Monterey County offers first look at alternate housing site

MONTEREY, Calif. (KION) The Monterey County Fairgrounds is prepared to take on a new role starting Thursday.

Event buildings are now filled with multiple semi-private private rooms that include a cot, chair and sheets. The facility will serve as a possible short term home for up to 230 coronavirus patients.

"We're trying to protect everybody in the county by protecting the people that have the disease from spreading it to those around them," said Monterey County Emergency Services Manager Gerry Malais.

The fairgrounds is prepared to house those who test positive for coronavirus, do not require hospitalization and are unable to isolate themselves.

"The ideal candidate is someone that can't return home to where they normally live because they have a large number of people that they would infect or they live with someone that is elderly and has medical problems. If they did infect them it would be a certain death sentence," said Malais.

The Monterey County Fairgrounds is one of four alternate housing sites being prepared in the county. Other sites include San Lorenzo Park, Salinas Valley Fairgrounds and Sherwood Hall.

Patients will be assigned their own rooms, but there are common areas people can use. The site is expected to provide around-the-clock management, medical staff and security.

"This particular site, here at the fairgrounds in the City of Monterey, will have armed security 24 hours a day," said John Thornburg with the Monterey County Sheriff's Office.

County officials said patients will not be allowed to leave the site at any time. Doctors will be the only ones able to grant release at the end of one's stay.

Wristband identification will determine exactly who is allowed in and who is not.

"The goal is to address the pandemic and help all the people that live in Monterey County. We want to ensure safety for everybody that we possibly can," said Thornburg.