SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — Editor’s note: This story shows updates about the coronavirus outbreak in San Diego and California from Sept. 10 - 12, 2020. Click here for real-time updates for Sept. 13, 2020 and on.
Key COVID-19 facts in San Diego and California:
- There are 42,414 confirmed cases in San Diego County and 734 reported deaths.
- There are 754,923 confirmed cases in California and 14,329 reported deaths.
- View San Diego County cases by zip code or city and find local testing sites.
- Click here for previous updates
Sept. 12
Parents frustrated over the lack of guidance for reopening playgrounds
While the City of San Diego is slowly opening things up for the public, playgrounds remain closed and that’s drawing the ire of parents and kids alike
For months, swings and slides at a Mission Bay playground have been surrounded by orange fences and signs warning parents that the playground is closed. But in other parts of the playground, the parts with no orange fences, parents let their kids roam free on the equipment.
For the full story, click here.
San Diego County opens Local Assistance Center for residents impacted by Valley Fire
County Supervisor Dianne Jacob and officials announced the County is opening a Local Assistance Center to help residents affected by the Valley Fire, starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at the County Library’s Rancho San Diego branch at 11555 Via Rancho San Diego in El Cajon.
The Local Assistance Center is designed to make it as easy as possible for residents to start the recovery process by giving them one place to receive help and information from numerous agencies. The center is initially scheduled to operate from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday.
For the full story, click here.
Sept. 11
San Diego County reports 361 new COVID-19 cases
The county reported five new deaths on Friday. Two women and three men died between Sept. 2 and Sept. 9 and their ages ranged from early 60s to late 80s.
San Diego County and Mexican Consulate announce free COVID-19 testing site
The San Diego County and Mexican Consulate held a media conference Friday to announce a free, no-appointment COVID-19 testing site at the downtown Consulate every Monday, starting Sept. 14 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The opening at the Consulate will officially kick off a 14-day rotating program of COVID-19 testing in hard-hit communities. Other locations will be announced with a full calendar expected within a week.
San Diego colleges and coronavirus
With more than 10,000 students moving to on-campus housing throughout San Diego's major public colleges, there is growing concern over how these universities are working to keep students safe amid a global pandemic that's claimed the lives of nearly 200,000 Americans.
San Diego State, UC San Diego and CSU San Marcos have all documented reopening plans to allow students to return to campus for a small amount of in-person classes. They also have an ongoing log of active cases of coronavirus among students, faculty and staff members to accompany their coronavirus protocol information for residents.
Sept. 10
Poway Unified School District board votes to slowly roll out in-person learning
New plans were revealed Thursday for the re-opening of schools in the Poway Unified School district. The school board voted unanimously to allow in-person learning for elementary school students with a slow roll-out starting in three weeks.
The largest 4-year college system in the country says classes for Spring 2021 will be mostly online
The California State University system announced it will continue with virtual instruction for Spring 2021. In an email, Chancellor Timothy White called it a responsible decision to protect students, faculty and staff amid the coronavirus pandemic.
San Diego County reports 284 new COVID-19 cases, 69 at SDSU
San Diego County public health officials reported 284 new COVID-19 infections and four deaths from the illness on Thursday, raising the county's total to 41,608 cases and 725 deaths.
Three women and a man died between Aug. 31 and Sept. 6 and their ages ranged from early 60s to late 80s. All had underlying medical conditions.
College coronavirus testing varies by system, campus
Like Berkeley, other University of California campuses are enforcing across-the-board testing for students living on campus, either during move-in or throughout the term. But that’s not the case at California State University, the nation’s largest four-year public university system, where only two campuses, Cal Maritime and Humboldt State, have tested all students living in dorms; only Maritime is testing students regularly throughout the term. Some CSU campuses are now seeing sizeable COVID-19 outbreaks, including Chico State, which late last month canceled the few in-person classes they were holding and sent most students home, and San Diego State, where nearly 400 students have tested positive for the virus in the last two weeks and both dorm residents and nearby off-campus students are now under a stay-at-home order.
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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 distancing measures 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.