On March 18, the Yolo County Public Health Officer issued a countywide health order for residents to shelter in place from March 19 through April 7, unless extended by the Public Health Officer. This order limits activity, travel and business functions to only the most essential needs and is intended to slow the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), protect those most vulnerable to the disease, and preserve local healthcare capacity.
Shelter in place is a term used in emergency preparedness. In this scenario what it really means is to stay at home and not leave unless necessary for a designated “essential activity.” For most people, this means you and those you live with should remain at home. You are allowed to leave your home for specified reasons to make sure you have the necessities of life such as getting food and medical supplies. You are also allowed to go outside to take care of pets, go on a walk, exercise outside, and enjoy nearby parks, so long as you do not congregate in a group and maintain social distancing between you and other people. If you are sick you should stay at home and, to the extent you can, sequester yourself from others you live with.
The shelter-at-home order follows increasing transmission of COVID-19 in California counties, including four confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Yolo County to date that acquired the disease through travel and community transmission. In response, communities in Yolo County have implemented mitigation efforts to slow the spread of the disease, such as encouraging social distancing and canceling non-essential gatherings. A similar health officer order was released among the bay area counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties as well as the City of Berkeley on March 16 and is in line with best practices seen from health officials around the world.
The order defines essential activities as necessary for health and safety for individuals and their families. Essential Governmental Functions, Healthcare, and Infrastructure are allowed to operate, including law and safety and Essential Businesses, such as those that provide food, shelter, and social services, and other necessities of life such as: fresh and non-perishable food retailers (including convenience stores); pharmacies; child care facilities; gas stations; banks; laundry businesses; restaurants and other facilities that prepare food and serve food, but only for delivery or carry out; businesses that supply other essential businesses with support or supplies necessary to operate or ship/deliver groceries, food, goods or services directly to residents; and any form of agricultural production and processing, including the cultivation of products for personal consumption or use through farming, ranching, livestock, and fishing, including, but not limited to, transportation, manufacturing, chemicals, equipment and services; and the services necessary for maintaining the safety, sanitation and essential operation of a residence. For the full list see section 10 of the order.
For detailed information about COVID-19 and further guidance regarding this order, visit the Yolo County webpage at: www.yolocounty.org/coronavirus. To see the Health Officer Order, visit: https://www.yolocounty.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=62364. The County will also be releasing a shelter in place 101 document that will be available on the webpage. Residents can also call Yolo 2-1-1 for resource information. For additional updates follow Yolo County on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/YoloCounty/ or Twitter at: https://twitter.com/YoloCountyCA.
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