Merced County launches campaigns to control COVID-19, as active cases pass 1,000
On day six of the 21-day clock ticking down since Merced County was ordered by the state to close certain business sectors to curb rising coronavirus numbers, Public Health officials are ramping up efforts to get cases under control locally.
County Public Health launched two campaigns Thursday — “Ready2Open” and “Mask-Up.” Both are aimed at promoting preventative COVID-19 measures among businesses and residents as the state continues to see elevated levels of disease transmission locally, plus increasing hospitalizations and limited hospital capacity.
Meanwhile, 91 new infections Thursday raised the known county caseload to 1,793 since the pandemic began. Cases presumed active, meaning the number of individuals having tested positive for the disease in the last 14 days, hit quadruple digits at 1,002.
Current hospitalizations increased by one to 35 and deaths remained stable at 12 after the most recent fatality was reported Wednesday.
Due to the rapid case increase, County Public Health has suspended active case management and can no longer clear individual infections or accurately track recoveries. The active case counts is an estimate.
The highest number of daily positives to date was reported Monday with the addition of 122 confirmed cases.
As the number and severity of cases increase, the county has under three weeks to get COVID-19 infections back below minimum state thresholds — or risk a further round of mandated restrictions. The July 3 closures targeted sectors, like bars and restaurants, that have frequent intermingling between patrons.
Needs for residents to step up
Merced County Public Health officials say the shuttering of businesses is not enough to halt escalating COVID-19 infections, if residents continue to congregate elsewhere.
“They’ll only be effective if they’re paired with the community doing its part,” said Dr. Kristynn Sullivan, county supervising epidemiologist and operations chief, of the sector closures. “There’s only so much Public Health can do,” she added.
Especially of concern is 18-49-year-old individuals. The state has seen a recent uptick of infections between the age group, which typically doesn’t get deathly ill but can unknowingly spread the disease to at-risk persons as businesses open and gatherings increase.
Residents bringing the virus back to their house and exposing vulnerable family members is a pattern in Merced County, Sullivan said. Several severe cases requiring hospitalizations and other cases that became fatalities were among family members, she said.
As more destinations reopened, Sullivan said cases defined as community spread (meaning they were acquired within the county but from an unknown source) increased. “We’re also seeing quite a few more workplace exposures as things open up,” she said.
Also on the rise is the number of cases currently under investigation, which dominate the exposure categories at 821 cases. This is due to County Public Health falling behind on case investigation by about 300 cases and data entry by about two weeks as infections skyrocket, Sullivan said.
Adding to concerns is how the July 4th weekend may overburden the county a couple weeks down the road. “We’ve had a spike two weeks after every holiday,” Sullivan said.
She noted that reports of both legal and illegal fireworks being significantly up in use over the weekend compared to prior years indicated that mass gatherings took place. While it is possible that most displays were put on by members of the same household, she said it is unlikely.
When asked how officials are preparing for another possible surge on top of the already rising numbers, Sullivan said more case investigators are being hired.
But County Public Health is far past the point of containing the disease, she said. Efforts have shifted to management, which cannot be effective without the community taking the severity of the situation seriously, she added.
Efforts by County Public Health to get local officials on the same page about precautionary measures, like wearing a mask, have been ongoing but with mixed results.
“Some people have walked back that messaging and encouraged mask wearing,” Sullivan said of skeptical officials. “Unfortunately, a lot of scientific best practices have become politicized . . . That continues to be a problem.”
County coronavirus campaigns
In light of the mixed messaging, Merced County’s Mask-Up campaign was initiated Thursday to educate the public on wearing face coverings, which are mandated at the state and county level.
“Wear a face covering whenever you’re out in public—it’s the safe thing to do, it’s the courteous thing to do, and it’s the right thing to do,” a Thursday County Public Health news release said.
The campaign includes public education, promotes mask wearing and distributes masks in various locations.
“The more face coverings are used, the faster we can collectively stem the spread of COVID-19 and reopen parts of the economy,” the release said. “The alternative is the State imposing an extended shutdown on more sectors of our economy due to the rising infection rate.”
Face coverings prevent respiratory droplets from infecting others from coughing, sneezing or talking. Some with COVID-19 don’t show symptoms, and can spread it to those for whom the disease is deadly.
“Wearing a mask is a sign that you’re being considerate of those around you that may have compromised immune systems,” the release said. Some masks, like N95s, are proven more effective than others.
The county and its six cities also launched the Ready2Open campaign Thursday, encouraging local businesses to self-certify that they are taking COVID-19 precautions seriously.
The process allows businesses to complete an online checklist verifying that they’ve taken steps like including safety signage, training employees, completing health screenings, taking physical distancing measures and routinely sanitizing.
Once a business is verified through the www.reopenmercedcounty.com/ready2open site, it receives an emblem to display near the entrance of the store. Participation in the campaign is optional.
Some cities, like Merced, Dos Palos, Gustine and Livingston, as well as Merced County, will also provide certified businesses with a courtesy walk-through of the facility to ensure that COVID-19 safety measures are met.
Businesses can begin self-certification immediately, but the official launch of Ready2Open is Monday.
All Merced County residents are urged by Public Health to wear face coverings in public, social distance, avoid large group gatherings, wash hands regularly, avoid close contact with people who are sick and stay home if sick.
This story was originally published July 9, 2020 at 5:29 PM.
