Four hundred hospital beds empty at county hospitals. Another 165 beds are waiting for victims at the government alternate care center at Cal Poly. And that can expand to 930. But today, only three people are hospitalized for corona virus.
In Kern county, to the east of us, Dr. Dan Erickson says the approach to corona virus deviated what he learned in his years of training and medical practice. Dr. Erickson says the models were wrong. He says California should open things up.
In San Luis Obispo county, unemployment claims skyrocketing, much faster than the incidents of corona virus. From March 14th to April 11th, about 20,000 people filed new unemployment claims in the county. That compares to 183 claims filed the period ending January 18th, before the shut down.
In the state, 3.4 million unemployment claims were filed after five weeks of the shutdown. Nationwide, 26 million. The number of small business filings for chapter 11 bankruptcy rose sharply in March. The most vulnerable are thousands of restaurants and retailers that were forced to close their doors by the government-imposed shut downs. The number of chapter 11 filings increased 18% in March, from one year ago, that’s after a decrease of 20% in February. Those number are expected to skyrocket in April and May. Department store chains Neiman Marcus and J.C. Penney may soon file for bankruptcy.
In San Luis Obispo Saturday, about one hundred people protested against the shelter at home order. County officials says this week they will unveil a plan to reopen. Dr. Penny Borenstien recently extended the shut-down until May 16th.
Although the county hospitals and the alternate care site are waiting with 565 hospital beds, today, only three people are hospitalized. Some critics are calling her Dr. Henny Penny Borenstein. There is another protest against the shut down planned Friday at noon at the downtown city park in Paso Robles.
