LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors received a more hopeful report from county health officials on Tuesday about improving conditions with regard to COVID-19, but the supervisors still decided to keep their chambers closed to in-person participation during meetings for another week.
“Things are looking a little better than they have in the last several weeks,” Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace told the board.
Sarah Marikos, the county’s epidemiologist, said California’s 14-day positivity rate has declined since the start of the year. “It’s telling us that the virus is decreasing throughout the state.”
She said the state’s case curve is starting to go down. California also is at the top of the curve and trending downward as far as hospitalizations, but it’s still a significantly higher number than in the summer.
Over the previous seven days, Lake County has had six to eight of its eight intensive care unit beds occupied, with between 43 to 71 percent of the patients having COVID-19. Patient numbers over the previous three days had been the lowest seen in some time, she said.
Marikos said the number of deaths is still increasing, with more than 37,000 Californians having died so far of COVID-19.
In Lake County, of the 32 deaths so far, 64 percent were age 70 and older, 27 percent were 60 to 69 years of age, and 9 percent were under age 60, Marikos said.
In the last seven days the county had identified 93 new cases, compared to 300 the previous week, she explained. About 83 new cases had been reported this week.
Marikos said the county has seen a slight increase in cases among children from birth to age 14, and a slight decrease in cases in those age 65 and older, trends she’s continuing to watch.
Pace said he’s hoping that the county is starting to see a positive turn. He also pointed out that intensive care unit capacity in the Bay Area is starting to loosen up, which is beneficial for Lake County since that’s where patients tend to be transported for higher levels of care.
He explained that with the officials lifting regional stay at home orders for the rest of the state, they are getting back to where Lake County has been all along, as it is part of the Northern California region that’s not dropped below the 15-percent ICU availability that triggered the stay at home orders.
Pace said there are a couple of different COVID-19 variants that are showing up in Lake County and in California. So far, they don’t know whether the variants are more contagious or have a more serious impact on people.
Marikos said epidemiologists are watching as the variants become increasingly prevalent around the state to gauge if they are in fact more infectious or contagious and how that will affect ICU capacity.
“Basically the variant is a little bit of a curveball,” Pace said. “We don't know exactly what it's going to mean for us down the road but it’s definitely something we’re all watching.”
He acknowledged that he’s seeing a lot of questions about the vaccine. “It’s a very confusing situation.”
Pace said people can call the 211 information line for updates and visit the Lake County Public Health website vaccine page.
He said the county continues to receive a small amount of vaccine, averaging 400 doses a week, although this week they received an 800-dose allocation. They’re working to distribute the doses quickly in order of tiers set out by the state.
Public appointments are not available and he encouraged people to contact their health care providers for information on when they can receive the vaccine. He asked that people no longer contact senior centers, which have been overwhelmed with calls.
He estimated that about 3,000 Lake County residents have received the vaccine so far, which is just under 5 percent of the population. Referring to infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci’s estimated vaccination rate needed in order to get herd immunity – which Fauci has said is about 90 percent – Pace said it would take Lake County 20 months if it continues to receive the same dose amounts.
Supervisor Jessica Pyska pointed out that the nation’s estimated number of vaccinations so far is at about 3 percent, close to Lake County’s rate.
Pyska asked Pace about masking and if everyone should be using N95 masks if possible. He said N95 masks are the most effective.
While urging people to avoid being out in public as much as possible – explaining that they’re likely to encounter the virus out in the community – he said wearing an N95 mask offers much more protection than a surgical mask, and surgical masks offer much more protection than no masks.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is starting to come out with recommendations on double masking as double masking is believed to have increased protection, Pace said.
He suggested avoiding stores during the busy hours and waiting until March or April to pursue other activities in the community.
Pyska asked about the coming fire season and the ability of community members to be able to be out to safely do cleanup and vegetation management.
Pace said that with some precautions, being outdoors for such work “is pretty darn safe.”
During the discussion, Pace said Lake County needs to fall below 42 new cases a week to have current restrictions eased. He estimated that could happen by the end of February.
Asked by a community member about the county’s plan for ramping up if more vaccine becomes available, County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson said, “It’s a work in progress. We recognize the need. We’re working very closely with Dr. Pace to prepare for putting those resources in place.”
However, Huchingson said they don’t yet have specific numbers because the flow of vaccines to Lake County has so far not been consistent.
In response to questions from Board Chair Bruno Sabatier about the numbers of residents needing to be vaccinated, Pace explained that herd immunity only works if people are vaccinated. If 40 percent of the population declines vaccination the county won’t get to herd immunity.
In related news, the board reached consensus on Tuesday to continue to keep the board chambers closed for in-person participation by the public for the time being due to the COVID-19 case rate and in response to staff’s input last week about wanting less interaction in order to protect against the virus.
The chamber closures are being reviewed weekly.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
County health officials point to hopeful signs as state COVID-19 cases trend down
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On