'Cases are occurring in people's homes': Solano Co. defends past decision to keep businesses open

SOLANO COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- The coronavirus stay-at-home order will now go into effect in three additional Bay Area counties, as ICU capacity has dropped to less than 15-percent region wide.

Solano, Napa, and San Mateo counties will join other Bay Area counties and enter the stay-at-home order Thursday, Dec. 17 at 11:59 p.m.

RELATED: All Bay Area counties to join stay-at-home order

"For me I understand the order, I really do it's ICU bed capacity," says owner Ken Ingersoll of Gracie's restaurant in Vallejo.

Ingersoll isn't alone in the acceptance of the order.

Salon owner Jazz Lee agrees, but admits that people will again have to think outside-the-box when it comes to making enough money to get by.

"House calls, the one-on-ones, we've had to do this last closure, same thing we've had to make a few house calls," says Lee, who operates Jazz and Company Salon in Vallejo.

RELATED: 1st case of flu, COVID-19 co-infection confirmed in Solano Co., health officials say

Solano County now has just 13-percent ICU capacity, which is just over the region's average of 12.9-percent. County health officer Dr. Bela Matyas doesn't regret staying open longer, saying their findings show that high transmission numbers are not being seen at businesses.

"Cases are occurring in people's homes as a result of personal and social gatherings, so it made no sense to prematurely punish businesses when it wasn't going to do anything to reduce the face of the outcome," says Dr. Matyas.

Ingersoll believes the county has done a good job on allowing them to stay open, and while he is okay with the stay-at-home order going into effect, he does question some of the state's guidance on outdoor dining.

"Then you see other businesses or other functions operating and they're in much more close contact, so the chances of transmission is much higher in that situation than it would be sitting out on the sidewalk, but that's for somebody smarter than me to figure out," says Ingersoll.

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