Government and healthcare workers held an emergency meeting Monday to discuss next steps, including potential for a countywide shelter in place order, and to provide an overview of resources in the event coronavirus cases spike in San Benito County.
Officials were particularly concerned about the lack of local resources and the potential that a spike in local cases of COVID-19, caused by the coronavirus, could overwhelm the local healthcare system.
Leaders with the San Benito County Board, Hollister City Council and San Juan City Council met with representatives from the office of education and Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital to talk about next steps and a unifying message.
They met at the San Benito County Administration Building, with some people attending in person and others doing so over a teleconference. It came while healthcare experts are urging people to avoid exposure to others and to stay out of groups exceeding 10 people.
One major point of discussion Monday was the possibility of a shelter in place order for the county. That came shortly after Hollister Mayor Ignacio Velazquez announced Monday the city would move forward on a shelter in place order.
Officials also received an overview of resources at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, which maintains just six ventilators – equipment that will be vital in the event of widespread illness caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Ventilators are used to help someone breathe when they can’t do it themselves.
Additionally, the county board approved spending funds to hire a temporary public information officer to regularly update the public and designation for the county administrative officer to spend up to $1 million toward coronavirus efforts such as buying needed supplies – including sanitizer – for government employees.
The most intense point of the discussion was about the shelter in place. Velazquez ordered a shelter in place after six Bay Area counties did the same. But some officials in Monday’s meeting expressed frustration toward the mayor that he did so without their clearance or without consent from the public health officer.
That public health officer, Dr. Martin Fenstersheib, was not a participant in Monday’s meeting.
“It’s easy to jump out in front as I think some of us have,” said Supervisor Anthony Botelho. He went on: “We have to follow our professional health staff in this crisis.”
Velazquez, though, insisted the community could not waste anymore time.
“This is not a time to be waiting,” the mayor said. “One of the things I’d be happy to see is no more cases come forward. But if we do not move aggressively to slow this down, we’re going to see more cases and we’re going to be overwhelmed.”
Velazquez said San Benito County is an “island” and the community can’t rely on surrounding areas for help.
“This is a time to get ahead, be aggressive, and hope no more cases pop up,” he said.
The potential economic impact of a shelter in place order came up as well. Such an order would call for shutting down all non-essential businesses or services.
San Juan Councilwoman Leslie Jordan said she wants to make sure government leaders are on the same page while questioning the Hollister mayor’s announcement about a shelter in place.
“We’re in a community with hospitality folks in San Juan Bautista,” Jordan said. “We’re a small city. We just want to make sure we continue to thrive in this crisis.”
But the general manager from one of San Juan’s most prominent businesses, Jardines de San Juan, even spoke out in favor of a countywide shelter in place order.
G.M. Nick Winkler said the restaurant decided to temporarily close as of 2:30 p.m. Monday.
“We want to be proactive and not reactive when it comes to this situation,” he said, noting how the restaurant understands the economic implications of a shelter in place order.
He said Jardines would work with its 80 employees on trying to help provide for their families.
“We really need to be careful that we don’t spread this. We’re talking about people losing their lives here.”
Even local resident Elia Salinas, often a critic of Velazquez, agreed about the shelter in place. She stressed how she is a major economic development advocate in the area.
“We’re all in this together,” she said.
Resident Kevin Barcellos was among the public speakers during the meeting. He reiterated what he’d previously posted on Facebook and urged for a shelter in place order.
“Every single day counts,” he said.
Aside from a possible shelter in place, officials focused much of the discussion on resources at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital.
E.R. Director Dr. Michael Bogey noted the six ventilators but added that each ventilator could be modified to treat multiple people, up to four at once.
“The county’s overall doing a great job,” Bogey said. “I think the citizens need to understand they ned to be active participants.”
Bogey talked about flattening the curve of infections. The more that curve of cases steepens – with a lot of cases at once – the more overwhelmed the local health system would be.
“If that line goes up sharply, the healthcare system will be overwhelmed very quickly,” he said.
Local officials had comments and questions about Bogey’s statements.
Hollister Councilwoman Carol Lenoir asked whether the hospital might seek out retired physicians and other professionals to help during this crisis. Bogey responded by saying that essentially all options are on the table. He said professionals are trying to be flexible and that “a lot of rules are off the table.”
Supervisor Jim Gillio mentioned concern about county employees running out of needed supplies like sanitizer and asked how the hospital might be dealing with that issue. Gillio eventually motioned for the $1 million in spending discretion for the CAO to combat coronavirus locally and to hire the temporary PIO.
Bogey said there is similar concern for staff members at the hospital.
“We are OK but we are going to run out here if things continue on,” Bogey said.
Hospital CEO Ken Underwood told officials the hospital had 15-25 beds available if needed in the event of a spike in cases.
Underwood also noted how the hospital had tested 35 residents for the coronavirus. One of those recently came back positive – the case announced last week – while the county had two confirmed cases in early February. Those first two residents infected with the virus have recovered.
As for the city’s actions, Councilwomen Carol Lenoir and Honor Spencer said they would like all council members involved in the consideration for a shelter in place order.
“We need to work together,” Spencer said. “We need to have one message and it has to be agreed upon from all of us.”
Councilman Rolan Resendiz said he wants to see a unifying message but also that local governments must act quickly.
“This is moving so quickly here that we need to stay on top of it,” he said.
