Public health experts are warning Americans that Labor Day weekend backyard parties, crowded bars and other gatherings could cause the Coronavirus to come surging back. Long distance travel is also not advised. The rise in infections, deaths and hospitalizations over the Summer was blamed in part on Americans behaving heedlessly over other long holiday weekends. Things have improved in recent weeks, but there are many risk factors. The virus is blamed for about 187,000 deaths in the United States, by far the most in the world.
Shasta County’s new Coronavirus cases continue to be low, with just 3 cases reported for the 3rd day in a row, bringing the total to 581. There are 18 active cases, 3 of them hospitalized and one in intensive care. 12 Shasta County residents have died. 94 people are quarantined due to possible exposure.
Butte County reported another 73 cases in a single day for a total of 2,327, with 23 deaths. Chico State has gone to distance learning and the dorms are being cleared out. Trinity County has had 13 cases. Tehama County is on the state watch list with 436 cases and one death. Glenn County has had 475 cases and 3 deaths. Lassen County has had 86 cases in the community, in addition to 634 in the prison population. There have been 143 in Siskiyou County and 397 in Humboldt County with 4 deaths. Modoc County has added another one for a total of 16.
There have been 36,590 negative tests in Shasta County. Anyone can get tested for free. The best option can be found by going to shastaready.org and clicking on “get tested”.
Shasta County Public Health has addressed the confusion surrounding a recent CDC statement stating that only a relatively low number of Covid deaths have resulted from Covid alone. Covid can complicate other conditions, and other conditions can complicate Covid. For example it could be Pneumonia or Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome or blood clotting that kills a person, but if Covid is declared the cause of death, that means the person would not have died if they hadn’t contracted Covid.
There’s a lot more business activity in Shasta County with the new guidelines in effect… restaurants can have indoor dining at 50% capacity or 200 people, whichever is fewer. The same goes for churches and movie theaters. Gyms, fitness centers, indoor pools, cardrooms, wineries and entertainment centers like bowling alleys can allow 25% capacity. Bars and breweries that don’t serve food may only serve people outdoors.