Stubborn Coronavirus Numbers Prompt County to Adjust Strategies

Facing stubborn case numbers and positivity rates, Sonoma County’s health officer announced Monday a new effort to ramp up testing in partnership with employers, while also helping infected low income people isolate away from family members and co-workers. That idea, if implemented, would involve providing financial help so that those individuals can afford a separate place to isolate while the virus is active.

Other ideas the county is reportedly considering include ramped up testing in Latino communities where prevalence of the virus continues to be higher than among any other Sonoma County demographic.

The stubborn persistence of high case rates and positivity numbers is reflected in state data.

Sonoma County currently ranks third highest among the state’s 51 counties in case rates per 100 thousand over a 7 day period. The rate of 113 is more than double the overall California rate of 52. The adjusted daily rate is 10.8 per 100 thousand, still higher than the rate of 7 needed to qualify for the red tier. The county’s positivity rate is currently near 5 which would qualify for movement to the next lower tier. However the rate in more heavily impacted disadvantaged communities, another state requirement, is still slightly above the state threshold.

Here is how Sonoma County compares to other Bay Area counties in terms of case rates per 100 thousand over a 7 day period.

Sonoma County 113

Lake 65

Marin 47

Mendocino 46

Napa 42

Santa Clara 37

Solano 33

Contra Costa 31

San Mateo 31

Alameda 28

San Francisco 21