This week in Carlsbad we are keeping a close eye on COVID-19 cases, monitoring the California drought, making the transition to back-to-school season, and getting ready for 10 upcoming community meetings! See the latest updates below.
Scott Chadwick
City Manager
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COVID-19 update
When will this be over? I have read a few articles this week with public health experts saying we might be reaching the peak of this latest surge or will later this month. But then others say, “not so fast,” with the start of fall semester when everyone from pre-school kids through college-age students will return to campus. Time will tell, but in the meantime, we are closely monitoring all the usual measures so we can make the very best decisions moving forward.
This week’s San Diego County COVID-19 data shows that the vast majority of new cases continue to be among people who are not vaccinated.
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The vaccinated and unvaccinated lines diverge even more when you look at hospitalizations. |
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Vaccination rates
Vaccination rates in Carlsbad are higher than the county average in three of our four ZIP codes, with 92008 lower than the average. You can see the numbers here.
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Carlsbad cases
We are still seeing a weekly increase in active COVID-19 cases in Carlsbad. We calculate this data point by taking the date cases were reported, the average illness duration and time of the greatest “virus shedding” to estimate how many residents in our city are currently contagious. Of course, people come and go from Carlsbad all the time, but COVID data is tracked by where a person lives.
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County case updates
Looking at this week’s dashboard from the county I had to refresh my memory on the various triggers. Each measures something different, so, for some, a high number is good. For others, we are looking for a low number. To make it easy, I made notes on the latest dashboard so you could see how this week’s numbers compare to last week. It’s a mixed bag. But focusing on the middle column, which includes hospital, ICU and ventilator capacity, all are still in the green.
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Booster shots
U.S. health officials announced yesterday that booster shots will be recommended at the eight-month mark for those who got the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
- Doses could be available for the booster shots as soon as Sept. 20.
- This guidance only applies to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
- The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is still being studied to determine whether or not a booster will be recommended and when.
On Aug 12, the FDA announced approval of an additional shot of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for people with compromised immune systems, specifically, organ transplant recipients or those who are diagnosed with conditions that are considered to have an equivalent effect on a person’s immune system.
- Health experts point out that this is not considered a “booster” shot, rather a third dose could be required to achieve the desired level of production in people in this category.
Schools update
One variable people are keeping an eye on is the start of the school year and how that might affect spread. We have four public school districts serving Carlsbad residents.
- The Encinitas Union, San Marcos Unified and San Dieguito Union High School districts started Tuesday of this week.
- Carlsbad Unified School District starts next Tuesday.
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Here are the California Department of Public Health guidelines for schools.
Update on rules
Yesterday the state announced that starting Sept. 20, proof of either vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test would be required for indoor events of 1,000 or more.
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Here is the full announcement from the California Department of Public Health.
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You might have heard Tuesday that Los Angeles County announced it would now require people to wear masks at outdoor events of 10,000 or more.
- It can be confusing to read about new rules because counties often differ in their approaches. Here in San Diego County, we are generally following the California Department of Public Health’s lead, although individual organizations and companies can be stricter if they want to.
City rules
The City of Carlsbad has put two additional layers of protection in place, beyond what is required, to help reduce spread among the community and our workforce.
- All public meetings in August are being held virtually
- Masks are required in all city facilities, regardless of vaccination status
We will re-evaluate before September to determine if any changes are warranted.
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Water news
Water supply has been in the news a lot this week, with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California declaring a “water supply alert” on Tuesday, following the federal government’s first-ever declaration of a water shortage on the Colorado River. The state is now hinting it might impose mandatory water use restrictions statewide next month.
What does this mean for Carlsbad?
- San Diego County has made huge investments in water reliability through a combination of increased storage capabilities, recycled water, desalinated water and other locally controlled sources.
- As a result, local water officials say we have enough water to get us through the immediate future.
- However, conservation should always be a way of life in Southern California.
Are you doing everything you can to conserve? We’ve listed five things to check, inside and out, on our website.
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City to start design work for College Boulevard’s missing link
The City Council voted Tuesday to move forward with the preliminary engineering design and environmental studies for a segment of College Boulevard that would connect the roadway between El Camino Real and Cannon Road.
