[May 8]
County Health Officer Dr. Doohan issued a new Shelter-In-Pace (SIP) Order in alignment with Governor Newsom’s modified Stay-At-Home Order moving California into Stage 2 of his four-staged plan to reopen the State. The Governor’s Stage 2 Order goes into effect today, May 8, and allows the gradual reopening of lower-risk workplaces with adaptions outline in the State’s workplace safety guidance.
Mendocino County’s new SIP goes in effect tonight, May 8 at 11:59 p.m. and will be in place until June 8, 2020.
In accordance with the statewide directives, and in light of the collective efforts taken to date in Mendocino County to slow the virus’ trajectory, the Stage 2 Order allows additional lower risk business activities to resume while the Health Officer continues to locally monitor certain COVID-19 indicators. These indicators include the trend in the number of new COVID-19 cases, the capacity of our local and regional health systems, the supply of personal protective equipment available for healthcare providers, the ability and capacity to accurately test for COVID-19, and the ability to conduct case investigation and contact tracing for the volume of cases and persons exposed to the same.
For a description of which businesses are in Stage 2, versus later stages, please see this chart here: mendocinocounty.org/community/novel-coronavirus/health-order
The major changes to the new Stage 2 Shelter-In-Place Order include:
The Order identifies new “lower risk businesses”, such as all retail establishments (curbside pickup only), manufacturing (urging work in stable groups of 12), workers providing cleaning and disinfection services, animal hygiene and care for health and safety purposes (such as dog grooming during foxtail and tick season), and construction as permitted by the State, which are allowed to operate with proper COVID-19 prevention protocols and in accordance with any industry-specific guidance issued by the State (https://covid19.ca.gov/roadmap/#guidance).
The Order also allows for certain “outdoor businesses” such as golf courses, horseback riding facilities (and other recreational facilities) and services provided by landscapers and gardeners (to the extent not purely for aesthetic purposes) to operate with proper COVID-19 prevention protocols.
Essential Activities have been expanded by the Stage 2 Order to include a wide-range of activities that can be done within 50 miles (as measured by a straight line on a map) of one’s residence by household or living unit, including golfing, swimming, surfing, kayaking, canoeing, among other activities.
People may also recreate in their vehicles within the same 50 mile restriction, by household, living unit or Stable Group of 12 (defined as a group of 12 or less members over a 30 day time period), such as travel to a location for outdoor recreation, attend a ceremony or a live-streamed or video-recorded event, or simply to engage in recreational driving or boating, with proper social distancing, facial coverings and other protective measures.
The Order expands “essential businesses” to include real estate functions and automobile dealerships with strict adherence to the State specific industry guidance
Childcare and other programs providing care or supervision for children have been expanded for families to perform essential activities and to enable work pursuant to the Order and pursuant to certain restrictions as outlined in the Order.
The Health Order and a summary of the major changes are available online at https://www.mendocinocounty.org/community/novel-coronavirus/health-order. The order is enforceable by imprisonment and/or fine thus we urge all residents to closely read the order and follow it.
More information on Governor Newsom’s resilience roadmap and four-staged plan to reopening California, please visit: https://covid19.ca.gov/roadmap/.
For more on COVID-19: www.mendocinocounty.org
Call Center: (707) 234-6052 or email callcenter@mendocinocounty.org
The call center is open Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
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