Ripple effects not likely as state agency delays plan to change Covid workplace restrictions

FAIRFIELD — The state department in charge of workplace safety has delayed its decision to ease Covid-related restrictions.

The Division of Occupational Safety and Health on Wednesday night walked back its June 3 decision that would have eased masking and social distancing requirements approved in concert with the Governor’s Office cancellation Tuesday of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy.

It puts Cal-OSHA regulations back into effect until Oct. 2 unless other action is taken. The board next meets June 17-18.

Dr. Bela Matyas

Dr. Bela Matyas, the county public health officer, said he does not understand the decision, but does not think it will affect the county moving forward.

There were 26 new cases reported Thursday in the county, three in the state prisons, taking the total to 33,565 – 13 in Vacaville and eight in Fairfield.

There were no new Covid-related deaths, keeping the number at 244, of which 14 are from the prison, and 14 individuals were hospitalized with the disease – the same as Wednesday.

Fairfield’s case total is 9,120, while Vacaville is at 8,818. Vallejo added three cases to take its count to 9,908, the county reported.

There was one new case in Benicia (1,003) and in Rio Vista (392), and no new reports in Suisun City (2,293), Dixon (1,922) or in the unincorporated area of the county (103).

The seven-day positivity testing rate was reported at 5.5%. Active cases fell from 69 to 60, the county reported.

Solano County announced that starting the week of June 21, the Public Health Division will only update its Covid reports Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

“And eventually we will be going to once a week,” Matyas said.

Most people who have Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, experience only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. Some people, especially older adults and those with underlying health problems, experience more severe illness such as pneumonia and at times, death.

The vast majority of people recover. The World Health Organization reports people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.

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