Tweny Cases of Corona Virus in Santa Clara County

Dear Community,

The County’s Health Officer, Dr. Sara Cody, announced on Thursday, March 5, that 20 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Santa Clara County. And we are likely to see more.

To protect the health of the community and stop the spread of the virus, the Public Health Department is recommending postponing or canceling mass gatherings and large community events where large numbers of people are within arm’s length of one another.  When large gatherings can’t be avoided, anyone who is sick or in a vulnerable category should not attend.

Contact me:

Supervisor Dave Cortese
70 W. Hedding St., 10th floor
San Jose, CA 95110
(408) 299-5030
dave.cortese@bos.sccgov.org
www.supervisorcortese.org

Employers are asked to cancel large conferences, suspend travel and be flexible with sick leave policies. It is not recommended at this time that schools close.

Earlier this week, Dr. Cody provided new guidelines to protect people who are at a higher risk of serious illness from the virus.  Beginning at age 50, the risk increases with age, with the highest risk to those age 80 and over. The risk is also higher for those with such medical issues as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer or chronic lung conditions. 

We should take these guidelines seriously, but we should avoid panicking and hoarding supplies.  I’d like to remind you that, besides the media, the County has a webpage dedicated to information about COVID-19, including updates, how to protect yourself and your families, who is most vulnerable and a number to call if you have questions.

You can also call my office at 408-299-5030 or email me at dave.cortese@bos.sccgov.org.

Stay Healthy!

Dave Cortese
County Supervisor, Third District

Expect A Low Voter Turnout in California

Despite the new changes to allow more time and access for people to vote, and the early March primary so that voters can have more impact on the presidential primary, the early voter turnout so far has been disappointing. 

State wide, the return of absentee ballots is only 23%, with Republic voters edging out Democrat voters by 33% to 23%.   In Santa Clara County, the early voter turnout is 20%.   Orange County has similar rate.  In the past, 80% of ballots cast by mail.  Thus, this election is projected to have 30% to 35% turnout similar to the 2012 presidential primary.  In comparison, the 2016 presidential primary, the turnout was 50% to 55%.  

This year, every register voter automatically receives an absentee ballot that they can mail in without paying postage,  drop off at any centralized ballot centers or drop boxes.   And with the presidential primary moves to March instead of June, the voters have a bigger impact in deciding the presidential candidates for the November general election.

The low turnout will affect the Democratic primary race.  It  could mean Bernie Sanders' double digit lead in the poll might not hold up.  The turnout is particular low with Hispanic voters.   And the trend of young voters (18-25) is as expected, a lot of enthusiasm but does not translate to going to the poll.

Corona Virus and Santa Clara County

Dear Community,

Santa Clara County’s Public Health Officer, Dr. Sarah Cody, announced on Friday, February 28, that a third case of the COVID-19 has been confirmed in the County, and most significantly, that it is not related to the other two cases reported  earlier.

This means that the third case, an older adult woman, had no known exposure to the virus through travel or close contact with a known infected individual. This case is important because it signals that now is the time to change course and prepare for the possibility of widespread community transmission

Contact me:

Supervisor Dave Cortese
70 W. Hedding St., 10th floor
San Jose, CA 95110
(408) 299-5030
dave.cortese@bos.sccgov.org
www.supervisorcortese.org

The individual in the third case is a woman with chronic health conditions who was hospitalized for a respiratory illness. The County Public Health Laboratory performed tests on Thursday, confirming the virus, and the department has been working to identify any contacts she may have had with others.

The County will continue to use the methods it has taken so far when a case is confirmed -- isolation, quarantine, contract tracing and travel restrictions. These are known to help slow the spread of the disease.  Also, the County Health Laboratory can now run tests for the virus.

There are things we as individuals can do, as well:

• Keep your hands clean, always cover your cough and stay home when you are sick.
• Start working on not touching your face because viruses spread when you touch your own mouth, nose or eyes.
• Since we know the disease is here, stay away from people who are sick.
• Start thinking about family preparedness, for example, a room to isolate a sick person.

In the community settings:

• Schools should plan for absenteeism and explore options for tele-learning. Also, keep surfaces clean.
• Businesses, whenever possible, should replace in-person meetings with video or telephone conferences, increase teleworking options and permit workers to stay home if they are sick.

The Public Health Department is working closely with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other partners to keep informed as the new coronavirus situation changes.  The Department has also dedicated a Public Health web page to keep us informed with daily updates, along with providing a FAQ in four languages. 

If you have questions, please call the Public Health Department at 408-885-4214 or my office at 408-299-5030. You can email me at dave.cortese@bos.sccgov.org.

Sincerely,

Dave Cortese
County Supervisor, Third District