting bit.ly/solanovax or by calling (707) 784-8988. Register on the State’s MyTurn notification system by visiting https://MyTurn.Ca.Gov or by calling (833) 422-4255.
COVID-19 INFORMATION
For the most recent local COVID-19 health information, including the number of COVID-19 cases and to register for vaccination in Solano County, visit the Solano County website at www.SolanoCounty.com/COVID19 and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SolanoCountyPH (@SolanoCountyPH).
COVID is still spreading and dangerous in Solano County – get vaccinated, stay safe! (See Solano vaccine and/or PlanYourVaccine.)
Monday, March 8: 99 new Solano cases overnight, no new deaths. Since February 2020: 30,404 cases, over 930 hospitalized, 167 deaths.Compare previous report, Friday, March 5:Summary
CASES – Solano County reported 99 new cases overnight, a total of 30,404 cases since the outbreak started.
DEATHS – the County reported no new deaths today. A total of 167 Solano residents have died with COVID since the pandemic began. In January-February, Solano recorded 66 coronavirus deaths, fully 40% of Solano’s COVID deaths to date! While many other COVID stats are improving, the recent surge in deaths is no doubt the final sad result of our holiday surge and the Super Bowl.
ACTIVE cases – Solano reported 86 fewer active cases today, a total of 190 active cases. Compare: Solano’s average number of Active Cases last October was 284, average in November was 650, in December 1,658, in January 2,185, then in February down to 481 and TODAY we are at 190. Much better – but note that’s still a bunch of contagious folks somewhere among us, nearly 200 of them, hopefully quarantined and staying away from grandma and grandpa!
HOSPITALIZATIONS – Today, Solano reported 8 fewer currently hospitalized cases, total of 22. The County reported no new hospitalizations among the age groups, a total of 930 hospitalized in all age groups since the pandemic began. [For the numbers used in my manual calculation of total hospitalizations, see age group stats below.
ICU BEDS – In late January, Solano hospitals expanded their ICU capacity. Even with the expanded ICU capacity, Solano County has continued to fall in and out of the YELLOW DANGER ZONE. Back in the green zone today, the County reported 38% of ICU beds available today up from 28% Friday. California’s COVID19-CA.GOV reports that Solano County had 15 available ICU beds yesterday, March 7. (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.)
VENTILATORS available – Today Solano hospitals have 72% of ventilators available, same as Friday, and nearing last summer’s reports of 82-94% available.
Positive Test Rate and our Purple/Red Tier rating
Solano County is reporting that our positive test rate today is 6.7%, up from Friday’s 6.2%. Our 14-day average positive test rate is 6.0% according to my own calculation. The much lower and more stable California 7-day average test rate was at 2.1% today, same as Friday.
>> Tier Rating: Reports suggest that Solano may move down into the red tier as soon as tomorrow. Before dropping to a lower tier, the State requires a county to maintain a positive test rate at or below 8% AND an ADJUSTED case rate at or below 10 new cases per day per 100,000 residents for two consecutive weeks. Solano’s 14-day average positive test rate meets that standard, at 6.0% by my calculation (and maybe even lower by some formula used by the state), and our adjusted case rate is also within the red tier range, at 7.7 per day over the last two weeks (as of 3/2) according to COVID.CA.GOV. Recent news is that the state will lower the adjusted case rate standard to 7% soon, which would certainly clinch Solano’s movement to the red tier.
By Age Group
Youth 17 and under – 23 new cases overnight, total of 3,561 cases, representing 11.7% of the 30,404 total cases. No new hospitalizations were reported today among this very young age group, total of 19 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 remained at over 11% since September 30. Youth are 22% of Solano’s general population, so this 11% may seem low. The significance is this: youth are SERIOUSLY NOT IMMUNE (!) – in fact at least 19 of our youth have been hospitalized since the outbreak began.
Persons 18-49 years of age – 52 new cases overnight, total of 16,786 cases. This age group is 41% of the population in Solano, but represents 55.2% of the total cases, by far the highest percentage of all age groups. The County reported no new hospitalizations among persons in this age group today. A total of 258 are reported to have been hospitalized since the outbreak began. Solano recorded no new deaths in this young group today, total of 10 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 – 9 new cases overnight, total of 6,337 cases. This age group represents 20.9% of the 30,404 total cases. A hospitalized and deceased member of this age group was moved to the 65+ age group today. A new total of 248 are reported to have been hospitalized since the outbreak began. Deaths reported in this age group now total 26.
Persons 65 years or older – 15 new cases overnight, total of 3,709, representing 12.2% of Solano’s 30,404 total cases. A hospitalized and deceased member of the 50-64 age group was moved to this 65+ age group today. A new total of 405 are reported to have been hospitalized since the outbreak began. Deaths reported among our elders in this age group now total 131, accounting for 78%of Solano’s 167 total deaths.
