A sign inside of El Borrego in City Heights. / Photo courtesy of El Borrego

This week, the California Department of Health gave the OK for San Diego County to open restaurants for dine-in service, among other changes.

So, you can go to restaurants now. But the question is: Will you?

That’s the case for hotels, too. Hoteliers say they’re booking more locals looking to staycation. Yet the official county guidance says hotels and vacation rentals should be used solely for COVID isolation efforts.

And on the school front, six of California’s biggest school districts told state lawmakers they can’t in good conscience open in the fall if the state follows through with planned funding cuts.

Well Then, Let’s Talk to an Expert

One of the best ways you can contain a virus for which there is no vaccine is to “know your status,” and knowing the status of your network. That’s one of the main takeaways Dr. Rebecca Fielding-Miller left in this week’s podcast interview, which originally aired on our Voice of San Diego At Home series.

So to get there, Fielding-Miller said, we need easier tests (say, a bit more convenient than a six-inch swab going through your head), constant testing and contact tracing. These principles have been hugely important for HIV management, and there’s a lot of overlap with HIV and COVID-19, Fielding-Miller said.

If people want childcare and schools to open, folks knowing their status and acting quickly to remove themselves from networks will ensure places can keep running and COVID-19 stays reasonably contained.

Bonus Podcast: The ‘COVID Slide’ and What it Will Take to Reopen Schools

Listen Now

Apple | Google | Spotify

Nate John is the digital manager at Voice of San Diego. He oversees Voice's website, newsletters, podcasts and product team. You can reach him at nate@vosd.org.

Leave a comment

We expect all commenters to be constructive and civil. We reserve the right to delete comments without explanation. You are welcome to flag comments to us. You are welcome to submit an opinion piece for our editors to review.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.