Will There Be Another Lockdown in California?
The chances of another lockdown in California depend on many variables. What has been confirmed by new data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is that California’s coronavirus transmission rates have continually dropped throughout September 2021 and there is hope this decline in cases will continue after the Delta variant surge in the summer.
The last 18 months in California have been tough for most and even though some businesses have thrived many others will not be able to survive another lockdown. Online businesses have benefitted from the closure of traditional retail and entertainment sites with Betfred Casino just one of those making the best use of rapid software developments in the last few months to launch live dealer games that make players feel as though they are at a games table in a brick-and-mortar casino.
Rates of transmission fall
As it stands at the time of writing, the chance of another lockdown in California is low. The level of coronavirus transmission in the state has fallen from “high” (red) to “substantial,” (orange) which is the second-highest tier defined by the CDC. The fall has been credited to wearing masks in indoor public spaces and high vaccination rates, according to state epidemiologist Dr Erica Pan.
It is due to the masking, testing and vaccinations that the California Department of Public Health announced in August that lockdowns would not be necessary, stating that the state was keen to keep businesses open and have children safely back at school.
Whilst there have been claims that data-processing delays may have skewed figures, California has reported a 27 per cent decline in weekly cases over the period from 27 August to 10 September 2021. Figures from the state Department of Public Health note a fall from an average of 13,400 cases a day for the week ending 27 August to around 9,800 cases a day for the week ending 10 September.
Taking data from specific areas over the same period, the San Francisco Bay Area reported a decline in weekly cases of 36 per cent; Southern California, 28 per cent; the Greater Sacramento area, 27 per cent; the San Joaquin Valley, 18 per cent; and rural Northern California, 15 per cent. This is mirrored by weekly figures falling for the nation as a whole, from153,000 to 118,000 cases a day for the same period.
Vaccinations
The number of people being vaccinated in California is rising. The mandate of strict coronavirus safety measures for employees and students in various organisations and businesses is helping in the progress to contain the virus and prevent another lockdown in the state. As an example, the Los Angeles Unified School District mandate orders all employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19 by 15 October.
In San Francisco, proof of vaccination is required for patrons at indoor bars, restaurants, clubs, theatres and entertainment venues, as well as indoor gyms and other fitness establishments. The requirement for patrons came into effect on 20 August and for staff will take effect on 13 October.
Emergency measures
Emergency measures are closely linked to the number of people requiring hospital care for Covid-19. Some experts have suggested that when Covid-19 hospitalisations rise beyond five per 100,000 residents, indoor mask orders should be made. In San Francisco, the City’s health officer says that for now, tougher restrictions like outdoor mask mandates are off the table There has been a fall recorded in the number of covid-19 hospitalisations, though only two per cent in the San Joaquin Valley, in comparison to 24 per cent in Southern California and the Bay Area over that same period. Ventura, CA reported 22 covid-19 positive patients on 8 September, four reported as vaccinated, two partially vaccinated and 16 unvaccinated.
