Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].
Thursday, December 3rd, the California state government informed that regional orders would be issued as hospital occupancy dropped to less than 15 percent in the intensive care units.
After the San Mateo Emergency Operations Center announced that starting tomorrow, Thursday, December 17, at 11:59 p.m., the county will be subject to a mandatory regional "stay at home" order, questions arise as to what can and cannot be done, where to go and where not to go.
According to a statement, the regional stay-home order urges Californians to stay home as long as possible and to stop mixing between households that can cause the spread of VOCs-19.
However, it also allows access to critical services and outdoor activities to preserve the physical and mental health of residents.
According to the order, the following sectors can remain open with safety precautions:
- Critical infrastructure (when remote option is not possible)
- Schools
- Non-emergency medical and dental care
- Child and Maternal Care
Certain spaces may remain open, provided that 100 percent of the population attending must wear a mask and keep their physical distance.
But which ones?
Outdoor Recreational Facilities: Outdoor operation shall be permitted only for the purpose of facilitating personal health and well-being by physically distancing oneself through outdoor exercise, without the sale of food, drink or alcohol. In addition, overnight stays in camps are not permitted.
Retailers: Indoor operations will be allowed at 20 percent of capacity and 35 percent in those independent grocery stores, with entrance measurement and without eating and drinking in the stores.
In addition, special schedules should be established for older people and others with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.
Malls: They will allow access as long as the capacity does not exceed 20 percent, there will be entrance meters and no food or beverages may be consumed; and likewise special hours will be established for seniors and other people with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.
Hotels and housing: COVID-19 containment and mitigation measures, treatment measures, and housing for essential workers will be allowed and housing solutions, including measures to protect homeless populations, will be provided.
Restaurants: Only take-out or home delivery will be allowed.
Offices: Remote -virtual- procedures will be allowed, except for critical infrastructure sectors where working via Internet is not possible.
Places of worship and political expression: Meetings will be allowed, provided they are outdoors and at a distance.
Entertainment production: Industries, studios and other related establishments, such as those providing content for professional broadcast, can operate without live audiences.
What should you close?
Under the order to stay in the regional home, all operations in the following sectors must be closed - except insofar as their tasks are within the critical infrastructure:
- Hairdressers and barber shops
- Personal Care Services
- Museums, zoos and aquariums
- Cinemas -except drive-in theatres-
- Wineries, pubs, breweries and distilleries - with the exception of production, manufacture, distribution and retail sale for off-site consumption
- Family Entertainment Centers
- Card rooms and satellite betting
- Live Audience Sports
- Amusement parks
