Coronavirus: County Declares Emergency, Citing Need To Prepare

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — Santa Cruz County Health Officer Gail Newel is issuing a Local Health Emergency for the new coronavirus due to concerns about its spread in neighboring counties and a need to prepare for a potential outbreak.

There have been no confirmed cases of coronavirus in the county. The risk to the public is still low, the county said in a statement announcing the emergency declaration.

Declaring an emergency helps the county begin organizing and tracking resources ahead of a potential local outbreak, said county Health Services Director Mimi Hall. It's also a first step to receiving mutual aid from surrounding governments and getting money to reimburse costs associated with the response, should federal or state funding become available.

The county said it has activated its Emergency Operations Center to support the Health Services Agency Departmental Operations Center. Newel will oversee the local response and is part of a regional Bay Area health officers association that holds weekly calls to discuss counties' responses to the outbreak, Hall said.

In the mean time, the public should think ahead and be aware that changes could be coming to work, school and their neighborhood, Hall said.

Hall said businesses should start thinking about operations can continue if a third of the work force is home sick, for example, and families should start thinking about what would happen if schools close. Basic survival needs should be covered.

Symptoms of coronavirus include fever, cough and respiratory issues, the county said. Community spread is occurring in Santa Clara County, meaning residents have fallen ill without knowing how or where they became infected, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Public health officials say the public can protect themselves and limit spread of coronavirus by engaging in frequent and thorough hand-washing, regularly disinfecting commonly touched places such as doorknobs, avoiding touching the face, and avoiding shaking hands or hugging people.

Hall noted it's also flu season and healthy people should, in general, stay away from sick people, and stock up on medicine and keep a working thermometer.

The capacity to test for the virus is limited and the county asks members of the public to refrain from asking their doctor for tests, unless a medical professional has suggested they do so.

Anyone with concerns about their health should contact their doctor or call 211 to find a local clinic.

Hall encourages the public to visit santacruzhealth.org/coronavirus for local updates and links to important CDC updates.

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office is taking its own precautions, halting jail tours, screening inmates and stopping contact visits. There have been no cases reported in the jail.