Alpine County moves to remote school and public meetings due to COVID-19 surge

ALPINE COUNTY, Calif. - Alpine County Health Officer Dr. Richard Johnson has directed all public meetings in the county to move to a virtual format until further notice. He is also encouraging workplaces to conduct meetings remotely as well.

This morning four individuals tested positive for COVID-19 and they performed contact tracing and discovered that 40 percent of students and 48 percent of staff have been exposed at Diamond Valley Elementary School and the District office.

The exposed and positive staff who are required to quarantine or isolate represent essential staff that is vital to the day-to-day running of the school and the safety of students. In consultation with the Alpine County Public Health Officer, it has been determined that DVES students will move to remote independent study for the remainder of the week returning Tuesday, January 18, 2022, unless there are further cases that will affect their ability to reopen.

The rapid emergence of the highly transmissible COVID-19 Omicron variant coupled with holiday gatherings has led to unprecedented COVID-19 case rates in Alpine County, Dr. Johnson said. Instead of several cases every 1-2 weeks, they are now experiencing several new cases per day, and have moved from being the only county in California considered “low risk” into the highest risk category. Those affected include those most vulnerable – the very young, the elderly, those with underlying medical conditions, and those unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated.

While data on the Omicron variant is still emerging, it has quickly become the dominant variant in the United States. The high case rates in our region are projected to severely impact capacity in area hospitals over the next weeks, added Johnson.

All individuals in Alpine County, especially those who are unvaccinated or not up-todate with their vaccination (boosted, if eligible) and those at higher risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19, should take personal measures to reduce their risk of acquiring COVID-19. In addition to existing COVID-19 mitigation measures, including vaccination, face coverings, and testing, additional actions can help limit the likelihood of COVID-19 transmission in workplaces and public settings.

This Order is necessary to control and reduce the rate of community spread and to reinforce the need for safe interactions. The Health Officer will continue to assess the public health situation as it evolves and will reevaluate the need for this Order no later than February 1, 2022. The Health Officer may modify this Order, or issue additional Orders related to COVID-19, as changing circumstances dictate.

Alpine County Health Order:
1. This Order shall become effective January 10, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. and will
continue to be in effect until rescinded or amended in writing by the Health
Officer.
2. On January 5th, the California Department of Public Health extended its
order directing all individuals to wear face coverings indoors in workplaces and public settings through February 15th. This State Order remains in place and is unaffected by this Order. (guidance for face coverings (ca.gov))
3. All public boards, councils, commissions, and other similar bodies shall
suspend in-person public meetings and conduct all meetings virtually. Affected bodies shall ensure opportunities for virtual public participation and compliance with the Brown Act and all other relevant statutes.
4. All county sponsored indoor and outdoor events shall be suspended, and
departments are encouraged to conduct events virtually when possible, or to
postpone when not possible to transition to a virtual event.
5. Employers and businesses shall consider conducting meetings remotely
and take other measures as necessary to reduce transmission risk as much as
business needs will permit.
6. Employers and businesses subject to the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) and/or the Cal/OSHA Aerosol Transmissible Diseases Standards should consult the applicable regulations for additional requirements. The ETS allow local health jurisdictions to mandate more protective measures.
7. All State orders and guidance documents referenced in State orders are
complementary to this Order. By way of this Order, the Health Officer adopts
such directives as orders as well. Where a conflict exists between a local order and any State public health order related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the most restrictive provision controls pursuant to, and consistent with, California Health and Safety Code § 131080.
8. Copies of Order. Copies of this Order shall promptly be: (1) made available at the Alpine County Health Department at 75 Diamond Valley Rd in Woodfords; (2) posted on the Alpine County website (COVID-19 | Alpine County, CA - Official Website (alpinecountyca.gov) and (3) provided to any member of the public requesting a copy of this Order.
9. Severability. If any provision of this Order or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held to be invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of the Order, including the application of such part or provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected and shall continue in full force and effect. To this end, the provisions of this Order are severable.