Omicron Levels Drop, But Outbreak Cancels Cabrillo Stage’s Candide

COMMUNITY NEWS

Omicron Levels Drop, But Outbreak Cancels Cabrillo Stage’s Candide

By Jondi Gumz

On Thursday, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relaxed guidance for Covid-19.

According to a statement from Greta Massetti, PhD, MPH, “This guidance acknowledges that the pandemic is not over, but also helps us move to a point where COVID-19nolongerseverely disrupts our daily lives.”

The guidance eliminates the “test-to-stay” protocol — testing for students exposed to the coronavirus but not fully vaccinated that allowed them to continue in-person learning, as they tested negative and showed no symptoms.

“Handling exposures would involve masking rather than a quarantine,” Massetti said.

The change is in recognition that an estimated 95% of Americans 16 and older have some immunity, either from vaccination or infection, according to the CDC.

The announcement comes in the wake of wastewater data in Santa Cruz County showing Covid-19 Omicron levels plunging since July 26.

The number of active cases in Santa Cruz County has dropped from 2,197 to 1,665 in the last month as students head back to school.

Pajaro Valley Unified begins classes on Aug. 15. Masks and vaccination are recommended, not required. “We are excited to see our student back in the classroom,” said Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools Faris Sabbah in a message to the community.

His office has distributed 97,000 stateprovided antigen kits to school districts for home use.

Last year, the State of California said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration must give full approval of vaccines before rulemaking to require the Covid-19 vaccine. That has not happened; vaccines have been made available with the FDA granting emergency use authorization.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff ruled against the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Covid-19 student vaccine mandate in July, saying only the state — not a school board — can require students to be vaccinated to attend in-person school.

The very contagious variant BA.5 and waning immunity from vaccines boosted cases this summer. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported BA.5 comprised 9.4% of cases on June 4 and 81.9% as of July 23.

Locally, a Covid outbreak in the cast of “Candide” presented by Cabrillo Stage in Aptos resulted in cancellation of the final weekend of performances. The Box Office is reaching out to ticketholders to process refunds.

BA.5 drove “reinfections,” people vaccinated and boosted getting Covid for a second or even a third time as the coronavirus evolves.

With the U.S. averaging about 300 deaths a day, compared to 3,000 last winter, there is no evidence this subvariant causes more serious illness.

Santa Cruz County and most counties of the nation are rated red for high transmission by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on its COVID tracking map.

In Santa Cruz County, no deaths were reported in the past two weeks. The last six deaths were people who were vaccinated, according to the county dashboard, all 65 or older with medical conditions.

On Friday, the state reported 23 people hospitalized positive for Covid in Santa Cruz County, and none are in intensive care.

Inspire Diagnostics offers Covid-19 tests in a Cabrillo College parking lot. “COVID Update” page 10

“Help Andrew” from page 4

Sometime soon we will be updating the Meal Train with dates and times for hang seshes with Andrew and/or Audrey, and possibly meals. Thank you all again, so much, for filling Andrew’s cup and showing the power of community care. We are all so grateful!

August 5

Unfortunately the results from Andrew’s stat MRI on Monday showed several new areas of tumor progression adjacent to the original resection cavity. All of this growth occurred within the last several weeks and is no doubt the cause of the seizures. The quantity and location of the tumors prevent a third brain surgery from being an option.

Today, Andrew’s neuro-oncologist presented Andrew’s case to the UCSF Tumor Board. They agreed that the best treatment plan is to proceed with a new brain tumor chemotherapy, CCNU, along with several weeks of radiation therapy at UCSF. He starts this chemo tomorrow morning. The radiation therapy will likely begin next week.

The news from this latest scan have been really hard for Andrew and Stephanie. They are grateful to now have an action plan in place, for the time Andrew has been recovering and feeling well at home, and for all of the support from family, friends, community members, and generous strangers.

Stephanie would like us to share that a portion of the money raised so far has been used to improve safety and accessibility for Andrew in their tiny home.

They will also use part of it to rent a private place to stay near UCSF for the duration of Andrew’s radiation treatment, as he will likely be feeling very unwell.

They also hope to use the money to pay for daycare for their daughter, Audrey, since Andrew has been her primary caretaker during the school year while Stephanie is teaching.

This family has been through so much, and deserves peace and togetherness.

Although Stephanie is extremely dedicated to teaching, additional contributions would alleviate stress and financial burden to allow her to take time off work and support her husband, and take care of herself and their daughter.

Everything you have done so far already has been life-changing, and we cannot adequately convey their appreciation and gratitude. Please continue to share their story, and consider donating if you are able and seeing this for the first time. n

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Editor’s Note: Andrew Theriot grew up in Aptos, graduated from Aptos High in 2002 and got his degree in electrical engineering at Cal State Fresno. He went to work at Fox Thermal. He met his wife-to-be, Stephanie Paureau, while playing on the same coed softball team in 2012. She grew up in Santa Cruz, graduated from Santa Cruz High in 2002, and graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo where she majored in engineering. They got married in the summer of 2017. Andrew has not been able to work since his initial seizure in 2018. Stephanie was chair of the Aptos High math department until her maternity leave in 2020.