Tuolumne County Covid Testing And Reporting Approach

Tuolumne County Public Health

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Sonora, CA — Tuolumne County Health officials released the Monday Coronavirus testing update. There were no new cases identified today and two more listed as recovered. Calaveras Public Health, the City of Sonora and Tuolumne Public Health have addressed Governor Gavin Newsom’s new list of business sectors that must cease indoor operations as detailed here.

Below in the Tuolumne County Publich Health update specific reporting concerns are addressed in detail.

Total tested* 6,766, total Tuolumne residents positive 73, hospitalized 0, in isolation 23, total recovered 50.

**Active cases as reported by the county or recovered and deceased known positive cases minus total known cases or for Merced, Mono and San Joaquin Counties a rolling 14-day total.

* Tuolumne County testing numbers include those routed through Public Health to a Public Health Laboratory and those reported through the State infectious disease reporting system. All positive cases of Tuolumne County residents must be reported to Public Health. State data is here.

Tuolumne County Public Health Updates

• We have no new cases to report today. 2 individuals have moved from isolation to recovered.
• Governor Newsom today announced that all counties are required to close the following business sectors: Indoor Dining, Bars, Breweries & Pubs (indoor and outdoor), Wineries & Tasting Rooms, Movie Theaters, Family Entertainment Centers, Zoos & Museums, and Cardrooms. Dr. Ortiz, Interim County Health Officer has issued an updated Local Health Officer Order in alignment with today’s directive from the state.
• We understand that the public may desire for us to release more details surrounding the cases in Tuolumne County. We would like to assure the public that we share all relevant details, including any information that would necessitate further action on the part of the public.
• *In regard to whether or not individuals have been symptomatic: Cases in Tuolumne County have presented with a full range of symptoms, from being asymptomatic (having no symptoms), experiencing mild symptoms, those who have had more severe symptoms, including those who needed to seek medical attention, and those who have been hospitalized for COVID-related issues. An individual’s symptoms frequently change throughout the progression of the disease, so reporting how ill they are at the time of our report, does not necessarily indicate the severity of their illness throughout their infection with COVID-19.
• *Regarding specific locations of cases: As is standard practice for a county of our size with the number of cases we have, the health department does not release information that could compromise protected health information. As we begin to experience larger numbers of cases and “hot spots” may become evident, it may become useful to the public to know where those areas are. Every supervisorial district has had multiple cases. There is no part of the county that does not have community transmission. Additionally, Tuolumne County residents regularly travel throughout the county and regularly travel across county lines, so where they reside is not necessarily where the highest risk is. No matter the specific geographic location, everyone remains vulnerable to the disease and should take the recommended precautions to help protect themselves, their loved ones, and their community.
• *Data from the surrounding region and the state are evaluated by public health every day. Data and information regarding COVID-19 activity in our neighboring counties is presented at the twice-monthly Board of Supervisors meetings, is publicly shared on each county’s website, and can be viewed on the statewide data dashboard. And also for
  • Stanislaus: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/c29aa0c6a84844ceab6601da4b124c0b/
  • San Joaquin: https://sjcphs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/1234d2c9d6e043709a85f6b519cc8757
• The no-cost state testing site is open at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds Tuesday – Saturday 7am to 7pm. Appointments can be scheduled ahead of time at: https://lhi.care/covidtesting
• In regard to antibody testing, Public Health cannot speak to the accuracy of the tests being offered by commercial laboratories and we are not currently making a recommendation for the testing. Individuals should contact their healthcare provider to determine if testing is recommended. It is important to note that the relationship between antibody presence and immunity is not currently known. This means that if a person tests positive for antibodies, it does not necessarily mean that the person is immune to COVID-19. It is unknown if people who test positive for COVID-19 antibodies are at risk of infection. Also, antibody tests have not been shown to definitively diagnose or exclude SARS-CoV-2 infection.

It is important that people continue to follow prevention guidelines to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, including:

• Practice physical distancing at all times. Keep 6 feet space between yourself and others who are not part of your household. Stay in your household bubble!
• Wear a face mask if you aren’t sure you can maintain physical distancing while in public.
• Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently.
• Stay home if you are sick.
• Avoid unnecessary travel, and limit your outings to essential tasks.

LINKS TO MORE INFORMATION & RESOURCES

Community Resources Portal: https://bit.ly/TCcovidPortal

Tuolumne County Public Health Website: www.tuolumnecounty.ca.gov/publichealth

Public Health COVID-19 Call Center: (209) 533-7440

California COVID-19 website: www.covid19.ca.gov

State Testing Site info and Appointments: https://lhi.care/covidtesting

Tuolumne County Business: www.tcdisasterassistance.com

CDC COVID-19 website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Thank you for your support and efforts to protect the safety and health of our community