Lodi leaders ask residents, businesses to comply with Governor’s face-covering order to slow spread of COVID-19
LODI – Leaders from the City of Lodi, Adventist Health Lodi Memorial Hospital and the Lodi Chamber of Commerce on Friday called for residents to heed the Governor’s order to wear face coverings outside their homes to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
San Joaquin County has one of the state’s highest rates of spread, according to state health data (source). Local health officials said that is largely caused by gatherings of people from multiple households, such as birthday parties and backyard barbecues.
Data provided by San Joaquin County Public Health Services and state sources on Friday showed that 101 persons in the county were hospitalized with COVID-19, including 25 in intensive care. Three deaths were reported as well, bringing the total to 52 deaths in San Joaquin County since the pandemic began earlier this year. Overall, 3,031 residents of the county have tested positive.
Adventist Health Lodi Memorial Hospital had 29 people test positive Thursday for the highly contagious virus.
“Over the last two weeks, we have seen the number of people admitted to the hospital in San Joaquin County more than double,” said Adventist Health Lodi Memorial Hospital President Daniel Wolcott, “and in Lodi we have more than a five-fold increase in hospital admissions for COVID-19.”
Lodi Mayor Doug Kuehne and Lodi Chamber of Commerce President Pat Patrick asked residents to wear masks when possible outside the home, unless participating in an activity exempt from face coverings.
“At one time we were hopeful that hot weather would wipe out this coronavirus, much like it does for the seasonal flu,” Kuehne said. “This virus doesn’t seem to care what season
it is, so we need to come together as a city, county, state and country to protect ourselves and each other. Wearing a mask, washing hands frequently and keeping your distance outside the household is an inconvenience, not a sacrifice.”
Chamber President Patrick said the business community needs to play a role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 by requiring customers and employees to wear masks before entering.
“We’re asking that businesses do their part to comply,” Patrick said, “not because we favor regulation, but because we favor continued economic activity. Some other states are again closing businesses because they underestimated this virus. We don’t want that happening here.”
Wearing a face mask or covering outside the home, washing hands frequently and maintaining a distance of at least six feet from persons outside one’s household are key factors in preventing the spread of COVID-19.
For additional information, visit www.sjready.org, www.adventisthealth.org/lodi-memorial, and the State of California’s COVID-19 page, covid19.ca.gov.
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