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- This initial work will allow the city to develop a cost estimate for construction and further study funding options.
- The road segment is not scheduled to be built at this time.
- That’s because under the city’s Growth Management Program, money from residential developer fees helps fund the infrastructure needed to support the corresponding increase in population, and most of the adjacent properties don’t have active development plans.
- However, due to concerns about traffic in this area of El Camino Real, and the fact that not all landowners in the area are planning to develop soon, the city decided to fund the preliminary design of the road now to further study funding options.
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3 more chances to meet your new Police Chief
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District 1, Aug. 20
Pine Community Park
3209 Harding St.
District 4, Aug. 23
Stagecoach Community Park (near the playground)
3420 Camino de los Coches
District 2, Aug. 27
Calavera Hills Community Park
2997 Glasgow Drive
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First redistricting meetings start next week
Find out about the City Council redistricting process when we hold four informational webinars starting next week. The one-hour sessions will explain this once-a-decade process, including an overview of redistricting, key steps, how you can participate and the basics of map-making. You’ll also have a chance to ask questions and offer feedback.
Sign up here. If you’d rather just watch the meetings and not register, they’ll be live-streamed on the city’s website:
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Back to school safety
With kids heading back to school this month, the Carlsbad Police Department is providing some practical traffic safety tips for parents and families.
- How to model safe driving habits for your children
- How to talk with them about bicycle and pedestrian safety rules
- How to help teens learn to drive responsibly
You can find the tips here, along with more information and resources on back-to-school safety. We will have extra traffic safety patrols around pick-up and drop-off areas to ensure everyone gets off to a good start.
Knowing e-bikes are also a hot topic, here is a link to one of our School Resource Officers explaining the basics parents need to know.
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Mighty Untouchables coming to your backyard
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The final concert this season will feature The Mighty Untouchables, one of the most popular bands in our TGIF series.
- The band does covers for Motown, Top 40, Classic Rock, and dance favorites.
- The performance was recorded live in the Schulman Auditorium at the Carlsbad City Library, and you can watch it on the city’s website from Aug. 20-29.
This is a great excuse to gather up a few friends for a private backyard concert before summer ends. I’d like to recognize our Cultural Arts Office for coming up with this creative alternative to our typical summer concerts, which had to be canceled due to COVID-19.
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City Council interviews next week
The interview process to fill the vacant District 1 City Council seat was finalized at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, and the City Council will spend its Aug. 24 meeting interviewing the 13 residents who applied for the position.
- The decision could be made Tuesday, but we have set aside Thursday for a special meeting in case more time is needed.
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The Aug. 24 virtual meeting will start at 3 p.m. In the meantime, you can learn more about the District 1 candidates here.
Each candidate will answer the same questions:
- What policies do you feel would be most effective in balancing the need for growth with maintaining the community’s character?
- What do you think the City of Carlsbad’s role should be in addressing the problem of homelessness?
- What policies would you recommend to ensure Carlsbad’s coastline can be enjoyed by residents for generations to come?
- District 1 residents submitted many topics they would like to see addressed. How would you decide where to focus given your limited time in office?
- A local resident business owner in your district has submitted an application seeking approval for a gas station with a convenience store as part of a new development that includes both commercial and residential uses. The gas station is an allowable use subject to a conditional use permit. Several residents in your district have raised concerns about the gas station’s traffic, health and safety, land use and aesthetic impacts. Analyses have concluded the gas station would not create negative impacts in these areas of concern. How would you go about making a decision on the local resident business owner’s application?
You can watch the meeting live on the city’s cable channel or website. You are also welcome to provide input on the appointment via email or by signing up to provide live comments by phone. Instructions for both will be on the agenda, which will be posted to this page no later than Friday.
The only other board and commission meeting next week is:
- Aug. 25, 4 p.m. – Library Board of Trustees
Remember, all meetings are virtual in August. Find more information on agendas, how to participate and how to watch the meetings here.
I’ll be back next week with more updates. In the meantime, please be sure to follow us on social media to stay current on even more city news and events.
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Fun things to do
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