Business Sector Weekly Telebriefing Recap - 9/23

9/25/2020

Thank you to everyone who was able to join us for our weekly COVID-19 Business telebrief. A special thank you to our telebriefing guests, Gary S. Johnston, Chief Resilience Officer / Agency Representative, San Diego Office of Emergency Services, and Dr. Thomas R. Coleman, Medical Director, Maternal, Child and Family Health, Health and Human Services Agency, and Dr. Sayone Thihalolipavan, Medical Consultant, Public Health Services, Health and Human Services Agency, for joining us to help inform and answer questions for the community about important COVID-19 topics.

To recap, we discussed the following highlights:

September 22 cases and trends in San Diego County
- Total cases: 45,147
- % Testing positivity (7-day average with a 7-day lag): 4.0%
- Adjusted Case rate per 100,000: 6.9
- 765 deaths
- 18 community outbreaks in the past 7 days (Sept. 15 through Sept. 21)
September 22, the State announced San Diego County will continue to remain in the “Substantial” red tier, or Tier 2, of the state’s system of assessing COVID-19 risk. The change means indoor activities that recently reopened can continue for at least two more weeks.
Two consecutive weeks of Tier 1 data could move us backwards to the “Widespread” purple Tier 1. The same applies with moving forwards from Tier 2 to the “Moderate” orange Tier 3.
It is highly recommended that everyone receive a flu vaccine this year.

Followed by Questions asked from the community, and answers:

Movie Theaters Remaining Open
- Movie theaters can remain open in the current red tier. Case rate and testing positivity must both meet than the state’s tier requirements to move to a less restrictive tier. [Posted /23/20]
Maximizing Telework
- It is recommended to work remotely if possible. If essential businesses are not able to work remotely, they can allow employees to work in person as long as the building is following sanitation, temperature check, face covering and physical distancing requirements. [Posted 9/23/20]
Hotel Hosting Group Meetings
- If a meeting is associated with essential business or critical infrastructure, it is allowed. If it’s not tied to an essential business, it is not permissible by the State. [Posted 9/23/20]
Live Entertainment at Restaurants/Private Clubs
- Live entertainment in restaurants and bars is currently still prohibited by the state, due to their ability to be catalysts for COVID-19 spread. [Posted 9/23/20]
Adjusted Case Rate
- The Adjusted Case Rate is based on each county’s COVID-19 testing rates. The adjusted rate changes based on the median testing rates in other counties throughout the state, so our adjusted rate will rise or fall based on the amount of testing conducted in other counties. [Posted 9/23/20]
Fitness Centers
- The County will continue to align with the State’s classification of fitness centers as non-essential. In the current red “substantial” tier guidance, indoor fitness centers are allowed to be open at 10% capacity. [Posted 9/23/20]
Contact Tracing Helping to Understand Cause of COVID-19 Transmissions
Contact tracing has been focusing on outbreak mitigation and management by determining who should isolate or quarantine based on reported close contact and symptoms of COVID-19. The county generally relies on larger organizations like the CDC for research on trends around transmission of COVID-19. [Posted 9/23/20]
Blueprint Activity and Tiers Modifications
Please see the Blueprint Activity and Tiers Modification document for industry opening allowances. To view “modification” requirements for each industry, please see the state industry guidance. [Posted 9/23/20]
SDSU Population Included within the County’s Population
SDSU students are included in the CA Department of Finance (DOF) population estimates/projections used for the California Department of Public Health’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy and in the SANDAG population estimates that the San Diego Epidemiology and Immunization Services Branch uses for our public reports. [Posted 9/23/20]
Hair Stylist/Barber Bringing Clients in Private Residence
Services provided by Hair Stylists and Barbers are not allowed in private residences. These types of services should only be offered at the physical hair stylist/barbershop location. [Posted 9/23/20]
UV Products for Disinfectants
The FDA recognizes UVA and UV-C disinfectants as effective in a hospital setting, but not in a home or office setting. In a home or office setting, using UVA and UV-C disinfectant kits could be ineffective as they are smaller in terms of concentration and power. Please refer to the FDA guidance for other questions. [Posted 9/23/20]
Confirmed Cases and Asymptomatic Individuals
While the county is not currently reporting the metrics for asymptomatic positive COVID-19 cases, the number of asymptomatic cases versus symptomatic cases have fluctuated due to the changes in who can get tested. Since testing capacity and availability has increased, it is likely that there will be an increase in positive cases that are asymptomatic. [Posted 9/23/20]
Data on Symptom Severity and Recovery
COVID-19 recovery is currently only measured by comparing positive cases to the fatality rate, and symptom severity is measured using hospitalizations, ICU admittances, and deaths due to COVID-19. [Posted 9/23/20]
Quarantine Guidance for Travel -Domestic vs. International
There is no current requirement in the Public Health Order that employees quarantine after domestic or international travel, but employers and HR can set their own employee quarantine requirements. [Posted 9/23/20]

Websites/Resources mentioned:

Public Health Order
Update on SD County Red Tier Status
Employers must notify County of San Diego Public Health Services about an employee who tests positive with COVID-19 by calling (888) 950-9905. Leave a message with your name and contact number, name of business, and employee’s name, date of birth, and contact information.
Business Sector Stay Connected: Resource Flyer
Business Sector Website
Business Sector email address: COVID-Business@sdcounty.ca.gov
COVID-19 E-Toolkit
State COVID-19 Page
Blue Print for a Safer Economy
Safe Reopening Plan
Positive Employee Flowchart
Health Officer Order - Quarantine
Guidance for Face Coverings
To report health order violations, call (858) 694-2900 or email SafeReopeningComplianceTeam@sdcounty.ca.gov.
Steps for Students Challenge - combat hunger by turning your exercise into donated meals for local students in need
County of San Diego’s Youth Emergency Readiness Ambassadors are producing educational materials for a county-wide outreach initiative to prepare San Diego youth for natural disasters, health crises like COVID-19, and more. If your organization serves youth, and would like to disseminate youth-focused materials about COVID-19 and emergency preparedness, please fill out this form.
COVID-19 Employer Playbook for Safe Reopening
Submit success stories and testimonials to the 10th Anniversary Edition of the Live Well San Diego Annual Impact Report
Check Your Mood Day
Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Employee Paid Leave Rights
San Diego State University (SDSU) Testing - SDSU has ramped up their capacity to test up to 1,000 individuals each day this week. All community members are welcome to get tested for free at the SDSU Alumni Center located at 5250 55th St, San Diego, CA 92182, Monday – Friday from 8:30 AM – 4 PM. No appointment necessary.
2020 Virtual Live Well Advance - To apply to be an exhibitor at the 2020 Virtual Live Well Advance on Thursday, December 3, 2020, please complete the exhibitor application by October 15th.
Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans cover transportation to all Medi-Cal covered services including Specialty Mental Health, Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System, Denti-Cal, and to the temporary isolation hotels. The Plans transportation numbers can be found on the Healthy San Diego Health Plan Contact Card.

We will be meeting again Wednesday, October 14th from 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM. To request resources, ask questions, or address concerns, please contact COVID-Business@sdcounty.ca.gov.

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