Santa Clara County amends health order allowing several sectors to reopen Friday
Dr. Sara Cody, Santa Clara County's public health officer, announces a legal order barring all mass gatherings for the remainder of March.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Santa Clara County's public health officer on Monday, amended the shelter-in-place order that has been in place due to the coronavirus pandemic. As a result several sectors will be allowed to reopen on Friday June 5.
Included among the activities allowed to resume are; in-store retail, outdoor dining, all manufacturing, small service businesses, childcare and summer programs, as well as religious, cultural, and civic activities.
In a statement released Monday afternoon by County Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody said the pandemic has been particularly hard on low-income and communities of color.
“As a community and as a nation, we are experiencing some of the most difficult and challenging times many of us have ever experienced. The COVID-19 virus has had an impact on every aspect of our lives.This has been compounded by structural inequities that exist in our society that are unjust, persistent, and damaging," Dr. Cody said.
Under the new order outdoor gatherings of up to 25 will be allowed for religious services and cultural ceremonies.
The order expands to include outdoor dining at restaurants and in-store shopping at retail locations, but are subject to limitations and social distancing guidelines.
House cleaning service can resume as long as it is a no-contact in-home service. Other low-contact service businesses such as shoe repair will be allowed to reopen.
Childcare, summer camp and other educational recreational activities for children are allowed as long as there are 12 or fewer children enrolled.
Swimming pools are allowed again as are other outdoor recreational activities that don't involve physical contact. Drive in theaters and other car-based gatherings are also allowed.
Monday's order expands on the last order revisions that came out on May 22.
Santa Clara County has released the following metrics regarding containment of COVID-19 in Santa Clara County. They include:
- Testing is steadily increasing and the positivity rate is decreasing across the County, including in communities and environments where people are at greatest risk and where the County has done significant outreach;
- Rates of COVID-19 across the County are low and holding steady, including in populations at greater risk;
- Hospitalization rates are low and steady across the County;
- Outbreaks in skilled nursing facilities have been successfully contained; and
- Case investigation and contact tracing capacity is steadily increasing and is staying ahead of demand.