"Sacramento Sets the Rules, Now They Own the Outcome"
Last updated 12/13/2020 at 2:31pm
Has shuttering businesses and crushing livelihoods worked to control the virus? Obviously not.
If businesses aren’t spreading the virus, what is? Dr. Ghaly, the head of the California’s Health and Human Service Agency’s response to where people are getting the virus; his answer is, “everywhere.”
Clearly, the State was missing the mark. Focusing on business sectors provides a false sense of security and is a cause, not a solution, to the spread. Many of the closed and prohibited activities are still taking place, hidden from public view, without the proper safety protocols.
People are on their best behavior when they are out of the house and in public. It is outside in businesses where people are using best practices including social distancing, sanitation, masks and limiting capacities.
The closures and mandates did not stop the virus. The closures are driving small businesses into the ground, driving youth sports to Arizona, and causing church closures in a time of high anxiety when religious and spiritual guidance are needed most.
My push for balance of safe practices and open businesses has fallen on deaf ears. The spread is still happening and it’s not the fault of gyms, restaurants, churches or schools. It’s everywhere.
I believe the rising case numbers are a direct result of the apathy of state residents due to the governor not allowing people to keep their livelihoods, the governor not allowing safely operating schools and businesses to stay open, the governors mixed and confusing messages, and the governor setting a terrible example of not following his own rules.
The focus should be on hospitalizations not case rates.
Today, less that 11% of San Diego county’s hospital bed capacity are COVID-19 patients, and we still have over 1,600 empty beds. While not overwhelming, these are not great numbers. We can and should improve them over time.
We must continue to follow the basic safety protocols, let’s continue to wear masks, continue to wash our hands and continue to maintain social distancing. We’ve exercised the basic best practices that prevent spread and will continue to do it, but let’s also allow people to maintain their livelihoods.
Sacramento has set the rules, now they own the outcome.
Jim Desmond
– San Diego County District 5 Supervisor
