Stanislaus ends one COVID emergency declaration, but keeps public health emergency
Stanislaus County leaders voted to lift a local emergency declaration that allowed top executives to make quick decisions in response to the COVID-19 epidemic.
The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday ended the local declaration that has enabled administrative decisions, but it is keeping a local public health emergency in place as county and state governments await the next phase of the coronavirus scourge.
Sheriff Jeff Dirkse said the county has not had to use the declaration for decision-making in the past year. It was used in 2020 to purchase personal protective equipment and help the county respond to the fast-changing conditions of the pandemic.
A local health emergency remains in effect in addition to state mandates applying to county residents and schools. But the omicron variant appears to be fading and county supervisors hope COVID-19 will change from pandemic to endemic status at some point this year.
Supervisor Buck Condit added a recommendation that the public health emergency come back for board review every 30 days. The rest of the board agreed.
County staff said the local health emergency has no bearing on state mandates designed to slow transmission or CAL OSHA regulations for businesses.
County Chief Executive Officer Jody Hayes said the public health emergency is needed for mutual aid agreements when outside assistance is requested for hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. Hayes said the mutual aid requests are usually for staffing.
County health officials unveiled some strategies in recognition that COVID-19 could change to endemic status this year and be treated more like a common illness.
The county plan will continue to protect capacity in hospitals, provide resources to skilled nursing facilities, and help local schools to understand state policies that keep classrooms open for in-person learning.
In addition, county public health will continue to promote COVID vaccinations for high-risk groups by encouraging them to ask their physicians for advice on vaccines.
The county will create an advisory group of physicians and other health experts for input on vaccines and available treatments for COVID-19. The public will continue to get a steady dose of education and communications to inform it on the latest developments with COVID.
The state will end a mandate requiring all Californians to wear masks indoors in public places after it ends Tuesday. The mandate will continue for unvaccinated people.
After the board heard about two and a half hours of public testimony, including parent comments protesting mask requirements in schools, Supervisor Vito Chiesa said he expects to see changes in the state mask requirements affecting students.
Omicron surge peaked last month
Dr. Julie Vaishampayan, county public health officer, said the omicron surge peaked in mid-January and transmission has been coming down. Test positivity has dropped from a high of 33% to 25%.
Vaishampayan said COVID hospitalizations in the county are still above 200 admissions. “Our hospitals are still extremely full but are improving,” she said.
Comments during the public hearing ranged from speakers protesting school mask requirements to claims the COVID vaccines are not safe.
“It is hard for me to see adults have choices but our kids are left with none,” said Michelle Fernandez, noting that Supervisor Buck Condit and board Chairman Terry Withrow were not masked during the hearing.
Some urged the board to end the public health emergency over COVID-19.
“How can any person justify an emergency lasting for two years?” asked Reid Johnson.
He said the COVID pandemic is the first disease in modern history that didn’t result in government action to develop a cure. “Where’s the logic in vaccinating healthy people and not doing anything to treat the sick ones,” Johnson said.
The speakers who have attended the Board of Supervisors meetings since August appear to be a vocal minority. About 65% of adult county residents followed public health advice to get fully vaccinated and an additional 11.5% were partly vaccinated.
This story was originally published February 8, 2022 at 2:40 PM.
