On Thursday, Gov. Newsom announced a new regional stay-at-home order, the likes of which has not been seen in California for many months.
The order has divided the state into five regions and is triggered when a region’s ICU capacity drops to 15%.
“What’s important in today’s announcement is a clear message from the state that really signals the type of crisis that we’re in,” said Dr. Kirsten Bibbons-Domingo, UCSF professor and chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. “We’re in a riskier environment right now. The things that were safe a month ago to do are not safe right now. And so therefore we have to take the measures to make sure the virus has no place to go by limiting our places where we usually gather.”
She tells KCBS Radio she is glad the state is taking a regional approach and reacting to rapidly filling hospitals and ICU wards.
“It’s signaling that we have to stop taking a county by county approach and sending clear signals across the state that this is a crisis. We need to take some common sense public health measures, individually and collectively. They’re painful, and that’s what’s going to be hard for all of us. But we do need to do it.”
A regional approach means that resources can be shared across counties.
Gov. Newsom estimates that most of the state will fall under the new order within a week or so. The Bay Area, which includes Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, is the lone county not expected to hit the 15% threshold until later in the month.
The region’s ICU capacity is currently at about 24%.
But Dr. Bibbons-Domingo says there is still a chance that the Bay Area can bend the curve before that happens.
“If we do take those public health measures that he is proposing, that our local health officials are proposing, there is always a chance that we will not get there. When public health measures or preventive measures work, we know they work because the bad thing didn’t happen.”
The stay at home order would close bars, hair salons, playgrounds and museums once more. Retail capacity would be limited to 20% and restaurants would only be able to fill takeout orders. Schools can remain open.
“The messaging needs to be that we have to all hunker down and do our part for the next four to six weeks so that we get safely to the other side and to look to a time when the pandemic can really turn a corner.”
There is a light at the end of the tunnel, as Gov. Newsom said Thursday, thanks to the impending arrival of a vaccine as soon as Dec. 12.