Governor Gavin Newsom provided an update on the California pandemic on Monday and said the capacity of the Bay region’s intensive care unit had dropped to 0.7%.
This number is important for many living in the region, as it determines when the application for stay at home can be suspended, and Newsom noted that, based on current capacity, we can expect the application in the Bay Area to continue indefinitely.
Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley are experiencing the most dire peaks in COVID-19, and ICU capacity is at 0% in both regions.
Newsom said the Greater Sacramento region is in better shape, with 9.7% of capacity.
The Northern California region continues to have more space in the ICU, with 35% of capacity, and is the only region in the state that is not under the order that requires most businesses, except essential services and retail to close operations. Residents in the regions under the order are asked to stay at home, except for work, shopping or other essential activities, such as going to the doctor’s office.
Newsom launched its regular briefing on Monday, sharing that the average daily load of new cases in the state has exceeded 40,000, and that the current positivity rate is 13.7%.
A plus point in the numbers is a 6% increase in COVID hospitalizations across the state in the past 14 days, the smallest increase the state has seen in two weeks in the past few months. Last week, the increase in hospitalizations was almost constant, with an increase of just 0.3%.
It is “the smallest in some time, but it is not yet a reason for wild optimism,” said Newsom.
The governor also offered an update on vaccine distribution and said the state had received nearly 2.5 million vaccines and placed 783,476 doses in the arms of individuals as of January 10. He announced a new plan to streamline the vaccine’s implementation and vaccinate 1 million people by the end of next weekend.
Newsom introduced the order to stay home in early December to prevent local health systems from collapsing under the weight of the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases.
It divides the state into five major regions and restricts those with capacity for beds in intensive care units below 15%. When enacted, the request goes into effect for three weeks, but it can be extended.