In today’s COVID-19 press conference, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a new regional stay-at-home order based on each region’s current intensive care unit hospital capacity. Governor Newsom projected the Northern California region, which includes Mendocino County, would have less than 15% ICU availability in the coming days, initiating the new stay-at-home orders.
The regional Stay-at-Home Order defines the Northern California region as Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity, and Mendocino Counties.
Every single county within the “Northern California” region is in the Purple Tier, meaning COVID-19 is considered “widespread” amongst their populations.
As defined on the state COVID-19 restrictions website, if and when the regional stay-at-home order takes effect in the Northern California region, the following sectors will close:
- Indoor and outdoor playgrounds
- Indoor recreational facilities=
- Hair salons and barbershops
- Personal care services
- Museums, zoos, and aquariums
- Movie theaters
- Wineries
- Bars, breweries, and distilleries
- Family entertainment centers
- Cardrooms and satellite wagering
- Limited services
- Live audience sports
- Amusement parks
These sectors will have to implement additional modifications on top of the 100% masking and physical distancing requirements:
- Outdoor recreational facilities: Allow outdoor operation only without any food, drink or alcohol sales. Additionally, overnight stays at campgrounds will not be permitted.
- Retail: Allow indoor operation at 20% capacity with entrance metering and no eating or drinking in the stores. Additionally, special hours should be instituted for seniors and others with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.
- Shopping centers: Allow indoor operation at 20% capacity with entrance metering and no eating or drinking in the stores. Additionally, special hours should be instituted for seniors and others with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.
- Hotels and lodging: Allow to open for critical infrastructure support only.
- Restaurants: Allow only for take-out, pick-up, or delivery.
- Offices: Allow remote only except for critical infrastructure sectors where remote working is not possible.
- Places of worship and political expression: Allow outdoor services only.
- Entertainment production including professional sports: Allow operation without live audiences. Additionally, testing protocol and “bubbles” are highly encouraged.
The following sectors can remain open with the requirement of 100% masking and physical distancing is adhered to:
- Critical infrastructure
- Schools that are already open for in-person learning
- Non-urgent medical and dental care
- Child care and pre-K
In the face of the coming Regional Stay Home Order, Governor Newsom recommended California residents to visit parks, go to the beach, take dogs for walks, and engage in activities to alleviate the stay home order’s mental health strain.
Regarding counties unwilling to enforce this new round of Regional Stay-at-Home protocols, Governor Newsom said, “If you’re unwilling to enforce the rules … we’re happy to redirect those dollars to counties that feel differently.”
Governor Newsom assured California state residents that “help is on the way,” announcing the first round of vaccine distribution to California State residents in the coming month. The first round of vaccines will focus on the critical healthcare workforce and long-term care residents.
