Despite the fact that California is one of only a dozen states to see its new cases increasing, Governor Newsom followed, by the Yolo County Board of Supervisors, has cleared the way for many businesses to re-open.
The announcement by the state was quickly followed by an announcement from Yolo County that local businesses could re-open. Face coverings are still mandatory in Yolo County for the public and businesses, as it is a separate health order in effect until further notice.
Though some activities were approved last week by the State of California, Yolo County delayed reopening to ensure that the proper guidance and guidelines were in place and businesses had time to prepare.
In addition to face covering, the county is mandating that any activities must also comply with social distancing protocols
On Wednesday, non-essential offices may re-open though “telework (is) strongly encouraged, non-essential retail for in-store shopping including shopping centers and dine-in restaurants will all re-open. On Thursday, hair salons and barbershops will re-open and on Friday, places of worship—with, once again, remote services strongly encouraged.
The governor sent out a press release announcing that the Department of Public Health announced that counties which have attested to meeting the criteria for accelerated re-opening may re-open hair salons and barbershops, with modifications such as mandatory face coverings for both barbers or stylists and clients.
State public health leaders noted that Californians staying at home and exercising caution when out helped flatten the COVID-19 curve. Public health leaders acknowledge that today’s announcement is also possible based on statewide indicators such as PPE, testing capacity, hospital surge capacity and hospitalizations.
Permitted activities include services that can be provided with both the worker and customer wearing face coverings throughout the service. These include haircuts, hair coloring, blowouts, weaves and extensions, braiding, lock maintenance, wig maintenance and hair relaxing treatments.
“Together, Californians have limited infections in our state, and because of that work, many counties may make a decision to restart modified hair and barber services,” said Dr. Sonia Angell, State Public Health Officer and Director of the California Department of Public Health. “However, COVID-19 is still present in our communities and we are still at risk. As we venture outside our homes,
it is critically important to keep physical distance, wear face coverings in public, and wash hands frequently to help protect yourself and those around you.”
The county’s protocols remain stringent.
Some key measures to note in the state’s guidance for dine-in restaurants include, but are not limited to: removing tables and chairs from dining areas so that six feet of physical distance can be maintained; closing bar areas; adjusting maximum occupancy rules; encouraging reservations; performing thorough, frequent cleaning; and installing hand sanitizer dispensers at entrances and contact areas.
“The Board today weighed the progress we’ve made in terms of community health and safe practices and conveyed our support for re-opening these activities to the public health officer,” said Yolo County Board Chair Gary Sandy. “This move underscores the importance of restoring the local economy in a way that safeguards existing COVID-related health protocols such as social distancing, masks and frequent hand washing.”
As these activities reopen, the public is responsible for adhering to the rules or guidelines that are set by these entities, as well as practicing social distancing and wearing a face covering. Everyone has a role to play in keeping our communities safe and healthy. Older adults and individuals with underlying medical conditions should continue to stay at home as much as possible, except for accessing essential services and activities.
While the state order is in effect, counties are prohibited from reopening businesses that have not been approved. Items not permitted in Stage 2 of the State’s Readiness Plan include: nail salons, gyms, libraries, public pools, playgrounds, nightclubs, concert venues, live audience sports, theme parks, hotels for leisure or tourism, higher education and others. Counties are permitted to be more restrictive, not less, than the state regarding the reopening of activities.
—David M. Greenwald reporting
And here I thought “Pretty Boy” was only going to “go by the science”, not “politics”.
Also, I believe using the term “re-open” is just plain stupid. There’s an implication that we were “closed” . . . and now we are “O-pen” — like, it’s over.
Considering how stupid and impatient and ignorant and careless and uncaring people have been already, lead by their equally sh*tty leaders, this sounds like a term meant to accelerate the societal suicide pact right over the lemming cliff.
All this stupidity just leads me to shelter even deeper in place . . . to steer clear the virus and {removed by moderator and replaced with “stuff”}.
It is quite clear that Newsom caved under the pressure (and oddly if he had just looked at the polling, he would have been quite fine).
A couple of other important points from yesterday’s BOS meeting:
1. Every business that contemplates re-opening will have submitted an individualized plan for how to do so with distancing, face covering, disinfecting measures as part of the plan.
2. The county health officer, in our case, Dr. Ron Chapman, by California law has the ultimate say in what openings, utilizing what mitigating factors are allowable as long as within state guidelines. His decision carries the power of law. So for those who under other circumstances would be “law and order” advocates…these restrictions ( masks & social distancing especially) carry the power of law, whether we happen to like them or not.
Wow… is he an elected official? Missed that, if he is… so, his edicts
Ttrump any legislative power as to what is “law” and what isn’t? Scary… at least the Prez was elected, but… even the Prez is constrained by Congress and the Courts… apparently, if you have a ‘Dr’ in your title, un-elected, you can create law… that concept scares the hell out of me…But, it is what it is…
Yet he does not go far enough… masks, social distancing, should be the “law” (and then some?) should remain in place even if effective covidvaccines are developed, after we have vaccines for everything, and still remain in place for perpetuity…
The “new normal” (?)…
No, he administers the law on behalf of the county supervisors, with ultimate authority residing in the governor’s office. Just as the ag commissioner does. Not sure what’s so scary about that. Any issues with the law or the enforcement thereof should be directed to your county supervisor. He serves at their pleasure. If Yolo County’s order was less restrictive than the state’s, the state’s would prevail.
The county health officer and the county ag commissioner are two local officers that can close my business down if I don’t comply. Likewise, the ag commissioner can order you to remove a plant from your property, or forbid me from selling a particular plant, and those are enforceable orders. Neither is elected, but both are answerable to elected officials.
And yet, he has directed measures (laws?), beyond Governor, CDC, etc.
