In a recent press release, San Benito County clarified its inclusion in the San Joaquin Valley Region, related to the state’s recent announcement of a Regional Stay-at-Home Order.
According to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the basis for San Benito’s inclusion in the San Joaquin Valley Region is because county demographics and hospital capacity are more closely aligned with that region. Other counties in the region include Calaveras, Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, San Benito, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tulare, and Tuolumne.
The Regional Stay-at-Home Order divides California into five regions and goes into effect within 24 hours for regions with less than 15% ICU availability. As of Dec. 4, the San Joaquin Valley Region has an ICU availability of 14.1%. The state has put up a webpage for viewing the remaining ICU capacity in each region.
The release stated that while ICU capacity will be assessed and posted on a daily basis, there is no clarity as to when exactly that data will be updated publicly. Once a region is activated, it will remain in effect for at least three weeks. It will then be lifted when the region’s ICU bed capacity is equal to or greater than 15%. Learn more about what the Regional Stay-at-Home Order does.
Once the region reaches the ICU threshold, the Stay-At-Home Order will be activated, and the following restrictions and allowances apply:
No Gatherings: All gatherings with members of other households are prohibited. Very few exceptions apply.
The following sectors must close:
- Indoor and outdoor playgrounds
- Indoor recreational facilities
- Hair salons and barbershops
- Personal care services—nail salons, massage services, tattoo studios, skin care services, full list here
- Museums, zoos, and aquariums
- Movie theaters
- Wineries
- Bars, breweries, and distilleries
- Family entertainment centers
- Cardrooms and satellite wagering
- Limited services—touch car washes, pet grooming, residential cleaning, landscaping, full list here
- Live audience sports
- Amusement parks
The following sectors will have additional modifications in addition to 100% masking and physical distancing:
- 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 worshipand 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 are allowed remain open when a remote option is not possible with appropriate infectious disease preventative measures including 100% masking and physical distancing:
- Critical infrastructure /Essential Workforce
- Non-urgent medical and dental care
- Child care and pre-K
- Schools:
- Schools that are currently open are able to continue to provide in-person instruction on school sites.
- Schools that are currently operating under an elementary school waiver are able to continue to provide instruction to students on school sites.
- Schools that reopened while their county was in a less restrictive tier are able to continue to provide instruction to students on school sites.
- All schools that have not yet reopened for in-person instruction are able to continue to serve small cohorts of students (e.g., students with disabilities) following CDPH Guidance.
For updates on the current status, check the San Benito County Health and Human Services Agency website.