Yolo County News Release:
Effective 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, December 6, additional restrictions will be in place in Yolo County specifically directed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 by reducing interactions between people of different households. Residents are strongly encouraged to stay home as much as possible while certain industries are required to limit operations. COVID-19 is more prevalent in the community now than ever before and activities that may have previously been safe, now pose a higher risk.
On December 3, 2020, the State announced a “new Regional Stay Home Order” in response to rising COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations across California. The Regional Stay Home Order takes effect if intensive care unit (ICU) capacity drops below 15% in a region. If the Regional Stay Home Order takes effect, counties in the region are subject to new State restrictions. By taking action now rather than waiting until regional ICU beds are in critically short supply, Yolo County aims to lower case rates and lessen the strain on the local hospital system.
Impacted industries in the revised Attachment B of the Yolo County Health Officer Order include:
- Gatherings: gathering of any size are strongly discouraged. Only outdoor gatherings are permitted.
- Restaurants and wineries: may remain open outdoors but those seated at a single table are limited to household members only. Tables must be a minimum of 6 feet apart.
- Indoor retail establishments: may remain open but must operate at 20% capacity with access strictly metered to ensure compliance. This includes all retail, including grocery stores.
- Gyms and fitness centers: may remain open outdoors only but face coverings are required at all times with the exception of aquatic activities such as swimming.
- Sports (including youth, adult recreational, collegiate and professional): limited to drills and conditioning only, with physical distancing, and only outdoors. All competitive games, scrimmages, and similar activities that do not allow for physical distancing are not allowed.
- Stay home as much as possible: activities that bring individuals into contact with people who are not household members pose a risk of virus transmission, even if masks are worn.
“Yolo County hospitals are running out of ICU beds,” said Yolo County Public Health Officer Dr. Aimee Sisson. “If more people become infected with coronavirus, we are facing the reality of not having enough resources to adequately treat them. We have to act now to slow the spread by limiting high-risk activities that bring people close together, especially when they aren’t wearing masks. Even where activities are still permitted, individuals should minimize exposure to people they don’t live with. For example, restaurants will stay open outdoors, but only people who live together should dine together. COVID risk is higher now than it has ever been, so people must reconsider their activities in light of this changing context.”
To help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, residents are advised to follow these health practices:
- If you must gather, the restrictions listed for the State’s purple tier apply: outdoor only, no more than 3 households, no more than 16 people, no more than 2 hours, wear masks and maintain appropriate distance.
- Stay home if you have symptoms of illness or are high-risk
- Wear a face covering
- Maintain at least six feet of physical distance from those not in your household
- Wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer regularly
To read the complete Health Order with amendments, visit: http://www.yolocounty.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=67466. For additional information about the State’s new Regional Stay Home order, visit: http://covid19.ca.gov/stay-home-except-for-essential-needs/. For more information about Yolo County’s Roadmap to Recovery and see which businesses are currently open, visit: www.yolocounty.org/coronavirus-roadmap. Residents can call Yolo 2-1-1 for resource information.
