As a public service, the BenitoLink team provides a frequent roundup of recent COVID-19 related data, resources and articles about San Benito County.
As of 5 p.m. on Sept. 1, 1,112 people in San Benito County have tested positive for the coronavirus since February, with 12,450 tested in total. One hundred eight are active patients, 996 have recovered and eight have died. For the most updated information, visit the San Benito County COVID-19 Dashboard.
Recent Articles
California Legislature passes first-in-the-nation COVID-19 Farmworker Relief Package—Bills now heading to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for consideration.
Legislation protecting renters from evictions passes in California—The COVID-19 Tenant Relief Act will protect renters from evictions due to a COVID-related hardship until Jan. 31, 2021, but still hold them responsible for paying past due rents to landlords.
Health
From the County of San Benito:
Using lessons learned from the July 4th parties and other celebrations where social gatherings have led to the spread of COVID-19, Public Health Services is offering tips to the public on how to stay safe over the Labor Day weekend.
Following celebratory events, such as the July 4th holiday, contact tracing has shown that many people likely became sick with COVID-19 after attending a party or picnic with friends and family. A common theme found by contact tracers was that people attended these gatherings despite displaying symptoms of COVID-19, such as coughing. At the same time, others remained at these events even though they noticed someone displaying symptoms because they didn’t want to appear rude by leaving early.
“Humans are social beings and COVID-19 has interfered with our natural desire to see and hug the people we care about,” stated San Benito County Interim Health Officer Dr. David Ghilarducci. “At the same time, we’re in an unprecedented situation now and we can’t behave like it’s business as usual. Socializing with groups of people who don’t live with you is risky and everyone needs to take precautions to prevent from getting sick or infecting others.”
Public Health Services discourages social gatherings with people who don’t live in the same home because these get-togethers, even small ones, increase the risk of spreading COVID-19. If people do plan to have an in-person social gathering over Labor Day or for other events like birthdays, health officials offer the following tips:
- Communicate beforehand: If you are attending a social gathering, ask the hosts what protective measures they will have in place, such as their plans for maintaining physical distancing and whether people will be required to wear masks. If you’re hosting an event, make sure people know to wear masks and tell invitees not to come if they feel ill in any way.
- If you’re feeling sick, stay home: You may think that cough or sniffle is just allergies, but it’s not worth the risk of infecting friends and loved ones you’ll see at a party.
- Leave the party if someone seems sick: Don’t assume that someone coughing or sniffling has allergies and not COVID-19. Politely explain to the host that you are worried about getting infected and need to go.
- Outdoors is safer than indoors: Nonetheless, even if you are outside, you should still stay six feet apart and wear face coverings if you are around people you don’t live with.
- Minimize how many parties you go to: Simply put, going to one social gathering is safer than going to two or more during the long weekend.
- Be extra cautious in the days before attending a gathering: If you know you’re going to a party over the weekend, stay home as much as possible and limit public activities in the days before in order to reduce the chance of getting sick and infecting others at the gathering.
For more information about COVID-19, go to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html, call 211 or text “COVID19” to 211211 or visit the San Benito County Public Health Services website at http://hhsa.cosb.us/publichealth/.
Resources
The State has several hotlines for residents to call for suicide prevention, abuse, and mental health:
24-hour Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255 or text 838255
24-hour Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233 or click Chat Now
Call 911 if you or the person you are helping is in immediate danger.
The Division of Occupational Safety and Health, better known as Cal/OSHA, helps protect workers from health and safety hazards in almost every workplace in California.
Visit Cal/OSHA for information about workplace safety and health.
File a confidential workplace safety complaint.
File a whistleblower complaint if you suffer retaliation for reporting a workplace safety hazard
Obtain free consultation services from Cal/OSHA.
Contact Cal/OSHA at 844-522-6734.
State and federal elected officials’ COVID-19 web pages.
State of California: https://covid19.ca.gov/ https://covid19.ca.gov/es/
San Benito County Health and Human Services Agency/Coronavirus
Food Distribution Community Food Bank www.communityfoodbankofsbc.org
Drive-thru service at the marketplace Fridays and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 1133 San Felipe Rd. in Hollister. Sign-ups for supplemental food are done by phone 831-637-0340
Food Distribution Salvation Army hollister.salvationarmy.org Drive-thru service Tuesdays at 11:00 a.m. 910 Buena Vista Rd. Hollister Sign-ups not required To schedule delivery call 310-753-6520.
Public Assistance CalFresh/Medi-Cal/Cash Aid/GA hhsa.cosb.us apply online at www.c4yourself.com 831-636-4180.
Unemployment Insurance Benefits Employment Development Department apply online at www.edd.ca.gov/ui_online 831-638-3306.
Senior Services Delivery of essential items and food City of Hollister and Jovenes de Antano recreation@hollister.ca.gov 831-636-4390.
Disability/Paid Family Leave Employment Development Department apply online at www.edd.ca.gov/sdi_online 831-638-3306.
United Way of San Benito County 2-1-1 Text your Zip Code to 831-898-211 or call 211 Text COVID2019 to 211211
Tips for avoiding COVID-19
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands.
- Keep a minimum of a six feet physical distance from others.
- Avoid people who are sick.
- Stay at home. Only leave to take care of essential errands.
- Cover your cough and sneeze.
- Cover your face (mouth and nose) with protective covering when in public
- Disinfect frequently touched objects.
- If you think you might be infected call your health care professional and follow their directions.
BenitoLink is a nonprofit news website that reports on San Benito County. Our team is working around the clock during this time when accurate information is essential. It is expensive to produce local news and community support is what keeps the news flowing. Please consider supporting BenitoLink, San Benito County’s news.
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