Weekly Roundup for April 1, 2022

Published: April 01, 2022

Positive news continues this week in Sonoma County where new COVID-19 case rates and hospitalizations due to the virus continue their downward trend. There were 14 COVID-related hospitalizations as of Monday, compared to a peak of 116 back in January.

Because deaths from the disease often lag hospitalizations by a month or more, we continue to see those numbers climb with 58 reported since Jan. 1. Sonoma County residents age 65 and older account for 74 percent of the 487 COVID-related deaths so far in the pandemic.

Sonoma County has detected 15 cases of the Omicron subvariant known as BA.2, which now accounts for more than half of all COVID-19 cases in the United States. Health officials warn that there are likely many more local cases since the county is only able to sequence a small fraction of reported cases.

Importantly, the FDA and CDC have approved second booster shots to help sustain protection levels for our higher-risk residents, including those age 50 and older and the immunocompromised. The second booster will be available in Sonoma County following approval by the Western States Scientific and Safety Review Workgroup and California Department of Public Health.

Until then, let’s continue to take care of each other and prevent another surge in cases.

Today’s digest provides helpful and important updates on the following:

Local COVID vaccine and testing opportunities
State vaccine mandate for large events ends
Other County of Sonoma news of note

Local Vaccine & Testing Opportunities

Vaccination and testing clinics are being held throughout the county to serve people who do not have convenient or affordable access to healthcare providers.

Visit the Sonoma County Office of Education to learn about clinics for students and families:
https://www.scoe.org/pub/htdocs/school_staff_immunization.html

View the county’s vaccine clinics and appointment page here:
https://socoemergency.org/emergency/novel-coronavirus/vaccine-information/clinics/

For details or appointments at COVID-19 testing clinics, including a pop-up testing calendar, please visit:
https://socoemergency.org/emergency/novel-coronavirus/testing-and-tracing/

Residents who test positive using an at-home antigen test are urged to report the result by calling the county’s COVID hotline at 707-565-4667 (4701 in Spanish). Anyone who needs help making a vaccination or testing appointment may also contact the hotline.

State Vaccine Mandate for Large Events Ends

Effective today, requirements for vaccine verification or proof of negative test for large indoor events will be lifted and will move to a strong recommendation. The guidance applies to indoor events with more than 1,000 attendees.

If implemented, venue and event operators are strongly recommended to not use self-attestation as a mode of verification but rather use verification options for providing proof of vaccination in the CDPH Vaccine Record Guidelines & Standards.

This shift acknowledges that while case rates and hospitalizations are declining statewide from their peak during the Omicron surge, Indoor Mega Events continue to involve several factors that increase the risk of transmission of COVID-19.

CDPH Vaccine Record Guidelines & Standards:
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Vaccine-Record-Guidelines-Standards.aspx

Other County of Sonoma News

Commission on Human Rights, NAACP, ACLU to Hold Sheriff Candidate Forum April 6
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/commission-on-human-rights-naacp-aclu-to-hold-sheriff-candidate-forum-april-6

Russian River County Sanitation District to host a virtual meeting on proposed rates for 2022-2023
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/russian-river-county-sanitation-district-to-host-a-virtual-meeting-on-proposed-rates-for-2022-2023

Maintaining tenant protections under County’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program requires action by March 31, 2022
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/maintaining-tenant-protections-under-countys-emergency-rental-assistance-program-requires-action-by-march-31-2022

Sonoma Water to Host Meeting to Discuss Improvements to Central Sonoma Watershed Project
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/sonoma-water-to-host-meeting-to-discuss-improvements-to-central-sonoma-watershed-project