CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) – As the delta variant dominates new cases across the Bay Area, leaders in one East Bay county are looking into requiring mandatory vaccinations for county workers.
Contra Costa County leaders say they are looking into the requirement after an outbreak at county detention facilities.
As of Monday, there were 23 new cases, nearly 3,000 new COVID cases in the past two weeks countywide, and four times more hospitalizations this month than in June when the state reopened.
Contra Costa County Board of President Diane Burgis says some kids in their county will go back to school starting tomorrow.
She worries that at this current rate, there could be enough outbreaks that could prompt some schools to close.
“It is increasing. We are seeing more people testing positive and it’s primarily in those who are unvaccinated,” Burgis said.
On Tuesday, county health leaders said the county has recorded 2,800 new COVID cases in the past two weeks.
Hospitalizations have quadrupled in the past month.
80-percent of the county’s new COVID cases, involving the delta variant.
“It’s six times higher among those who are unvaccinated versus those who are vaccinated,” Burgis said
Board of Supervisors President Diane Burgis says the numbers say the latest surge isn’t threatening the health system but says the concern right now is spread, and the unvaccinated.
“Anytime people are gathering and they’re not masked, we don’t know if they’re going to spread it,” Burgis said
Last week the county encouraged businesses to have workers provide proof of protection or have them take weekly tests.
On Tuesday, county supervisors proposed mandatory vaccinations for all county workers, after a recent outbreak at county detention facilities.
“As an employer, it is our intention to make sure our employees are vaccinated and if they’re not, they’re going to be tested and required to wear masks. We’re going to be requiring more masks inside,” Burgis said
Burgis says the latest surge is especially concerning, as kids prepare to head back to school.
For some in the county, that is this week.
“As people go back to school, I don’t think people realize that if we have more breakouts in the school, there’s going to be more quarantining. It won’t be shutting down the county. It’ll just be shutting down those classrooms, and those parents are going to have to stay home and quarantine their kids,” Burgis said
Burgis says county leaders are still working to make sure those who need the vaccine still have access to it.
At this point, she says it is not about fear but simply providing facts.
“It’s not about fear, it’s not about guilt. It’s about respect in a situation where people can feel confident in what we’re doing,” Burgis said
Even more concerning, Supervisor Burgis says she doesn’t believe her county has hit its peak yet with this latest wave of cases but says as of now, she doesn’t believe there will be a return of lockdowns or other restrictive measures we saw during the height of the pandemic.