San Mateo County is now the only county in the Bay Area not on the state’s monitoring list, but with COVID-19 cases continuing to grow, many say it's only a matter of time before that changes.
This would trigger mandatory closures for barbers, hair stylists and other businesses.
Dan Schlee-Vee of San Mateo got his first hair cut in four months. He’s doing it now because he’s concerned the state will soon put the county on its watch list, forcing all barber shops to shut down again.
“I am afraid everything will shut down again and I want to get my haircut it’s been too long,” he said.
San Mateo County Health Officer Dr. Scott Morrow issued a new statement trying to explain the surge.
He says he’s concerned the newest cases of COVID-19 are largely among front line workers -- many living paycheck to paycheck in crowded conditions without health insurance, and no way to stay home if they're sick.
“Try getting compliance with isolation and quarantine when the infected person is the breadwinner for the family and the family will be out on the street if they don’t go to work. And when they go to work they will perhaps interact at that job with you,” Morrow said in a statement.
Local
San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa says Dr. Morrow nailed it.
“The bottom line is if you have a nice job, you have the luxury of having technology and working from home and not interacting with others but what does that say for people who are working in the back of the kitchen or are blue collar?” he said.
The question for everyone now is how do we change that? And until we do, how do we convince everyone to wear a mask and stay away from others?
