The Solano County drive-thru COVID-19 testing site is now expanding appointments to include essential employees who are currently ill and whose symptoms are consistent with COVID-19 (including fever, cough, chills, and body aches). Individuals must also live and/or work in Solano County. Testing is not available for those who do not have COVID-19 symptoms at this time.
Essential employees include, but are not limited to, employees in the following settings:
Grocery stores, food banks, restaurants, and food delivery
Gas stations and auto-repair facilities
Transportation providers
Childcare facilities
Water, sewer, solid waste, gas, and electrical operations
Mailing and shipping services
Banks
Hardware stores, warehouses, and distribution centers
Construction
Laundry service
Telecommunications, internet, and media services
Testing is by appointment only and a valid ID or verification of ID is needed. You can call 707.784.8655 to make an appointment, please do not leave a message. The phone line is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. until all appointment slots are filled. There is no cost for this testing. Testing consists of a self-administered nasal swab, and results can be expected in 1-3 days.
This testing site also continues to remain open to healthcare workers and first responders who are ill (by appointment only).
Positive coronavirus figures in Solano County are expected to rise but there’s no cause for alarm, as the numbers merely reflect an increase in testing.
Dr. Bela Matyas, Solano County Health
So explained Dr. Bela Matyas with Solano Public Health Tuesday as he addressed the county’s Board of Supervisors.
In his update, Matyas talked about recently-released data that shows a breakdown of coronavirus cases by city. Those with 10 or more show exact figures, those with less do not. As of Tuesday, two related deaths have been reported.
“The coronavirus continues to spread but the impact on our hospitals have so far been substantial but not overwhelming,” he advised, adding that there are “lots of ICU beds, lots of ventilators.”
The stay at home order issued in March appears to be working, he continued, but more must be done.
“We have to stay the course if we want this approach to work. We have to do this for as long as necessary,” he said. “The most critical of all this is protecting the most vulnerable.”
The latter has been defined as the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions.
Matyas guesstimated the virus peaking around late April to mid May.
Though the worst is expected to be over at that time, risks will remain and the virus will still exist.
“It may be substantially longer before we can consider us through the outbreak and see it behind us,” he clarified.
Drive-through coronavirus testing is expected to begin today at the Solano County Fairgrounds in Vallejo. First responders and healthcare workers only will be eligible for the test. Any remaining kits will be made available at a later date to other essential workers.
In other matters, an emergency grant from the state slated to go towards aiding homeless clients regarding COVID-19 prevention and containment efforts caused tension amongst the board.
At issue was the COVID-19 Emergency Homeless grant award agreement, which offered $206,370 from the California Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council.
The board needed to approve receipt of the funding, which would then “be provided as a non-county contribution to Community Action Partnership (CAP) Solano Joint Powers Authority,” slated to coordinate emergency COVID-19 efforts (a 4/5 vote required). The board’s approval would also authorize the county administrator to execute the agreement and subsequent agreements/amendments with the grantor to facilitate acceptance of the award.
Supervisor Skip Thomson adamantly refused to support the funding being placed in the hands of CAP Solano.
“I don’t think they’ve done a good job, to be honest,” he said, adding that the money could be better spent on four portable wash/restroom stations at a cost of about $50,000 each.
It would address hygiene issues, he said, pointing out that, with restroom facilities at fast food eateries, coffee shops, parks and more now closed, homeless residents have made bushes their new lavatories. That, he said, will soon become a public health crisis.
The mobile units could be deployed to Vallejo, Fairfield, Vacaville and other locales on a rotating basis, Thomson said, and also be used in conjunction with the Office of Emergency Services in the case of a natural disaster or other emergency.
Supervisor Jim Spering said he needed more information before supporting the mobile stations, but agreed with Thomson regarding CAP Solano. What assurances are there that the money will be spent where it’s supposed to be, he asked.
Chairwoman Erin Hannigan said a delayed decision regarding the funding could hurt the homeless now, as help is needed now.
Following much discussion, a motion to go forward with Thomson’s mobile wash station failed 2-3, with Hannigan, Spering and John Vasques dissenting.
The original motion also failed, 1-4, with Monica Brown, Spering, Vasquez and Thomson all dissenting.
A third and final motion to, among other things, accept the agreement regarding the funding, have staff return with more information regarding the mobile wash stations and hold an emergency board meeting Tuesday passed unanimously.
Solano County Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Updates and Resources, April 1, 2020. Check out basic information in this screenshot. IMPORTANT:Note the County’s interactive page has more. On the County website, you can click on “Number of cases” and then hover over the charts for detailed information.
Last report (Monday, April 6):
Summary:
Solano County reported 11 NEW POSITIVE CASES today – total is now 99. One new deaths in Solano County – total of 2.
As of today, 1 new non-severe positive case was a young person under 19 years of age; 73 of the cases were individuals between the ages of 19 and 64, and 25 were 65 were older. The new death was among the 19-64 year age group.
Only 33 of the 99 are active cases (2 fewer than yesterday), and 27 of the total cases have resulted in hospitalizations (3 more than previously reported).
CITY DATA: Vallejo added 5 cases, total of 33; Fairfield added 2 cases, total of 28; and Vacaville added 3 cases, total of 17. Smaller cities are not assigned numerical data: all show <10 (less than 10). NOTE that 1 new case must have come from one of our four smaller cities or unincorporated areas, all showing <10. Residents and city officials have been pressuring County officials for city case counts for the past two weeks. Today’s data is welcome, but incomplete.
TESTING seems to be minimal in Solano County and most recently somewhat on the decline.
Most recent (updated) numbers for specimens collected are:
1 on Sunday, April 5
5 on Saturday, April 4
6 on Friday, April 3
7 on Thursday, April 2.
Solano’s steep upward curve
The chart above gives a clear picture of the infection’s trajectory in Solano County. Our coronavirus curve is on a steep uphill climb!
Solano County reported 15 new COVID-19 infections on Monday, bringing the county’s total number of Novel Coronavirus cases to 88.
Officials began posting data on the number of cases in each Solano County city. Officials had originally resisted providing that information, arguing it violated the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
The city of Vallejo has the most COVID-19 cases at 28, closely followed by Fairfield’s 26. Vacaville has 14 reported infections, while the cities of Benicia, Dixon, Rio Vista, Suisun City, and unincorporated areas of the county all had less than 10 cases, according to the county.
Office of Emergency Services Manager Don Ryan said by phone Monday that the county will begin testing first responders and medical personnel at the Solano County Fairgrounds on Wednesday.
He stressed that the testing is not open to the general public, noting that tests for the public may begin next week, depending on supplies and the availability of personnel.
Ryan said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided the county with about 2,500 testing kits. The goal is test the medical personnel and first responders through Friday, he said.
“Of course, since they interact with the public so much, we want to make sure they are not spreading it,” he said.
Ryan said he hopes to test about 250 each day.
Vallejo Mayor Bob Sampayan said by phone on Monday said the testing was “sorely needed.”
“I’m thankful they are doing this,” he added.
County officials reported last week that an 85-year-old person was the first confirmed death associated with COVID-19.
They said the individual had recently traveled outside the country and had multiple severe underlying health conditions.
A bulk of the total cases, 64, are considered “non-severe,” according to the county. For this designation, there are 51 cases for individuals between the ages of 19 and 64, and 13 for persons 65 and older.
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