COVID Stay-At-Home: Solano Health Officer Worries Order Won't Slow Spread; Some 'Aren't Going To Be Persuaded'
FAIRFIELD (KPIX 5) – As all Bay Area counties are set to enter a stay-at-home order due to ICU capacity dropping below 15%, Solano County's health officer worries the latest order will not stop the surge in COVID-19 cases.
In Solano County, ICU capacity has dropped to 13%. Public Health Officer Dr. Bela Matyas said the surge in cases and hospitalizations can be directly linked to Thanksgiving and he doubts people will change their ways for Christmas.
"I think this is going to be a really, really tough holiday season. It really will be," Matyas told KPIX 5 on Wednesday.
Matyas is basing his belief over what has happened over the last week and a half. The health officer said 13 deaths can be traced back to holiday get-togethers.
"Family members are dying because of having attended Thanksgiving events that were not run properly," says Matyas.
With coronavirus mostly spreading in people's homes, Matyas feels the State's order will have very little impact.
"I don't know to what extent the State believes it will genuinely help slow the spread or they have nothing else that they can do to demonstrate that this is really serious," he said.
Matyas goes on to say, "At this point in the pandemic, it's pretty clear those people who are willing to restrict their activities are already doing so. And those who aren't, aren't going to be persuaded by another order."
Meanwhile, ICU capacity drops daily as the Bay Area region tries to care for patients, not only from our area, but from the rest of the state as well.
UCSF epidemiologist Dr. George Rutherford said "Hospitals are exceptionally skilled at moving patients in and out of ICUs and trying to identify people that can go to lower levels of care and creating more space. But it is a juggling game and at some point you run out of hands to which to juggle."
Matyas is hopeful this is the last wave Solano County will have to endure. He's optimistic that vaccinations for the general public will start arriving in late February into March.