City Data
Beniciaadded 2 new cases overnight, total of 859 cases since the outbreak began.
Dixon remained steady today, total of 1,768 cases.
Fairfield added 45 new cases overnight, total of 8,290 cases.
Rio Vista remained steady today, total of 332 cases.
Suisun City remained steady today, total of 2,054 cases.
Vacaville added 22 new cases overnight, total of 7,976 cases.
Vallejoadded 29 new cases overnight, total of 9,032 cases.
Unincorporated areas remained steady today, total of 92 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.
Asian Americans are 14% of Solano’s population, and account for 14% of cases, 15% of hospitalizations, and 19% of deaths.
Black Americans are 14% of Solano’s population, and account for 12% of cases, but 17% of hospitalizations, and 20% of deaths.
Latinx Americans are 26% of Solano’s population, but account for 32% of cases and 30% of hospitalizations, and 18% of deaths.
Multi-race / Others are 7% of Solano’s population, but account for 13% of cases, 8% of hospitalizations, and 7% of deaths.
White Americans are 39% of the population in Solano County, but account for only 29% of cases, 30% of hospitalizations, and 36% of deaths.
Friday, March 5: 43 new Solano cases overnight, 2 new deaths. Since February 2020: 30,305 cases, over 930 hospitalized, 167 deaths.Compare previous report, Thursday, March 4:Summary
CASES – Solano County reported 43 new cases overnight, a total of 30,305 cases since the outbreak started.
DEATHS – the County reported 2 new deaths today, both over 65 years of age. A total of 167 Solano residents have died with COVID since the pandemic began. In January-February, Solano recorded 66 coronavirus deaths, fully 40% of Solano’s COVID deaths to date! While many other COVID stats are improving, the recent surge in deaths is no doubt the final sad result of our holiday surge and the Super Bowl.
ACTIVE cases – Solano reported 4 fewer active cases today, a total of 276 active cases. Compare: Solano’s average number of Active Cases last October was 284, average in November was 650, in December 1,658, in January 2,185, then in February down to 481 and TODAY we are at 276. Much better – but note that’s still a bunch of contagious folks somewhere among us, nearly 300 of them, hopefully quarantined and staying away from grandma and grandpa!
HOSPITALIZATIONS – Today, Solano reported 2 more currently hospitalized cases, total of 30. The County reported no new hospitalizations among the age groups, a total of 930 hospitalized in all age groups since the pandemic began. [For the numbers used in my manual calculation of total hospitalizations, see age group stats below.
ICU BEDS – In late January, Solano hospitals expanded their ICU capacity. Even with the expanded ICU capacity, Solano County has continued to fall in and out of the YELLOW DANGER ZONE. Back in the YELLOW DANGER ZONE today, the County reported 28% of ICU beds available today down from 38% yesterday. California’s COVID19-CA.GOV reports that Solano County had 16 available ICU beds yesterday, March 4. (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.)
VENTILATORS available – Today Solano hospitals have 72% of ventilators available, up from 65% yesterday, but still substantially lower than last summer’s reports of 82-94% available.
Positive Test Rate and our Purple/Red Tier rating
Solano County is reporting that our positive test rate today is 6.2%, up slightly from yesterday’s 6.1%. Our 14-day average positive test rate is 6.6% according to my own calculation. The much lower and more stable California 7-day average test rate was at 2.1% today, same as yesterday.
>> Tier Rating: Reports suggest that Solano may move down into the red tier as soon as next week. Before dropping to a lower tier, the State requires a county to maintain a positive test rate at or below 8% AND an ADJUSTED case rate at or below 10 new cases per day per 100,000 residents for two consecutive weeks. Solano’s 14-day average positive test rate meets that standard, at 6.6% by my calculation (and maybe even lower by some formula used by the state), and our adjusted case rate is also within the red tier range, at 7.7 per day over the last two weeks according to COVID.CA.GOV. News this week is that the state will lower the adjusted case rate standard to 7% soon, which would certainly clinch Solano’s movement to the red tier.
By Age Group
Youth 17 and under – 7 new cases overnight, total of 3,538 cases, representing 11.7% of the 30,305 total cases. No new hospitalizations were reported today among this very young age group, total of 19 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 remained at over 11% since September 30. Youth are 22% of Solano’s general population, so this 11% may seem low. The significance is this: youth are SERIOUSLY NOT IMMUNE (!) – in fact at least 19 of our youth have been hospitalized since the outbreak began.
Persons 18-49 years of age – 27 new cases overnight, total of 16,734 cases. This age group is 41% of the population in Solano, but represents 55.2% of the total cases, by far the highest percentage of all age groups. The County reported no new hospitalizations among persons in this age group today. A total of 258 are reported to have been hospitalized since the outbreak began. Solano recorded no new deaths in this young group today, total of 10 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 – 7 new cases overnight, total of 6,328 cases. This age group represents 20.9% of the 30,305 total cases. The County reported no new hospitalizations among persons in this age group today, a total of 249 reported to have been hospitalized since the outbreak began. No new deaths reported in this age group today, a total of 27 deaths.
