SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — Editor’s note: This story shows updates about the coronavirus outbreak in San Diego and California from Sept 1 - 3 (afternoon), 2020. Click here for real-time updates for Sept. 3, 2020 and on.
Key COVID-19 facts in San Diego and California:
- There are 39,446 confirmed cases in San Diego County and 700 reported deaths.
- There are 717,177 confirmed cases in California and 13,327 reported deaths.
- View San Diego County cases by zip code or city and find local testing sites.
- Click here for previous updates
Sept. 3
San Diego County health officials report 325 new COVID-19 cases, 5 news deaths
Under the new state monitoring metrics, San Diego County remains in Tier 2, also referred to as the Red Tier. San Diego’s state-calculated case rate is 5.8 and the testing positivity percentage is 3.8%.
Five new COVID-19 deaths were reported in San Diego County on Sept. 2. The region’s total is now 700. 325 new cases were confirmed among San Diego County residents on Sept. 2 for a total of 39,446.
Carlsbad suspends fees for outdoor permits during COVID-19 pandemic
The city of Carlsbad announced it was temporarily suspending its collection fees for sidewalk cafes, outdoor displays and curbside cafe permits to help businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This suspension of permit fees also means reimbursement of around $8,000 to businesses that paid for these types of permits since March 1 of this year. Fee reimbursement and the revenue offset from the suspension of fee collection will be funded from the Economic Recovery and Revitalization Initiative funds. Of those funds, $175,000 remains for contingency or future city council actions.
For the full story, click here.
San Diego Unified calls on federal lawmakers to pass HEROES Act
San Diego Unified School District called on federal lawmakers to provide additional funding as the district deals with the challenges of a pandemic.
District leaders called on the Senate to pass the HEROES Act. SDUSD as well as other districts say they need additional federal funding for safety precautions needed during the pandemic and for resources to help curb learning loss that occurred during last school years virtual classes.
For the full story or to watch the press conference, click here.
Sept. 2
SDSU pausing in-person instruction, athletics
At San Diego County's afternoon COVID-19 briefing on Wednesday, the county and SDSU announced that the university is moving to online instruction for the next four weeks and pausing athletics for two weeks due to COVID-19 cases. Students are allowed to continue living on campus or leave if they wish. Students that test positive are reflected in the county's numbers.
San Diego families juggling working from home with distance learning
The first day of school for Poway Unified students ended Wednesday with some families still figuring out how to work from home with everyone together.
Poway Unified started the year with distance learning and there has been no decision as of Wednesday on if or when on-campus classes will start.
“Working from home and trying to balance that [work] is creating new challenges. It’s a new environment for everyone,” said Thomas Lee, a Del Norte father.
Your Stories: Why can't I find Lysol or Clorox products?
Even though paper towel and toilet paper shortages appear to be over, some San Diego shoppers are still noticing a shortage of cleaning supplies amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Lysol and Clorox disinfectant wipes are still nearly impossible to find.
Governor Newsom addresses Californians on state's response to COVID-19
Governor Newsom's topic for Wednesday was rent protection. He started off by talking about a new website that explains all of California's new protections that were signed into law on Monday.
He then explained additions to "Project Roomkey" a California initiative aimed to help people who are homeless. Newsom says the state has set aside money to purchase apartment buildings, hotels and motels to give the homeless a permanent place to stay.
To watch his full address, click here.
UC San Diego joins second national clinical trial for COVID-19
UC San Diego Health announced Wednesday it will join a second, national clinical trial to develop a vaccine designed to protect against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, by the end of the year.
Like the Moderna clinical trial, which launched in late July, the Phase III national AstraZeneca study will recruit up to 30,000 participants at multiple sites across the country.
The trial arm at UC San Diego will involve an estimated 1,600 participants, with particular outreach intended for underserved communities, and has a scheduled Sept. 8 start date.
Catholic Bishop announces return to indoor masses in San Diego County
The San Diego Catholic Diocese released a set of guidelines on Tuesday that allows all of the local churches to begin conducting masses indoors. The new guidelines are based on Gov. Gavin Newsom's announcement on Friday related to houses of worship in San Diego County.
Bishop Robert W. McElroy issued a letter on Tuesday detailing the plans for the churches.
The letter stated in part that the county parishes "may begin holding Masses inside their churches [Wednesday]. All religious services inside must observe social distancing and include no more than 100 participants."
For the full story, click here.
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One of San Diego County's largest school districts, Poway Unified, is getting ready to welcome more than 36,000 students back to school Wednesday.
While San Diego County schools have been given the green light to return back to the classroom, like many districts, Poway Unified is starting the year online. It's something teachers and staff have been working on since virtual learning first began last spring.
Sept. 1
California lawmakers push for 'extraordinary special session' to address unfinished pandemic business
California lawmakers were putting growing pressure Tuesday on Governor Gavin Newsom to call a special session of the state legislature to address unfinished pandemic business. The legislature adjourned Monday night for the year, after an odd session that kept lawmakers out of the Capitol for months.
They passed hundreds of bills. But left out many of the biggest issues facing Californians during the coronavirus pandemic.
