On March 14 Chula Vista City Council member and chair of the state Coastal Commission Steve Padilla tested positive for COVID-19, the first case among government officials in San Diego County. In a video posted on social media, he told the public he wanted everyone who might have had contact with him to know his status and protect their own health. Padilla said his symptoms, “fever, body aches, headaches, chills, came on very rapidly.”
Padilla said it was at three days of meetings for the California Coastal Commission in Santa Cruz March 13-15 that he became sick, at first thinking he had allergies. On Friday he skipped the last day of the meetings and by Saturday received a call that his coronavirus test was positive.
Padilla told Voice of San Diego that his “body is fighting like hell to battle this thing,” as he is now in his 14 days of quarantine at home. He said between election night, several public events and travelling he is not sure how or where he contracted the virus, but that is why he decided to make the public announcement and personally contacted the Coastal Commission and Chula Vista City Council.
“I think people should take it very seriously,” Padilla told VOSD. “I’ve heard conversations from people about how governments are overreacting, for, like, shutting down bars and restaurants. For me, most likely this is just a really bad flu. But this could be deadly for many people,” (See the full interview here http://bit.ly/VOSDinterview).
Padilla said there was no doubt that many will find out that themselves or someone they know would be diagnosed with the coronavirus, but that there are many resources available to help them get through this crisis.
“This is a scary time, but it is also a time to remember what community really means,” said Padilla. “And that means coming together and supporting one another. Lets remember that and act on facts and information and the care of others.”
Padilla told Channel 8 news that this virus was like having the worst type of flu.
On March 17, Chula Vista City Council met for the first time, with all council members attending virtually with the exception of Mayor Mary Salas. All other council members attended the meeting via Skype. On March 16 Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to allow state and local government agencies to hold meetings via teleconferencing, with the order suspending certain Brown Act rules.
