The past 24 hours has been the state’s deadliest day since the COVID-19 crisis began with a reported 115 deaths, but the Bay Area overall has seen a steadying of the curve.
“One hundred and fifteen human beings lost their lives, families torn apart,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “It was the deadliest day in the state of California.”
Most reported deaths were in Southern California but Governor Newsom added the numbers of hospitalizations dropped again and the Bay Area appears to be flattening the curve.
Though Santa Clara County is nearing 2,000 cases, the number of patients in hospitals and those in the ICU is still slightly down from April 1.
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow applauded the Bay’s vigilance to stop the spread.
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“Dr. Sara Cody would become the public health official in America who may have saved more lives than any other person in our country,” said Maddow.
Later, asking Santa Clara County Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody about the nation’s first shelter-at-home order.
“It just became clear that we act now and create a lot of social and economic disruption. Or, we act later and still created a lot of social and economic disruption but didn’t get the benefit of the early action,” said Dr. Cody.
As the curve is bent, Bay Area counties are expected to slowly get back to normal.
Napa County, which has low case numbers, has opened up golf, construction, and real estate viewings with social distancing.
Other counties can do the same thing if it doesn’t preempt the state order. But Political Analyst Larry Gerston says it’ll be tricky.
“Logic would suggest that before a local government does something other than what the governor has laid out, that someone in that authority would contact the governor’s office [and say] ‘we’d like to do this, can we do this,’” said Gerston.
Gov. Newsom added he’ll give more guidance in the coming days.
