Sonoma County supervisors support health officer’s caution in wake of coronavirus uptick

Sonoma County supervisors voiced solidarity Wednesday with a decision by their appointed health officer to hit pause before the next phase of economic reopening, showing little of the unease that had surfaced in past weeks over the pace of the county’s climb out of a 2-month shutdown imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A recent rise in local COVID-19 cases, supervisors said, puts the county above the rate it promised the state it would maintain as it moves toward a fully restored economy.

Also, increased person-to-person transmission of the contagion and a spike in hospitalizations are other red flags the county cannot ignore, supervisors said.

“I recognize it is important to open the county economy,” Board of Supervisors Chair Susan Gorin said. “But the responsibility of balancing public health is overwhelmingly important in my mind.”

Dr. Sundari Mase, the health officer, announced Tuesday that the county was not ready to allow retail shopping, appointments at barbershops and hair salons, and in-person religious services, as Gov. Gavin Newsom authorized this week for most counties.

That determination by Mase, said Supervisor James Gore, merely adhered to the framework submitted by the county and approved by the state to guide loosening of restrictions on local commercial and civic life.

“I have to stand behind public health,” Gore said Wednesday. “I can’t be a politician and just talk about who are the people who are most frustrated in our community. This is a true marathon more than our fires ever were, and I and others have always said, I’m going to take the doctor’s orders.”

Supervisor Lynda Hopkins acknowledged some frustration over the public whiplash created by dueling headlines - from news about the governor’s OK to barbershops, retail stores and churches this week to the county’s decision that it would not allow such places to reopen based on its own state-approved roadmap.

That mixed message meant hair salons and barbershops already were booking reservations Tuesday afternoon by the time it became clear Sonoma County would not be joining the pack moving into the next phase, according to Hopkins and other supervisors.

“What I personally really am glad for is that we actually have a data-driven way for decisions going forward,” Hopkins said. “And the fact is, right now, we aren’t meeting the criteria that we set with the state to reopen more.”

Mase’s move comes after she loosened local rules last Friday, allowing restaurants, breweries and wineries to reopen for outdoor dining, while also allowing drive-thru graduation ceremonies and drive-up religious services.

On Wednesday, she said she wants to wait 14 days - a precautionary window to gauge any resulting viral spread - before further loosening restrictions.

“We just opened a few sectors on Friday,” Mase said. “We need to see what happens.”

Mase has been more conservative than many of her health officer counterparts in the North Bay, including those in Napa and Solano, who have allowed more rapid reopening under state guidance.

Mase had surprised supervisors in previous instances when her orders came down earlier and more aggressive than expected by the board.

This week, after learning of Newsom’s intended Tuesday announcement, she took time for one-on-one calls with board members to let them know of her determination that the county was not ready to proceed with wider reopening, Supervisor Shirlee Zane said.

Mase “is not being haphazard at all and she checked in with all of us,” Zane said. “She’s not overriding us.”

Supervisor David Rabbitt said Wednesday that he understood a few clusters of related illnesses were driving the recent spike in cases but having a large impact, given the county’s relatively small population.

“I accept that it’s over the threshold,” said Rabbitt, who along with Hopkins has been tasked with outreach to the county’s agriculture and tourism sectors. “If she feels that it’s not time to move forward, I’m going to respect that.”

But Rabbitt took issue with a lockdown shaped by what he characterized as ill-defined terms for what constituted an essential versus nonessential business, creating what he said were “winners and losers” on grounds that weren’t always based on actual risk of disease transmission.

He said he was comforted that the county was now publishing the state-approved reopening criteria - 16 indicators in all - on its public dashboard so that residents can follow for themselves how the county is progressing on those thresholds.

But he said supervisors still need to analyze and question the criteria to makes sure new information doesn’t invalidate the current metrics and make others more appropriate.

“I think we continue to refine. We continue to have that discussion. We continue to understand the big picture and what that means,” Rabbitt said. “And I say that because it is a huge deal health-wise, but it’s an equally huge deal for businesses.”

Zane said she remains concerned about the emotional and economic toll of the pandemic shutdown.

“We’re already seeing people struggling with mental health,” she said. “The isolation is really hard for so many people that live alone, and I’m particularly thinking about seniors.”

But at the same time, the epidemiological trends are worrying, she said.

“We are seeing a real uptick in cases,” Zane said, “and not just cases. We’re seeing an uptick in hospitalizations, too.”

“I think she’s right,” Zane said of Mase. “Wait a week and a half. It’s about 10 to 12 days, and I know every day is precious when you don’t have a paycheck.”

You can reach Staff Writer Mary Callahan at 707-521-5249 or mary.callahan@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @MaryCallahanB.