Weekly Roundup for February 4, 2022

New local COVID-19 case rates and hospitalizations appear to have peaked and are starting to decline, though remain at very high levels. We are still averaging more than 700 new cases per day, down from 1,200 per day in mid-January. Local hospitals and businesses are still dealing with critical staffing issues because so many workers are testing positive or caring for children who tested positive. 

Breakthrough cases in vaccinated people tend to be mild or asymptomatic; unvaccinated people are at far greater risk. Based on local data, Sonoma County residents who are unvaccinated are 16.5 times more likely to be hospitalized from COVID-19 and 13.2 times more likely to die from the virus. There were 91 COVID-related hospitalizations in the county as of Tuesday, with fifteen of those COVID patients in ICU beds. There have now been 28 COVID-related deaths since Dec. 1, with 22 reported in January.

While there are currently no plans to extend the county health order restricting large gatherings, it remains in effect until Feb. 11. Large gatherings of more than 50 spectators indoors, or more than 100 people outdoors (where social distancing is not feasible), are prohibited for the duration of the order.

Since the health order was put in place, the latest numbers show less than 20 percent of cases with a known source of transmission were due to large gatherings, compared to about 50 percent in December.

Today’s digest provides helpful and important updates on the following:

1. Joint webinars to focus on business issues, questions
2. Large vaccine clinics at Sonoma County Fairgrounds
3. What to do if you contract COVID-19
4. Vaccine & testing clinics in Sonoma County
5. Rental relief & mortgage support available
6. COVID-19 community resources & support

Weekly Briefing to Focus on Business Community Concerns

The county’s Economic Development Board will join county health leaders and the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, Feb. 9 at 3 p.m., for a joint webinar to discuss questions from the business community and address COVID-related impacts. 

The webinar will be streamed live in English on the county’s Facebook page. A Spanish version will be streamed live on Feb. 10 at 3 p.m. 

For more details, visit the county’s Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/CountyofSonoma

Pandemic-related information and resources for businesses is available here: http://sonomaedb.org/Business-Assistance/Coronavirus-Business-Resources/

Weekly Vaccine Clinics at Sonoma County Fairgrounds

The County of Sonoma has expanded access to pediatric and adult COVID-19 vaccines and boosters through a series of free large-scale weekend clinics at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. 

Up to 500 vaccines can be administered per day at these clinics, which will be held in the Garrett Building, which is on the east side of the Fairgrounds, accessible from the Brookwood Avenue entrance. 

Clinics will be on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on the following weekends:

• Feb. 5 & 6
• Feb. 12 & 13
• Feb. 19 & 20 

The eight clinics are open to everyone in the community, and families with children and those 12 years and older who still need their boosters are particularly encouraged to attend. 

Though appointments are not needed, you can guarantee a spot by signing up here:
https://myturn.ca.gov/

Vaccines are free, the clinics are open to all and proof of citizenship status is not required. 

What to Do If You Contract COVID-19

With many people testing positive these days, and with evolving federal recommendations, there is some confusion about what to do if you have contracted COVID-19. If you test positive, the first thing you should do is isolate yourself for at least five days to protect your health and avoid infecting others. 

While isolating:

• Stay in a separate room from those not infected.
• Use a separate bathroom if you can.
• Wear a mask around others, even at home, and ask others in your home to do the same.
• Use an N-95, KF-94, or a three-ply surgical mask if possible.
• Open the windows, when possible.
• If your residence has an HVAC system, make sure it has a fresh filter.

Get a test on day five, and if it is negative you can end your isolation. The California Department of Public Health recommends a rapid antigen test, not a PCR test, to determine if you can exit isolation. If you can’t get tested, you can end your isolation after 10 days if you don’t have symptoms.

If you used an at-home test, you should report the results to the county health department at (707) 565-4667. Notify close contacts that they’ve been exposed. A close contact is someone who spent at least 15 minutes over a 24-hour period within 6 feet of a person who tested positive for COVID-19.

People who are fully vaccinated do not need to quarantine unless they have symptoms after contact with someone who had COVID-19. However, fully vaccinated people should get tested five to seven days after their exposure, even if they don’t have symptoms.

Unvaccinated people should stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19. If you have symptoms, immediately self-isolate and contact your health care provider if you have trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, confusion, inability to wake or stay awake, pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds.

Learn more about home isolation instructions at SoCoEmergency.org:
https://socoemergency.org/emergency/novel-coronavirus/health-orders/home-isolation-instructions/

Local Vaccine & Testing Opportunities

Vaccination and testing clinics are being held throughout the county to serve people who do not have convenient or affordable access to healthcare providers. 

Visit the Sonoma County Office of Education to learn about clinics for students and families:
https://www.scoe.org/pub/htdocs/school_staff_immunization.html

View the county’s vaccine clinics and appointment page here:
https://socoemergency.org/emergency/novel-coronavirus/vaccine-information/clinics/

For details or appointments at COVID-19 testing clinics, including a pop-up testing calendar, please visit:
https://socoemergency.org/emergency/novel-coronavirus/testing-and-tracing/

Residents who test positive using an at-home antigen test are urged to report the result by calling the county’s COVID hotline at (707) 565-4667 (4701 in Spanish). Anyone who needs help making a vaccination or testing appointment may also contact the hotline. 

Rental Assistance & Mortgage Relief Available

Sonoma County’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program offers financial support to tenants and landlords. Apply on SoCoEmergency.org/ERAP, call 2-1-1 for an operator to assist in English and Spanish or visit the online page for a list of organizations that can assist in applying.

More information including how to apply is available here:
https://socoemergency.org/emergency/novel-coronavirus/finance-housing/housing-and-renter-support/

Additionally, California homeowners who have fallen behind on home loans can apply for a state grant to repay missed mortgage payments during the pandemic. The California Mortgage Relief Program covers past due mortgage payments with up to $80,000 per household. It’s free to enroll and funds do not need to be repaid.

Applicants can check eligibility and apply through the online portal here:
https://camortgagerelief.org/

COVID-19 Community Resources and Support

• Free COVID-19 testing is available for tribal communities at Sonoma County Indian Health Project. Call (707) 521-4500 for details.

• Listos California offers disaster preparedness information in indigenous languages at its Farmworkers Initiative webpage here:
  https://www.listoscalifornia.org/community-projects/farmworkers-initiative/ . 

• Information for Sonoma County businesses is available here:
  http://sonomaedb.org/Business-Assistance/Coronavirus/SoCo-Launch/