The Bishop City Council is asking Governor Gavin Newsom to consider relaxing the standards for rural counties under the Level-1, Purple Tier, Widespread category, pointing out that the current standard is unrealistic for a county that encompasses 10,000 square miles. The claim is that the “matter is exacerbated when you take into account that our area is so highly dependent on tourism.”
Following is the letter sent to the governor:
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I am confused. There already is a Small Counties adjustment for exactly this reason. For Inyo (or any county with population less than 35k) to move into Red, we would need to have 35 or fewer new cases per week, for two consecutive weeks. For Orange, 14 or fewer. For Yellow, 7 or fewer.
I get that the City Council is asking that our population be considered to be higher, thus decreasing the per capita rate. I wish they would have at least noted why they think the existing small counties adjustment would not be adequate, though, because this letter makes it seem as if they don’t actually know it exists.
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/COVID19CountyMonitoringOverview.aspx
The claim by the state is that those values only apply for moving “to a more restrictive” tier, and not for moving OUT of a more restrictive tier to a lower one.
Fascinating! I reread the source, and you’re right that it doesn’t talk about moving out of a more restrictive tier. I had assumed it would go both ways, odd that it doesn’t. Thanks for clarifying.
10,000 square miles but most of the population is probably within a 25 mile radius of Bishop. Does no one remember what happened to our case count the last time we started seeing lots of tourists? Almost all of them are going to be from the very crowded areas where the infection rates are appropriately measured per 100,000. And back in August and September we were running less than 1 case per day, but now? 3,4,5, with some double digit numbers after the week-end counts come in. By what logic do they think we are getting better? Relaxing the restrictions is supposed to be the result of reduced transmission. What level of new cases do they consider acceptable?
Give me a break…it’s all about getting money from the State.
“Mommy may I” go outside to Play.
Oh boy. I commend them for trying but that is not a well written letter. Sheesh. They could have included a comparison of cases per sq. mile with LA county and SBD county. I have to imagine the number would be striking. Of course that logic fails IF a majority of cases is in one area of the County.
It’s a little late in the game, but having a blanket tier system that encompasses every county is ridiculous. There really should be a separate tier system for counties with a population under 20k.
Our business owners have done a hell of a job weathering the restriction storm this past year. And there’s not nearly enough financial support from the government for them.