Due to Recent COVID-19 Surge and Forthcoming Placement on the Statewide County Monitoring List
Post Date: 07/17/2020 3:43 PM
On July 13, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Department of Public Health announced a new State Order with restrictions that apply to ALL 58 counties for bars, restaurants and other indoor business operations as part of statewide actions to slow the spread of COVID-19. Following the announcement, Mendocino County Health Officer Dr. Noemi Doohan issued revised orders aligning our local orders with the new statewide restrictions requiring all bars, pubs, brewpubs and breweries to close all operations (except that they may only operate if offering sit-down, outdoor, dine-in meals) and requiring closure of indoor operations in all of the following sectors:
Restaurants and other facilities that prepare and serve food
Wineries and tasting rooms
Movie theaters
Family entertainment centers (Example: bowling alleys, miniature golf, batting cages and arcades)
Zoos and museums
Cardrooms
The Governor and State Public Health Officer have also directed counties that have remained on the County Monitoring List for 3 consecutive days to close indoor operations in additional sectors due to risk factors, which are exacerbated in indoor spaces where groups convene and mix (or where there is close contact) for prolonged periods of time. Based on the recent surge in Mendocino County cases and hospitalizations, it is likely the County will be added to the Monitoring List. In response, Dr. Doohan issued a revised order today, July 17, 2020, which will become effective at 11:59 p.m., next Friday, July 24, in anticipation of the State adding Mendocino County to the County Monitoring List.
The deferred effective date is to provide businesses with time to prepare for the anticipated mandatory closures of indoor operations in these additional sectors. If the State requires County closures sooner than Friday, July 24, 2020, we will promptly update the public through a press release and revised orders.
The revised order effective, Friday, July 24, 2020, at 11:59 p.m., will require the following industries to shut down unless they can be modified to operate outside (under a canopy or other sun shelter for sufficient air movement) or by pick-up:
Gyms and fitness centers
Places of Worship and cultural ceremonies, like weddings and funerals
Offices for non-essential sectors
Personal care services, like nail salons, body waxing and tattoo parlors
Hair salons and barbershops
Indoor shopping malls
Dr. Doohan, Mendocino County Health Officer stated, “for six months the County and our partners have been tirelessly preparing for the inevitable arrival of COVID-19 in our rural county. We have flattened the curve and slowed the spread and given the hospitals and clinics and health care partners the time to prepare, now the virus is here and we must respond with strength and wisdom based on fact and science. Our placement on the State monitoring list is imminent and in order to retain local control, I am choosing to act ahead of the Governor by imposing the State monitoring list restrictions on Mendocino County.”
The Health Order is posted 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 and businesses to closely read the order and follow it.
At the time of release for of the COVID-19 Update, Mendocino County COVID-19 statistics are as follows:
185 total cases
73 currently in isolation
9 currently hospitalized (between all three hospitals)
3 in ICU
2 Deaths
123 in quarantine
98 cases have recovered
Health Officer Dr. Noemi Doohan continues to align local health orders with the state, in order to best protect county residents in the weeks ahead. Today, July 17, 2020, Dr. Doohan issued a revised Health Order which will become effective at 11:59 p.m., next Friday, July 24, in anticipation of the State adding Mendocino County to the County Monitoring List. The deferred effective date is to provide businesses with time to prepare for the anticipated mandatory closures of indoor operations in additional business sectors. If the State requires County closures sooner than Friday, July 24, 2020, we will promptly update the public through a press release and revised orders. The Health Order is posted 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 and businesses to closely read the order and follow it.
Due to individuals presenting for testing at surveillance testing locations, such as OptumServewith symptoms of COVID-19 and/or identifying as close contacts of a known positive case, Dr. Doohan requires the assistance of surveillance testing staff to help serve the blanket isolation and quarantine orders so that persons suspected of having COVID-19 or who are close contacts are educated and responsible for preventing further community transmission of this illness. Public Health will be issuing a revised Advisory and Blanket Isolation and Quarantine Orders on Monday, July 20, 2020, to direct all COVID-19 surveillance testing staff to:
1. disseminate blanket isolation orders to all persons being tested (or who present for testing) for COVID-19 who disclose they have any of the symptoms of COVID-19, i.e., Flu-like symptoms; Sore throat; Coughing; Shortness of breath; Subjective fever or temperature of 100.0F or greater; Sudden loss of taste or smell
2 disseminate blanket quarantine orders to all persons who present for testing for COVID-19 who disclose they believe they are a close contact of a COVID-19 case (such as a household member or being close than 6 feet for longer than 10 minutes).
Surveillance testing staff are directed to fill out and sign the “Documentation of Service” identifying the individual served with the order, the individual’s address and phone number, and demonstrating that the individual verbally confirmed their understanding the length of time they are required to isolate or quarantine. In the case of Isolation, the Documentation of Service identifies that the isolation period lasts for 10 days after presenting for testing with COVID-19 symptoms. In the case of Quarantine, the Documentation of Service identifies that the quarantine period should be completed 14 days after the individual presented for testing OR 14 days after their last close contact, (whichever is later) and explains that only Public Health can release quarantine sooner (and only if County Public Health is able to verify an earlier date of the last close contact).
With cases rising rapidly, personal responsibility is key. Maintain 6 feet between yourself and others outside of your household, and do not host or attend gatherings of any size. If you feel sick, stay home. Wear a facial covering at all times when in public to protect others. Remember, gatherings are not permitted in any size, as they have been known to help spread this virus.
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 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
