Related Articles
-Editorial
California State Officials have announced that the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) bed capacity in Southern California Region counties, including Imperial County, has now dropped below 15%. This means that the Regional Stay at Home Order must be implemented for counties in the region.
The Regional Stay at Home orders requires that private gatherings of any size are discontinued and all operations except for critical infrastructure and retail must close. The order also requires 100% making and physical distancing in all sectors. The existing stay at home order for Imperial County is currently being modified to reflect these changes.
“While these may seem like extreme measures, they are absolutely necessary,” stated Dr. Stephen Munday, Imperial County Health Officer. “Any situation that threatens to overwhelm our healthcare system has the very real potential to affect our ability to provide medical care, both COVID and non- COVID related to anyone in our community.”
The Regional Stay at Home Order in Imperial County will go into effect at 1159 pm Sunday, December 6th.
At which time, the following sectors must close:
• Indoor and outdoor playgrounds
• Indoor recreational facilities
• Hair salons and barbershops
• Personal care services
• Museums, zoos, and aquariums
• Movie theaters
• Wineries
• Bars, breweries, and distilleries
• Family entertainment centers
• Cardrooms and satellite wagering
• Limited Services
• Live audience sports
• Amusement parks
The following sectors will have additional modifications in addition to 100% masking and physical distancing:
• Outdoor recreational facilities: Allow outdoor operation only without any food, drink, or alcohol sales. Additionally, overnight stays at campgrounds will not be permitted.
• Retail: Allow indoor operation at 20% capacity with entrance metering and no eating or drinking in the stores. Additionally, special hours should be instituted for seniors and others with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.
• Shopping centers: Allow indoor operation at 20% capacity with entrance metering and no eating or drinking in the stores. Additionally, special hours should be instituted for seniors and others with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.
• Hotels and lodging: Allow to open for critical infrastructure support only.
• Restaurants: Allow only for take-out, pick-up, or delivery.
• Offices: Allow remote only except for critical infrastructure sectors where remote working is not possible.
• Places of worship and political expression: Allow outdoor services only.
• Entertainment production including professional sports: Allow operation without living
audiences.
The following sectors are allowed to remain open when a remote option is not possible with appropriate infectious disease preventative measures including 100% masking and physical distancing:
Critical infrastructure
Schools that are already open for in-person learning Non-urgent medical and dental care Childcare and pre-Kinder.
