COVID-19 Cases in Napa County on the Rise

Dr. Karen Relucio presented an update to the Napa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, sharing that the County of Napa is reporting numbers that would cause us to return to the Purple “Widespread” Tier of the State’s COVID-19 reopening system.

The County is currently in the Orange “Moderate” Tier, with the very real potential to slide back to the more-restrictive Red Tier or even further backward to the Purple tier, following the County’s announcement on November 9 that there had been 118 of new cases reported for the prior 72 hours and an additional 32 new cases reported Tuesday.

The City of Napa alone accounted for 68 of those new cases on Monday.

“It is imperative that our residents continue to practice social distancing and take safety precautions while going about their daily lives,” says Napa City Manager Steve Potter. “We understand that people are tired of the restrictions and want to enjoy the upcoming holidays with their loved ones. But in order to get—and keep—these numbers under control, and allow our local economy to remain open, we need everyone to do their part to keep each other safe.”

As Dr. Relucio indicated in her Tuesday presentation, the most common drivers of case increase are unknown community transmission, household transmission and gatherings. Also contributing to the uptick in cases are out of state travel, lack of cooperation with contact tracing, and a general rise as we have moved into the less restrictive Orange Tier. Dr. Relucio’s full presentation can be viewed on the County’s website here: http://napa.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2

If the County’s case numbers remain at these levels for another week, businesses will have to return to more-restrictive operations, which could include further restriction or closure of indoor dining rooms, gyms, movie theaters, and other non-essential businesses.

For more information about Napa County’s efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19, please visit https://www.countyofnapa.org/2739/Coronavirus-COVID-19.

Holiday Travel Guidance from Bay Area Health Officials

Recommendations for Staying Safe from COVID-19 During the Holidays

 
Avoid travel during the holidays
COVID-19 is spreading rapidly in many parts of the country. Nonessential travel, including holiday travel, is not recommended. Traveling outside the Bay Area will increase your chance of getting infected and spreading the virus to others after your return. Additional precautions should also be taken when hosting and interacting with people traveling to the Bay Area, especially from other areas with widespread COVID-19.
 
If you travel outside the Bay Area, it is strongly recommended that you self-quarantine for 14 days after your return if your activities while travelling put you at higher risk of getting COVID-19.  These higher risk activities include: 

• Spending time within 6 feet of people you do not normally live with, while you or anyone around you was not wearing a face mask – especially if you were indoors.
• Traveling on planes, buses, trains, public transportation, or other shared vehicles, if face masks were not worn at all times by both you and the other people in the vehicle.

• Wear a face covering
• Keep at least 6 feet of physical distance from others (more distance is safer)
• Ventilate your space, if possible (for example, open the bus or taxi window)
• Wash or sanitize your hands often
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Avoid contact with anyone who is sick
• Avoid contact with frequently touched surfaces
• Get tested before and after you travel
• Get a flu shot

City Clerk announces Board and Committee openings

 
Applications are available online for submission - visit https://www.cityofnapa.org/268/Boards-Commissions for more information about the Commission and its guidelines and requirements.
 
The Building and Fire Code Board of Appeals is the local appeals board for the City of Napa regarding issues related to building and fire codes.  Each member should demonstrate knowledge, experience, and training in matters related to building construction and fire protection.  Three appointments shall serve concurrently on the Disability Access Board of Appeals.  Applicants must be City of Napa residents and registered voters.  The Board has no regular meetings and are called as needed.
 
The Planning Commission is advisory to the City Council on matters related to land use and planning, particularly related to amendments to the City's General Plan policies and Zoning Ordinance. The Planning Commission is the decision-making body for specified land use actions, including conditional use permits and design review permits. One of the three appointments shall fill the requirement of “design professional”. Applicants must be City of Napa residents and registered voters.  The Planning Commission meets regularly on the first and third Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers, located at City Hall, 955 School Street.
 
The Napa Valley Transportation Authority (NVTA) Active Transportation Advisory Committee (ATAC) is an Advisory Committee that is responsible to promote and encourage safe bicycling and walking to further Napa’s goal of becoming a bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly city. The Committee consists of eleven members: four members representing the City of Napa; two members represent the County of Napa; two members represent the City of American Canyon; and the Town of Yountville, City of St. Helena, and City of Calistoga each have one member to represent their respective jurisdictions. The Committee meets every month, generally on the 4th Monday of each month at 5:00 p.m. at the NVTA's offices at 625 Burnell Street in Napa.
  
The Napa County Mosquito Abatement District Board is the Governing Body of the Mosquito Abatement District which provides mosquito/vector control services for the County of Napa. The Board consists of six members: one of whom represents the City of Napa. The City Council of the City of Napa appoints one member to the Board of Trustees to serve as the City’s representative.  All other members represent the other governmental jurisdictions in the County of Napa in addition to one member representing the County at-large. The City of Napa representative to the Napa County Mosquito Abatement District Board must be a resident of the City of Napa. Meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m.
  
The City of Napa recruits throughout the year for interested residents to serve on a variety of boards and commissions that examine issues of community concern. Volunteers appointed to serve on a board or commission help City Council and city departments examine issues and, in turn, shape the future of Napa. Board and Commission members are appointed by the City Council and terms vary but are typically either two or three years. Most board members must be city residents and registered voters.
To find out more about the different commissions, committees and boards and to apply online, please visit https://www.cityofnapa.org/268/Boards-Commissions. For more information contact Tiffany Carranza, City Clerk, at (707) 257-9503.