And another poster has said, the context of the matter,
Does the same ‘power of law’, as you suggest, also apply to Sacramento and Solano counties? Or, is it an “enhancement” with ‘the power of law’, specific to Yolo County?
If I am incorrect, will acknowledge… CDC has made strong recommendations… they imposed no “laws”… they can’t…
Newsome has likewise done some ‘executive orders’ , but even those do NOT have “the power of law”… citeable? misdemeanors?
Words have meaning.
That said, have been playing by recommendations, as to masks/social distancing, but did travel to CO last week to be with family… some will say that was evil… well, they can perform an impossible act on themselves… was prudent in public… no fever, no sneezing/coughing except for normal (for me) allergies… have followed the guidelines, out of respect for the concerns of others… but I’m not worried…
I have a ‘mental defect’: you ask me to do/not do something, I’m 95% good… you tell me to do/not do something, I’m 5% good. Just who I am…
“Newsome has likewise done some ‘executive orders’ , but even those do NOT have “the power of law”… citeable? misdemeanors?”
Not completely sure what you are saying here, but Newsom’s executive orders are authorized under the government code of emergency powers.
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CCLHO/CDPH%20Document%20Library/HO%20Practice%20Guide%20for%20Communicable%20Disease%20Control%20in%20CA%202013.pdf
Yeah, but as I’ve seen several people comment on this blog over the years sometimes unrighteous laws need to be broken.
Bill,
This is nothing new. Health officers are deferred to in time of pandemic/epidemic for the obvious reason that politicians do not have the knowledge or expertise. This does not mean he has no constraints. He is an employee subject to removal. Also, his scope is very limited both geograhically and in terms of the types of edicts he can make, such as mandatory quarantine.
This is also nothing new in many spheres. While we do elect sheriffs in some jurisdictions, we do not elect police chiefs or officers and they have the power of life and death over citizens.
Yay, Newsom is coming to his senses. The economic destruction needs to stop and we have to get the economy rolling again.
Some of the Stage II guidelines make no sense though. Why can someone get a haircut but not get their nails done?
I worry about the lack evidence-based rationale for all of this: link
More testing? I have noticed that deaths are way down to the 500 t0 800 range the last 4 days from the 2500 range previously.
Actually, Keith O, I support MUCH more testing… I believe it would clearly demonstrate that the exposure/infection rate is much higher, and that the ratios for mortality/morbidity for those testing positive would drop precipitously… and, it might lead to clues as to how best to quell the pandemic… information good…
Feel free to accept that as a criticism of your point, or an affirmation… testing to date has involved primarily those already ill (symptomatic), or certain professions in the healthcare field… scientifically, not a good ‘sample’ to reach conclusions…
But, for some, if one health compromised senior (US) dies 1-3 months before they would have, anyway, we must “stay the course”… some truly believe that… masks, social distancing (glad I’m already married), temperature taking wherever you go, and a shut-down of the economy forever… that’s how we need to beat this! And prepare for the next virus, corona or otherwise!
But, by shutting down the economy, we should definitely go to UBI, Medicare for all, and that could be easily financed by Gov’t taxing all remaining income, pensions, SS, assets (including home values) @ a ~ 95% rate…sounds fair and righteous to me!
So do I but we shouldn’t get alarmed there are more cases because of more testing.
When should we get alarmed? Ever?
KO…
~327,000,000 (2019 figure for US population)
~1,730,000 cases (0.5%)
~3,737,000 “recovered” (no, don’t get that difference)
~120,000 deaths (7% of tested, confirmed cases, per US capita)(0.04 % of US population)
https://www.google.com/search?q=us+covid&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS840US864&oq=us+covid&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l7.4187j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Am I cautious/prudent, yes… am I worrying, no… do I think some folk are over reacting, YES … do I think some folk are under reacting, YES.
More testing, and not just those ‘symptomatic’…
Ask the 40 million people who have lost their jobs and businesses.
You’re on a roll tonight.
BTW, Yolo up to 205 cases, 15 in the last four days. After a long period of almost no new cases.
“Cases”… what does that mean? Identified as ‘positive’? Quaranteened? Hospitalized? Dead?
Not useful info… IMHO…
Whatever… ‘yellow covid journalism’… WRH approves…
Sorry – misread the comment as “armed” not “alarmed” – been staring a screen for way too long today
A few notes on testing:
1) The most recent seroprevalence studies (those that show who has already been infected) in the hardest hit cities around the world show <20% of population infected.
2) Most recent meta-analyses of infection fatality rates show 0.4-1.1%
3) The goal of testing, right now, is NOT to estimate prevalence (or to score political points). It is to detect cases so that tracing of contacts, isolating of cases, and quarantining of contacts can all occur. It will also act as a proxy for spread in the population but its PRIMARY goal must be to enable rapid action to be taken. That is how countries and regions are driving infections down.
Everyone who wants to reinvigorate the economy at this time (which is, I think, everyone), should be actively promoting and requesting robust test/trace/isolate regimens to be put into place in every jurisdiction. That is not yet the case.
But, for some, if one health compromised senior (US) dies 1-3 months before they would have, anyway, we must “stay the course”
This is not just a disease of the seniors and the already ill. As of 5/3 an estimated 300 health care workers have died in the US from this virus. The flu does not do this, nor does any other disease I have encountered including HIV/AIDS.
Arguments from the extremes on either side do not advance our knowledge nor our ability to proceed with a careful and systematic restart those portions of the economy that have been affected. It is going to take more testing, tracing, and analysis over time, given the novel nature of this virus to determine what are the best steps forward. We are not going to know this year, or possibly even in 2021 whether the measures we took were too stringent, or not stringent enough no matter what the ideologues on either side would like to believe.