Coronavirus: County Sees Progress, But You Might Stay Home Longer

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — Early data indicate that Santa Cruz County's shelter-in-place order and other measures intended to curb the spread of the new coronavirus have paid off, county Health Officer Gail Newel said during a Thursday morning press conference.

Public health officials have urged frequent hand washing, social distancing, staying home when possible and other measures to "flatten the curve," or slow the spread of the virus in hopes of keeping the number of patients at a more manageable level for health care providers.

A data analysis published by the Los Angeles Times shows that Santa Cruz County has seen a slower uptick in COVID-19 cases than most others.

"We are among the very best counties in the State of California, in terms of flattening the curve," Newel said. "This is because of (the community) and their efforts and willingness to shelter in place."

The news is cause for optimism, but not complacency, county health officials say. People should remain vigilant in practicing good hygiene and complying with the shelter-in-place order.

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Santa Cruz County will still not release city-level patient data. Newel said the numbers are too small to maintain patient privacy. There were 80 known COVID-19 cases in Santa Cruz County as of Wednesday.

"What I can tell you is everywhere has known cases," she said.

The county's recently released COVID-19 dashboard shows there were 37 cases in north-county, 30 cases in mid-county and 14 cases in south-county as of Thursday.

Shelter-At-Home Will Likely Be Extended

Newel said residents can expect the county's shelter-in-place order to be extended again, past its May 3 expiration date. May 3 could be about the time Santa Cruz County sees a peak or is close to a peak in COVID-19 cases.

The county has also banned the use of vacation rentals until May 3. People who live elsewhere but have second homes in Santa Cruz County should remain in their place of residence, the county said.

Newel said she does not want people from counties with more COVID-19 cases coming to Santa Cruz County. The county could set up checkpoints at its borders, as Mono and El Dorado counties have done. Those counties have lots of vacation homes but limited hospital capacity, she said.

Beaches, Many Parks Should Reopen

Tuesday evening Santa Cruz County announced the closure of beaches and parks from April 9 to April 15. Surfing is also prohibited. The time frame covers Easter and part of Passover — a time when many people like to meet up outdoors, the county said. The weather is also expected to warm up in coming days.

Religious groups should not convene large groups, the county said.

"This is where infection rates are shooting up ... when people gather in large groups," Newel said.

While Sheriff Jim Hart said Wednesday that he liked the idea of extending the closure of beaches and parks, Newel said she planned to reopen all beaches and parks, though there may be some park areas that remained close. Beaches and parks play a big role in mental and physical health.

Despite warnings people continue to ignore requests to maintain social distancing and avoid group meetings in state parks and dog parks, Newel said. Those parks will likely remain closed after April 15, she said.

More COVID-19 Tests

Testing capacity is growing, Newel said.

The number of negative cases in Santa Cruz County patients doubled in about a week, she said. Nearly 1,700 tests have come back negative so far, according to data obtained Wednesday from the county's site.

Newel expects Dignity Health, Dominican Health and the Santa Cruz Health Center to have increased capacity in the days to come.

Get the latest COVID-19 statistics in Santa Cruz County here. Watch the press conference here.

Full coronavirus coverage: California Coronavirus: Latest Updates On Cases, Orders, Closures

Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the number of positive tests in Santa Cruz County.