Merced County leaders react to Newsom stay-at-home order as COVID-19 cases, deaths surge
Citing COVID fatigue and concern for local businesses, Merced County leaders aren’t pleased with the possibility of facing another stay-at-home order after Thursday’s announcement by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Newsom announced the new order will apply in regions where available intensive care unit capacity drops below 15%. Four out of five regions in the state, including the San Joaquin Valley, are on track to hit that threshold early this month.
Newsom’s administration defined the San Joaquin Valley region as Merced County, plus Calaveras, Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, San Benito, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tulare, and Tuolumne counties.
Once the below 15% ICU capacity threshold is reached, some services that have been allowed to be open in Merced County would face a closure of at least three weeks — including barber shops, hair salons and other personal-care services.
Restaurants would also have to shut down outdoor dining and would be relegated to only takeout and delivery orders. Those businesses would have two days to comply with the order and must follow the new rules for at least three weeks.
“I think we’ve followed the governor’s science for a while and as it has turned out, it hasn’t worked out the way he said it would,” said Merced County Supervisor Daron McDaniel.
“Folks are done with their liberties being strangled,” McDaniel said. “I’m not saying the virus isn’t real. It’s real, but allow us to make the choices.”
Merced Mayor Mike Murphy, like McDaniel, is extremely concerned about what will happen to small and local businesses. “This isn’t the first round of this,” he said. “Businesses have been battling with this since March. There’s no easy way to survive. It wasn’t easy back in March and it certainly isn’t easy in December.”
“I know the focus is on the health and safety of our residents, but we also need to focus on the health of our local businesses. Many of them are on life support,” he added
Cases continue to surge in Merced County
The Merced County Department of Public Health reported five more COVID-19 related deaths and 269 new cases on Friday.
There have now been 191 deaths in Merced County since the start of the pandemic.
Four of the five reported deaths on Friday were woman and one was a man. All five of the deceased were over the age of 65 and two had underlying health conditions. It was unknown whether the other three had underlying health conditions.
There have now been 12,891 laboratory confirmed coronavirus cases in the county, with 821 residents needing to be hospitalized. Residents currently in the hospital remain at 64 on Friday.
“We’re entering a period of increased viral transmission,” Murphy said. “We all need to be vigilant to help stop the spread.”
McDaniel pointed out the ICUs at hospitals are being impacted by the coronavirus, and pointed out hospitals have overflow options if needed.
COVID fatigue
Murphy said he understands the frustration with a possible stay-at-home order looming.
“There’s a lot of COVID fatigue out there,” Murphy said. “There is a desire to be with family and friends during the holidays. That’s the increased challenge we have now. The weather is also a challenge because people want to be indoors where it’s comfortable.”
In his Thursday announcement, Newsom acknowledged the challenges faced in particular by the restaurant industry, which has seen an on-again, off-again existence since the spring.
He said the new orders are “predicated on the need to stop gathering with people outside your household” and to keep activities outside. He also reminded people to wear masks and face coverings to slow the spread of the virus.
McDaniel says Merced County is trying to do what it can to help local businesses in need of help.
“I know as a county we’re looking into another package to get out by the end of the year to help businesses with rent and other stuff,” McDaniel said. “I’m sure my colleagues will vote with me.”
McDaniel feels the best way to move forward is to continue to educate the public on precautions they should take to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
“We need to protect the most vulnerable, people with underlying conditions,” he said. “We need to help those folks out. The people who can take the virus on, we need those people to carry the rest of society on their back. We need them to carry us through this time.”
