COVID PM: Should we be worried about that fourth wave everyone is talking about?
Happy Friday everyone, it’s Tulsi and Chris again filling in for Mark. (Don’t worry, he’ll be back on Monday!) As we go forth into weekend, we’re thinking about the potential of the so-called fourth wave.
➤ SHOULD WE WORRY ABOUT A FOURTH WAVE OF COVID-19? With all the warnings coming from national health experts, we wanted to find out if it’s likely to happen here.
➤ OUTDOOR EVENTS SIGNAL A SLOW RETURN TO NORMALCY: Twin monthly events on West Cliff are designed to be as much social as they are transactional.
➤ AND SOON INDOOR EVENTS WILL BE ALLOWED TOO! The state announced today that counties that are not in purple tier may allow indoor gatherings very soon.
Here are the details:
Should Santa Cruz worry about a fourth wave of COVID-19? Here’s what experts say
On Monday, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Rochelle Walensky, said she felt a sense of “impending doom” as cases of COVID-19 rose an average of 10% in the previous week — a trend not reflected locally. In fact, Walensky’s statement came amid relaxed restrictions in Santa Cruz County where cases have consistently reduced. Earlier in the pandemic, California celebrated declining cases by lifting lockdowns and other restrictions, only to be faced with a surge of infections soon after. Mallory Pickett asked local and national experts if they thought we should be worried. Here’s what she learned.
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Food Truck Friday and West Cliff Outdoor Market to debut this weekend
As we slowly return to normalcy, Santa Cruz’s breathtaking West Cliff Drive will have a bit of a transactional presence with a pair of monthly events that are designed to be as much social as commercial. Right now at Lighthouse Point, there are a number of popular food trucks gathered as part of the first day of Food Truck Friday. Then, tomorrow the same lot will be the site of the West Cliff Outdoor Market. Read more about dates, times and calendars from Wallace Baine here.
Indoor events can return in California later this month as COVID-19 conditions improve
And pretty soon, we’ll also be able to gather indoors for live events and performances with limitations as the state’s latest rules will further be relaxed amid declining COVID-19 case rates and continuing vaccinations. Under new state guidance unveiled today, those types of activities could take place starting later this month in counties that are not in purple tier. (Remember, we’re in orange). Read more about when the state will allow indoor gatherings in this story from our content partner the LA Times.
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More from here & elsewhere
➤ Fully vaccinated people can travel safely again, CDC says (Associated Press)
➤ Backed by millions in public and private cash, rapid COVID tests are coming to stores near you (Kaiser Health News)
➤ Moderna gets nod to speed up virus vaccine output with bigger vials (Reuters)
➤ As many as 45 COVID deaths in San Diego could have been avoided last summer, Scripps research finds (NBC San Diego)
➤ Vaccine updates: Bay Area Costco stores offer appointments for J&J vaccine (SFGATE)
That’s it for this evening. Have a good weekend.
Tulsi Kamath and Chris Fusco
Lookout COVID-PM stand-ins