Bay Area dips below ICU capacity threshold, region set to start stay at home order

(KION) The Bay Area region of California has dipped below 15% ICU capacity, meaning it has passed the threshold that triggers a mandatory stay at home order.

ICU capacity is currently at 12.9%. Regions with an ICU capacity below 15% will be under a regional stay at home order for at least three weeks. After the three weeks, it will be lifted if the projected ICU capacity meets or exceeds 15%.

“With our case counts at an all-time high and headed higher due to the Thanksgiving surge, our hospitals and health care delivery system are at the breaking point,” Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel said. “We urge all residents to adhere to state guidelines as closely as
possible to minimize the spread of COVID-19 and help reduce impacts to our most vulnerable residents. Our actions now will help us return to our normal lives sooner rather than later.”

Several counties, including Monterey County, started the order early, but Santa Cruz County will now be required to join them starting at 11:59 p.m. Thursday.

The Southern California, San Joaquin Valley and Greater Sacramento regions are already under regional stay at home orders.

Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties are in the Bay Area region, and San Benito County is in the San Joaquin Valley region. Other counties in the Bay Area region include Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma.

Under stay at home orders, critical infrastructure, schools, non-urgent medical and dental care and child care and preschools are allowed to remain open with precautions. Playgrounds are also allowed to remain open.

There will be changes to these sectors:

• Outdoor Recreational Facilities- Only allowed to operate outdoors to facilitate physically distanced health and wellness through outdoor exercise without food, drink or alcohol sales. Overnight campgrounds are not allowed to open.
• Retail- Operate indoors at 20% capacity, or 35% at standalone grocery stores, with somebody monitoring the entrance. The state also says special hours should be offered to seniors and other people with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.
• Shopping Centers- Operate indoors at 20% capacity with somebody monitoring the entrance. The state also says special hours should be offered to seniors and other people with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.
• Hotels and Lodging- Allowed to operate for COVID-19 mitigation and containment measures, treatment measures, accommodation for essential workers and housing solutions, including measures to protect the homeless.
• Restaurants- Open for take out or delivery only.
• Offices- Remote work only, except for those in critical infrastructure sectors when remote work is not possible.
• Places of Worship and Political Expression- Outdoors only.
• Entertainment Production- Allowed to operate without live audiences.

Hair salons, barbershops, personal care services, museums, zoos, aquariums, movie theaters, wineries, bars, family entertainment centers, cardrooms, limited services, live audience sports and amusement parks except those falling within critical infrastructure will not be allowed to operate.

Santa Cruz County also released these additional guidelines for clarity:

• Coffee shops- Considered restaurants and open for takout and delivery only.
• Youth sports- May operate outdoors with restrictions.
• Farmer's markets- May operate with modifications.
• Gyms- May operate outdoors only with precautions.
• Libraries- Considered retail and must follow capacity limits.
• Pet grooming- Considered a limited service.
• Cleaning services- May remain open.
• Funeral homes- Considered critical infrastructure.
• Massage therapy- Must close unless a client has a valid prescription.
• Real estate- In-person showings may be offered to individual prospective buyers only, but open houses are not allowed.

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office issued the following statement about order enforcement:

"Most people in our county have done a really good job of abiding by the health orders for the last nine months.  I hope this continues.  COVID is surging right now and hospital ICU beds are a scarce resource. While I don't want to give citations to anyone, I have directed my staff to issue citations if we are put in a position that calls for that level of enforcement. We are all in this together and we are close to the end of this pandemic.  We all should listen to and follow our health experts advice."

Sheriff Jim Hart