Persons 65 years or older – 2 new cases overnight, total of 3,694, representing 12.2% of Solano’s 30,305 total cases. The County reported no new hospitalizations among persons in this age group today, a total of 404 hospitalized since the outbreak began. 2 new deaths were reported in this age group today. A total of 130 of our elders have died of COVID, accounting for 78%of Solano’s 167 total deaths.
City Data
Beniciaadded 1 new case overnight, total of 857 cases since the outbreak began.
Dixon remained steady today, total of 1,768 cases.
Fairfield added 16 new cases overnight, total of 8,245 cases.
Rio Vista remained steady today, total of 332 cases.
Suisun City added 1 new case overnight, total of 2,054 cases.
Vacaville added 9 new cases overnight, total of 7,954 cases.
Vallejoadded 15 new cases overnight, total of 9,003 cases.
Unincorporated areas added 1 new case overnight, total of 92 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 a MAJOR CHANGE in the County’s reporting on race / ethnicity this week. Prior this week, we were sure that the County data undercounts Latinx Americans, as there was a much larger group of “Multirace / Others” which likely was composed mostly of Latinx members of our communities. On Monday, the County’s Latinx numbers were virtually reversed with those of Multirace / Other, and the re-sorting by race and ethnicity continued until today.(The new data is most likely a revision based on a new reading of the old data.)Note that the remaining members of the Multirace/Other group are still undoubtedly primarily Latinx. So this week’s jump in Latinx numbers are STILL likely undercounting the harsh effects of COVID among our Latinx community. Worst case, if you were to assume ALL of the Multirace/Others are Latinx and add the stats for the two groups, you would see that this combined 33% of Solano’s population accounts for 45% of cases, 38% of hospitalizations and only 25% of deaths.
Asian Americans are 14% of Solano’s population, and account for 14% of cases, 15% of hospitalizations, and 19% of deaths.
Black Americans are 14% of Solano’s population, and account for 12% of cases, but 17% of hospitalizations, and 20% of deaths.
Latinx Americans are 26% of Solano’s population, but account for 32% of cases, 30% of hospitalizations, and 18% of deaths.
Multi-race / Others are 7% of Solano’s population, but account for 13% of cases(unchanged), 8% of hospitalizations, and 7% of deaths.
White Americans are 39% of the population in Solano County, but only account for 29% of cases, 30% of hospitalizations, and 36% of deaths.
By Roger Straw, March 5, 2021
Roger Straw, The Benicia Independent
I’m fascinated by yesterday’s mysterious news reports that some California Counties will move from COVID purple tier to red tier more quickly and easily, based somehow on the number of vaccinations administered.
Today’s article (below) in the Vallejo Times-Herald answers some of the mystery, but leaves at least one huge question mark for those of us who live in Solano County.
The State’s new standards include two changes. In summary:
a general loosening of the 2-week average “adjusted case count” – from 7 cases per 100,000 residents to an easier to reach 10 cases per 100,000. This standard will be triggered only when…
…only when the State reaches its goal – likely next week – of distributing 2 million vaccine doses to residents of census tracts that rank in the bottom 25% of a health equity metric known as the California Healthy Places Index . This includes 400 California zip codes.
The Times-Herald story names Bay Area locations included in the 400 zip codes without mentioning any in Solano County. My hunch is that there ARE zips in Solano, but the South Bay author didn’t think to include anything in the North Bay.
AND… then the article goes on to say, “The looser standards probably won’t immediately affect Alameda, Santa Cruz and Solano counties, which already are on pace to enter the red tier next week.”
How, exactly, Solano County is already on pace to enter the red tier is not explained here. Nor is it explained by my own calculations of Solano’s daily case rate over the past 2 weeks. From yesterday’s BenIndy update:
Before dropping to a lower tier, the State requires a county to maintain a positive test rate at or below 8% AND a case rate at or below 31 new cases per day for two consecutive weeks. Solano’s positive rate meets that 2-week standard, at 7.2% as of today, but our new case rate, by my calculation, was at 40.9 per day over the last two weeks.
So the solution to the mystery has to do with my too simple calculation of average daily case rate, based on the daily Solano COVID-19 Dashboard reports. The State relies on an “adjusted case rate” based on new cases PER 100,000 residents. So if 449,432 of us (2020 population used by Solano County) are averaging 42 cases per day, that would mean only 9.3 cases are being reported per 100,000 of us. It would be really nice if the County would add that calculation to its daily Dashboard update. (Maybe it’s shown somewhere on COVID.CA.GOV? …UPDATE: Yes, I found it on COVID.CA.GOV, and embedded it here on BenIndy – see COVID-19 CASES PER 100,000 BY CA COUNTY. Solano is shown at 8.2 cases per 100,000 as of March 2.)
