Public Health Advisories & Orders

UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF CALIFORNIA HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE SECTION 120175, THE HEALTH OFFICER OF THE COUNTY OF SANTA CRUZ (“HEALTH OFFICER”) ORDERS:
This Order is made in light of recent increase in COVID-19 cases in Santa Cruz County (“County”) as well as historical data showing seasonally higher rates of influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and other respiratory viruses that can cause severe respiratory disease among people living in the County. Current COVID-19 metrics indicate that there is increased COVID-19 transmission in the County. The three COVID-19 metrics that support this determination consist of the County’s increase in hospitalizations, the County’s elevated viral level of COVID-19 in wastewater, and the County’s Effective Reproductive Number (Rt) rising above 1.00.

  1. This Order shall become effective at 12:00 am on November 1, 2023, and will continue to April 30, 2024, unless it is rescinded, superseded, or amended in writing by the Health Officer. The Health Officer intends to continually review the need for the Order by monitoring COVID-19 metrics including without limitation viral wastewater concentrations, hospitalizations, Effective Reproductive Number, variants of concern circulating in the County, and vaccination rates.
  2. All acute care facilities including the Psychiatric Health Facility and Crisis Stabilization Program, maternity and surgery centers, skilled nursing facilities, and health care facilities that provide infusion therapy such dialysis and chemotherapy in Santa Cruz County must require all healthcare workers to wear a well-fitting high-quality face mask during the direct provision of patient care or while working in patient care areas during the Respiratory Virus Season.
  3. Requirement to Wear Face Masks.
    1. Regardless of vaccination status, all personnel must wear face masks at all times during Respiratory Virus Season when indoors during the direct provision of patient care or while working in patient care areas except:

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UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF CALIFORNIA HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE SECTION 120175, THE HEALTH OFFICER OF THE COUNTY OF SANTA CRUZ (“HEALTH OFFICER”) ORDERS:
This Order is made in light of the 7 recent COVID-19 related deaths in Skilled Nursing Facilities as well as significant increase in COVID-19 in Santa Cruz County (“County”). Current COVID-19 metrics indicate that there is increased COVID-19 transmission in the County. 

View Public Health Order:  English | Spanish

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In late May, a patient presented to a local emergency department with signs and symptoms consistent with botulism poisoning. After the suspect case was reported, the patient did receive botulinum antitoxin (BAT). The presence of botulinum neurotoxin type A was subsequently confirmed from patient’s blood samples by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Microbial Diseases Laboratory. Food poisoning is not suspected in this case; rather, transmission likely occurred through a contaminated wound. The exact source of botulism in this case remains unknown and additional incidents may occur. The last confirmed case of wound botulism in our county was in March of 2021.

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Xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer with no approved human use, is showing up in the nation’s street drug supply, where it is also known as “tranq” and “tranq dope.” Xylazine is typically combined with opioids like fentanyl and sometimes heroin and is increasingly present in overdose deaths compounding the overdose crisis. Philadelphia and other areas in the Northeast have been heavily impacted. There is no evidence to suggest that xylazine is currently prevalent in California’s drug supply, however experts note that xylazine may be mirroring the path of fentanyl in the illicit drug market with a westward expansion and is likely underreported.

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