SCOTTS VALLEY — Predicting a potential overflow in recovering medical patients, Santa Cruz County has readied two alternative care sites to serve as many as 100 extra patients, officials announced Monday.

The latest step in the county’s so-called surge-care planning is an effort to preserve space for acute-needs patients in area medical facilities in the face of a projected COVID-19 case peak in coming weeks. The sites will not serve as walk-up medical facilities, however.

Site availability at both the nonprofit immersive learning center 1440 Multiversity and the county-run Simpkins Family Swim Center in Live Oak is designed to “free up local hospital capacity by treating patients who need hospitalization but do not have complex medical needs,” according to a county release. The Santa Cruz County Medical Reserve Corps, made up of trained volunteers who assist public health efforts during times of special need or disaster, would staff the alternate care sites, should the need arise.

While the county is tracking its emergency coronavirus spending, officials were not yet clear Monday on the cost of the site preparation efforts.

Separately, the county for the first time deployed a portion of its “temporary hospital,” which was acquired in 2017 through the California Emergency Medical Service Authority, to Dignity Health Dominican Hospital. The outdoor sprung-tent structure is being used by the hospital to help triage patients and minimize hospital impacts.

Santa Cruz County’s preparation mirrors recent large-scale efforts undertaken by Gov. Gavin Newsom, who aims to add 50,000 beds to California’s existing nearly 75,000-hospital bed capacity. Up to 20,000 of those new beds would come from newly state-secured sites, with the remainder from within existing hospitals. One new state-run alternative site announced Monday will be the former Sleep Train Arena, now known as Natomas Arena, in Sacramento, with as many as 400 beds.

Santa Cruz County Public Health Division, working in conjunction with the Santa Cruz County Emergency Operations Center and the county’s network of the local healthcare systems and their providers, has prepared 1440 Multiversity facility to open its doors as the primary site being readied, while Simpkins is standing ready as a backup option.

“This is all about surge capacity,” county spokesman Jason Hoppin said. “So it’s all as-needed.”

As of Monday morning, Santa Cruz County had 71 confirmed COVID-19 cases resulting in one death and at least nine hospitalizations since March 5, plus 794 negative lab results.

Hoppin stressed that Santa Cruz County’s two alternative care sites are places where patients would be transported from a hospital or otherwise diverted to due to their noncritical needs, but will not provide intensive medical care. He said he did not know how or when patients would be expected to pay for the service, as that level of protocol was still in development. Related Articles Law and order: Santa Cruz judge lays down her gavel

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“You can’t isolate there. That’s not what this is for,” Hoppin said. “So, if you think you’re symptomatic with COVID, please don’t show up to the site. That’s the last thing we want you to do.”

Separate from serving as an alternative medical care site, 1440 Multiversity also is offering its employees and resources to prepare hundreds of meals three times a day to those staying homeless shelters throughout Santa Cruz County. The nonprofit’s “Kitchen Table” is being cross-utilized to deliver its “food is medicine” approach and to “prepare thousands of nutritious meals to underserved community members and patients in need,” according to a statement emailed Monday from 1440 Multiversity. The nonprofit’s representatives were unavailable to speak for an interview, but provided comments from Managing Director Frank Ashmore.

“1440 Multiversity has always been dedicated to the well-being of others, so it was extremely important for us to figure out a way to support the global efforts taking place in response to this pandemic,” Ashmore said in a statement. “We are proud to work for an organization that summoned the courage to express an authentic love for others, and that has the resources available to meet the needs of Santa Cruz County.”

More local information on COVID-19 is available online at santacruzhealth.org/coronavirus, by calling 211 or by texting “COVID19” to 211211. Residents may also call 831-454-4242 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., seven days a week.