Mystery solved? Well, not if we are still under the OLD state standard of 7 cases per 100,000, which is only scheduled to lift next week, and then only if 400 zips are vaccinated at a good clip. Not sure how the author below has us moving to red tier next week regardless of the new standards.
Here’s the Times-Herald story with all the details:
How California’s new COVID vaccine strategy could let the Bay Area reopen sooner
Vallejo Times-Herald, By Nico Savidge, March 4, 2021
REDWOOD CITY, CA – FEBRUARY 24: Anthony Garcia returns to indoor workouts for the first time in months at 24 Hour Fitness in Redwood City, Calif., Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, after San Mateo County moved into the red tier. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
Counties across California likely will be allowed to ease restrictions on businesses and activities more quickly in the coming weeks as part of an accelerated reopening strategy state officials announced in tandem with a new policy targeting vaccine supplies to hard-hit communities.
In the Bay Area, the change could mean Contra Costa County will join Alameda, Santa Cruz and Solano counties in leaving the most-restrictive stage of the state’s coronavirus regulations as soon as next week.
And other Bay Area counties that have already graduated out of the “purple” tier, as the tightest limits are known, could in the near future have a quicker path to adopting even less-restrictive rules.
State officials late Wednesday announced a new strategy of reserving 40% of COVID-19 vaccine doses for less-wealthy neighborhoods that have borne a disproportionate share of coronavirus cases and deaths.
As those shots are delivered, they plan to relax standards for moving through the color-coded system that regulates activities such as indoor dining, youth sports and the size of gatherings in each of California’s 58 counties — though they stressed that the state will still have some of the tightest COVID-19 restrictions in the country.
“As we achieve higher levels of vaccine in our hardest-hit communities, we feel more confident that more activities can occur,” Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly said on a briefing call with reporters Thursday. But, he added, “We will keep our foot on the brake, not on the gas.”
Dr. Arthur Reingold, division head of epidemiology and biostatistics at UC Berkeley, said the strategy is “probably fair and reasonable.”
“But I would also say we have to wait and see how things go,” Reingold added.
The new standards would allow counties to move out of the purple tier and into the less-restrictive red tier — which allows for indoor activities at restaurants, gyms and other establishments — if they record an adjusted case rate of less than 10 cases per 100,000 residents per day for two straight weeks. The current threshold is 7 cases; state data showed Contra Costa County had a case rate of 9.5 this week.
The state will adopt the more generous standard once it has distributed 2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to residents of census tracts that rank in the bottom quarter of a health equity metric known as the California Healthy Places Index. The index grades census tracts based on income, education levels, health care access and other factors.
About 8 million people statewide live in the census tracts, which are spread across about 400 ZIP codes and include much of East San Jose, East and West Oakland and parts of Richmond, Gilroy, Antioch and Pittsburg. They also include wide swaths of the Central Valley and less-wealthy areas in Southern California.
As of Thursday, Ghaly said the state already has distributed about 1.6 million doses and estimated it will hit the 2 million mark “sometime in the next week or two.”
If that happens on Tuesday or later, and Contra Costa County’s case rate remains below 10, the county would advance into the red tier automatically. Without the new rules, the county would have to get its case rate below 7 for two straight weeks to move forward. A spokesman said the county is reviewing the new criteria.
The strategy likely will have a far bigger impact in Southern California and the Central Valley, where the tightest limits remain in effect for nearly every county.
The looser standards probably won’t immediately affect Alameda, Santa Cruz and Solano counties, which already are on pace to enter the red tier next week. Same with Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco and Marin counties, which have all entered that stage over the past two weeks.
But the new rules could affect those counties in the near future: Once the state distributes another 2 million doses to the residents of those poorer, at-risk communities, for a total of 4 million, Ghaly said officials would further loosen the guidelines for entering the orange and yellow stages, which allow many more activities.
Under the orange tier, small amusement parks can reopen, along with outdoor bars, breweries and wineries that don’t provide food service, and indoor “family entertainment centers” such as bowling alleys.
Ghaly did not say precisely how the criteria for those two tiers would change or how long it could take for the state to distribute the additional 2 million doses. Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday that California expects to receive a total of about 1.6 million doses next week, though some is earmarked for teachers and school staff. Supplies are expected to increase over the coming weeks and months.
The move to ease California’s standards is a far cry from states such as Texas that have dropped restrictions altogether, said University of California, San Francisco, epidemiologist Dr. George Rutherford.
“Prudence is their middle name in the governor’s office and the secretary’s office,” Rutherford said.
You must be logged in to post a comment.