Questions On Quarantine Protocol As More Cruise Passengers Arrive In Solano County
FAIRFIELD (CBS13) — Almost 1,000 Grand Princess cruise ship passengers who are California residents will complete mandatory quarantine at Travis Air Force Base.
The cruise ship was hit by the new coronavirus with 21 infected crew members and passengers. On Monday, those passengers began to disembark in Oakland. Sick passengers were taken to area hospitals and healthy passengers were taken to military bases.
Neighbors in Fairfield shared concerns with CBS13 on Monday. They're worried about their family members and the potential for exposure.
"Why bring sick people around people who are not sick? It just doesn't make any sense," said Sebastian Bouchet. "So you never know who has it."
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But the city, county, and Centers for Disease Control are mum about plans in place to keep the virus from spreading into the community.
As people quarantined at Travis were cleared to go home in February, a Solano county woman went to a hospital in Vacaville, eight miles away. She was later diagnosed with the COVID-19. Her case brought concerns about how local, state and federal officials responded to public health concerns after the evacuees arrived on base, and what future response would look like.
After calling the Fairfield City Manager's office, CBS13 was pointed to the Fairfield Fire Department to get our questions answered, and told the city manager would not be speaking about quarantine procedures. CBS13 spoke with the Fairfield Fire captain who told us his team is only responsible for monitoring and is on call on an emergency basis through Solano County.
We also called the Solano County Public Health Officer, and their office said the health officer was not available and is deferring all contact to the CDC.
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CBS13 was told "It is that federal staff who is responsible for the health and well being of both the base and local population," and Solano county has not been asked to assist. The CDC told us they didn't have time to take our questions today as they move hundreds of people to Travis.
We are still waiting on answers about the timeline between the last quarantine at Travis AFB and the infection of the woman who lived in Solano County.
