Coronado’s Mayor Richard Bailey is speaking out in opposition to the state’s coronavirus policy that recently moved San Diego County to the most restrictive tier and shut down gyms, fitness studios and indoor dining at restaurants. According to county data, the increased cases of COVID-19 are not a result of interactions in the sectors that are being closed. Mayor Bailey has promoted a petition for those that “agree our region deserves a better, more nuanced policy, that protects the vulnerable in our community while allowing businesses, with prescribed protocols in place, that are not contributing to the spread, to stay open.”
See the petition for a Better COVID-19 Policy here
In a message to the community on November 15, Mayor Bailey shared:
This past week the state of California announced that recent COVID-19 data from San Diego County triggered thresholds to move the county back into the most restrictive tier.
Although the vast majority of new transmissions, over 80%+, are traced to gatherings not associated with the sectors being affected, the change primarily affects the operations of small businesses and will result in tens of thousands of San Diegans (and Coronadans) being let go for the second and third times this year.
Starting [Saturday] at 12:01 a.m., businesses operating in San Diego County were expected to comply with the guidelines in the purple tier, which include:
- Restaurants: outdoor dining only
- Gyms: outdoor fitness only
- Places of worship: outdoor only
- Personal care services: still indoor with protocols
- Retail: 25% capacity
- K-12 schools: distance learning only if not already open for in-person instruction.
The move to the purple tier will not affect recreational activities at city facilities.
What does the County Public Health Officer Say?
Last week, the County of Public Health Officer, Wilma Wooten, in an adjudication letter sent to the state asking for relief stating,
“San Diego’s increased cases are not due to the sectors impacted by moving into a more restrictive tier.” Dr. Wooten went on to say, “Penalizing the impacted sectors for case increases is wrong, as these sectors continue to do the right things, while trying to weather the ongoing pandemic and back and forth of reopenings.”
Stay tuned for more information after the County Board of Supervisors meets on Tuesday, [November 17].
On the mayor’s Instagram page, he shared this message on Friday:
View this post on Instagram
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