Bay Area business owners frustrated over three week stay-at-home order
BURLINGAME, Calif. - The entire Bay Area region is under a mandatory stay at home order after available ICU bed capacity slipped below 15%. The drop in ICU bed capacity triggered the change.
The sobering update means San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Napa, and Solano counties must comply with state restrictions. They join seven other Bay Area counties that voluntarily adopted the rules. The order goes into effect Thursday at midnight.
For all counties, it will be in effect for three weeks until January 7 at the earliest, that’s if more ICU beds become available and Covid cases improve.
UK Hair Salon in Burlingame extended its hours Wednesday accommodating clients before the salon closes for at least three weeks.
“We are going to be here until whenever until our last client leaves,” said UK Hair Owner Jeff Silverman. “When we are closed, we don’t make any money. I’ve still got to pay my landlord.”
“Today was an extremely busy day,” said Caffe Central Owner Ramin Vahabi. “I have the feeling everyone to take advantage of outdoor seating and socialize as much as possible.”
A block away, the owner of Caffe Central praised San Mateo County leaders for holding off on enacting the stay at home order for as long as possible.
“I have a location in San Francisco,” said Vahabi. “He shut down the city even when we did not have this ICU occupation.”
On Wednesday, the Bay Area region reported available ICU beds are at 12.9 percent below the 15 percent requirement. It means no more outdoor dining, most indoor businesses must close and stores must limit capacity to 20 percent.
“The vaccine is on the way and the actions we take today will save us,” said San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa.
San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Napa, and Solano counties are the newest counties to enforce the order.
Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma, and Monterey counties did it pre-emptively.
“Last week, we lost $17,000 between both of our locations,” said Sushi Confidential Owner Randy Musterer.
Musterer is not happy he lost a week of sales on top of spending $40,000 on heated outdoor seating.
“We keep hearing about ICU beds being limited over the last six to nine months ways to make more ICU beds,” said Musterer. “There are so many hotels here that are empty.”
“We come up to ask why are you shutting them down when Costco is open with a million people,” said Donna of Gilroy.
Donna said her family was kicked out of a miniature golf course in San Jose Tuesday after Santa Clara Couth health officers paid a visit frustrated under the new order, family fun centers can't remain open.
“I just don't understand why the focus is shutting down these small businesses that are trying so hard to survive,” said Donna.
Most businesses hoping the federal government steps in with PPP loans to pay rent. Owners are also hoping this second stay at home order customers will support to-go orders now that delivery and pick-up are their only options.