Santa Clara County is formally warning the realm’s large well being care suppliers to deal with extra native COVID-19 testing for sufferers or face steep fines.
Information reveals the county is finishing up much more testing than giant well being care suppliers, partially explaining the large backup at county testing websites:
- Santa Clara County sees 15% of sufferers within the area, however within the final six months it dealt with greater than 20% of the testing.
- Kaiser sees 31% of sufferers in Santa Clara County, however supplied over 12% of testing.
- The Palo Alto Medical Basis, or Sutter Well being, sees greater than 16% of county sufferers, however supplied about 2% of all COVID testing.
Santa Clara County public well being officers on Friday supplied updates on COVID-19 testing priorities amid restricted testing availability.
There are related disparities in vaccinations with the county carrying the vast majority of the load.
“It’s not cheap for the county well being system to offer such a disproportionate share of testing and vaccinations,” Santa Clara County Counsel James Williams mentioned.
Now the county counsel is threatening to implement the well being order requiring suppliers to check and vaccinate their very own sufferers or face sweep fines.
“This can be a well being order. Now we have previously taken enforcement motion with respect to the testing order and we’re ready to do it once more,” Williams mentioned.
Each the Palo Alto Medical Basis (Sutter Well being) and Kaiser Permanente advised NBC Bay Space they’re attempting, however are affected by the identical staffing shortages and overwhelming demand the county is seeing.
To be sure that is the case, Santa Clara County is now asking Kaiser and Sutter Well being sufferers having hassle getting exams or vaccines by means of their suppliers to file a grievance at SCCCovidConcerns.org.