San Diego venues light up in red to raise awareness of economic hardships facing live events industry
Venues throughout San Diego lit up in red Tuesday night as part of the North American Red Alert Restart campaign that aims to raise public awareness of economic hardships facing the live events industry due to pandemic closures. As many as 1,500 buildings across North America turned skylines red in over 40 cities.
San Diego doctors, hospitals prepare for 'twindemic' of flu season during COVID-19
Doctors and hospitals in San Diego and across the country are preparing for the worst and hoping for the best for this year’s flu season amid the coronavirus pandemic. Traditionally, the U.S. could study how the flu affected countries in the Southern Hemisphere, which has an early flu season, for a preview. However, coronavirus precautions, and the varying degree they have been implemented across borders limited research this year.
Both influenza and COVID-19 are respiratory viruses, so precautions such as wearing a face covering, handwashing, and social distancing could help limit the spread of both.
Tuesday marks two weeks since San Diego County was removed from the state's COVID-19 watch list
County health officials reported 267 new COVID-19 cases and six additional deaths Tuesday, raising the region's totals to 38,871 cases and 688 deaths.
Four women and two men died, and their ages ranged from the late 40s to the late 80s. All had underlying medical conditions.
County health officials reported one new community outbreak Tuesday, bringing the number of outbreaks in the past week to 16. The outbreak was in a restaurant/bar setting.
San Diego Superior Court summoning jurors again
Following about six months without jury trials due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the San Diego Superior Court announced Tuesday that it has begun summoning jurors again in anticipation of trials resuming next month.
Jury duty summons were mailed out this week calling for prospective panelists to appear at the downtown San Diego courthouse beginning Oct. 9.
San Diego County schools allowed to reopen
San Diego County schools are allowed to reopen for in-person teaching starting Tuesday, a day after a flurry of businesses throughout the county resumed indoor operations.
Tuesday marks two weeks since San Diego County was removed from the state's COVID-19 watch list and nearly three weeks that the county's case rate has remained under 100 cases per 100,000 people.
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BACKGROUND:
On February 11, 2020 the World Health Organization announced an official name for the disease that is causing the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak, first identified in Wuhan China. The new name of this disease is coronavirus disease 2019, abbreviated as COVID-19. In COVID-19, "CO" stands for "corona," "VI" for "virus," and "D" for disease. Formerly, this disease was referred to as “2019 novel coronavirus” or “2019-nCoV”.
There are many types of human coronaviruses including some that commonly cause mild upper-respiratory tract illnesses. COVID-19 is a new disease, caused by a novel (or new) coronavirus that has not previously been seen in humans.
Currently, there is no vaccine, however, the CDC suggests the following precautions, as with any other respiratory illness:
Know how it spreads:
- The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus.
- The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.
- Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
- Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks.
- These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
- Some recent studies have suggested that COVID-19 may be spread by people who are not showing symptoms.
Protect yourself and others
Wash your hands often
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- It’s especially important to wash:
- Before eating or preparing food
- Before touching your face
- After using the restroom
- After leaving a public place
- After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
- After handling your cloth face covering
- After changing a diaper
- After caring for someone sick
- After touching animals or pets
- If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact
- Inside your home: Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- If possible, maintain 6 feet between the person who is sick and other household members.
- Outside your home: Put 6 feet of distance between yourself and people who don’t live in your household.
- Remember that some people without symptoms may be able to spread virus.
- Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people.
- Keeping distance from others is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.
Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others
- You could spread COVID-19 to others even if you do not feel sick.
- The cloth face cover is meant to protect other people in case you are infected.
- Everyone should wear a cloth face cover in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancingmeasures are difficult to maintain.
- Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
- Do NOT use a facemask meant for a healthcare worker. Currently, surgical masks and N95 respirators are critical supplies that should be reserved for healthcare workers and other first responders.
- Continue to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others. The cloth face cover is not a substitute for social distancing.
Cover coughs and sneezes
- Always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow and do not spit.
- Throw used tissues in the trash.
- Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Clean and disinfect
- Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
- If surfaces are dirty, clean them. Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.
- Then, use a household disinfectant. Most common EPA-registered household disinfectants will work.
Monitor your health daily
- Be alert for symptoms. Watch for fever, cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19.
- Especially important if you are running essential errands, going into the office or workplace, and in settings where it may be difficult to keep a physical distance of 6 feet.
- Take your temperature if symptoms develop.
- Don’t take your temperature within 30 minutes of exercising or after taking medications that could lower your temperature, like acetaminophen.
- Follow CDC guidance if symptoms develop.
The California Department of Public Health has issued guidance on the use of cloth face coverings to protect against the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19.
As of April 4, 2020, all employees in San Diego County who may have contact with the public in any grocery store, pharmacy/drug store, restaurant or food establishments, convenience store or gas station are required to wear a cloth face covering while at work as an additional measure to help “flatten the curve” in the San Diego region.
As of May 1, San Diego County requires everyone in the county to wear face coverings in many public settings. The coverings help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and are part of our path to reopening San Diego. See full health order here.
While officials say these face coverings are not a substitute for practices like social distancing and handwashing, there is evidence to suggest that the use of cloth face coverings by the public during a pandemic could help reduce disease transmission. Officials do not recommend the public use N-95 or surgical masks which are needed by health care workers and first responders.