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Coronavirus California

Coronavirus: Everything to know about San Francisco Bay Area's shelter-in-place order

Saturday, June 6, 2020

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California is the first U.S. state to treat Covid as endemic but are we there yet? ABC7 News explains the difference between a pandemic, epidemic and endemic.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- UPDATE: The Bay Area counties are constantly amending their stay-at-home orders to reopen or dial back reopenings. For the latest, find full COVID-19 coverage here.

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Nearly 40 million Californians were required to stay home and limit social interaction until further notice when Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a stay-at-home order on March 19.

The unprecedented action was an effort to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The statewide order followed similar action in the San Francisco Bay Area -- where residents in six counties, and later all nine, were told to shelter-in-place starting March 17 to slow the spread of the virus. Solano County was the final Bay Area county to join the regional shelter order.

The public health order, both in the Bay Area and statewide, limited residents' travel, mandated social distancing and substantially limited public and private gatherings. All non-essential travel is prohibited, based on the order.

Social distancing requirements mandate a six-foot distance between others, frequent hand washing, using hand sanitizer, covering coughs and sneezes, cleaning surfaces and not shaking hands with others.

CORONAVIRUS IN CALIFORNIA: Get resources and information about COVID-19

Here are the highlights of the Bay Area's shelter-in-place order.

Where is this order in effect?

The shelter-in-place order is in effect in the state of California.

For the full Bay Area order, click here.

For the Newsom's statewide order, click here.

Can I leave my home?

Californians were originally only allowed to leave their homes for "essential" services, activities and work only, according to the order. As more sectors of the economy are allowed to reopen, Californians are allowed to leave their home for more reasons, but are encouraged to stay home if they are feeling sick.

What is considered an 'essential activity?'

Tasks vital to health and safety - including: Gathering medical supplies, medication, items needed to work from home
Gathering household items, food and cleaning products
Outdoor activity is allowed -- but residents must comply with social distancing requirements
Caring for a family member or pet
Performing work for an essential business

That includes working in a healthcare, infrastructure, emergency responder capacities such as:

Hospitals, clinics, dentists, pharmacies, pharmaceutical, biotechnology companies, other healthcare facilities, healthcare suppliers, home healthcare services providers, mental health providers, ancillary healthcare services and veterinary facilities that care for animals
Airports, water, sewer, gas, electrical, oil refining, roads and highways, public transportation, solid waste collection and removal, internet, and telecommunications systems
Dispatchers, emergency responders, court personnel, law enforcement personnel

What is considered an 'essential business?'

Healthcare
Infrastructure
Grocery stores, farmers markets, foodbanks and produce stands
Farming, livestock and fishing
Business that provide shelter, social services and food for those in need
Newspapers, television, radio and other media
Gas stations, auto supply and repair facilities
Banks and financial institutions
Hardware stores
Plumbers, electricians, exterminators and those who provide safety and sanitation services at homes
Mailing and shipping businesses
Laundromats and dry cleaners
Restaurants -- only for delivery or take out
Businesses that delivery or ship food or groceries
Home care for seniors, adults and kids
Legal and accounting services
Childcare -- must be groups of 12 or fewer kids
"Providers that enable residential transactions" (like notaries, title companies, and real estate agencies)
Funeral homes and cemeteries
Moving companies
Rental car companies
Rideshare services

What is considered 'essential travel?'

Travel related to essential activities
Travel to care for elderly, children, minors, those with disabilities or other "vulnerable" people
Travel to schools or universities to receive meals
Travel to home residence from an outside area
Travel required by law or court order

What happens if I don't follow the shelter order?

"Violation of or failure to comply with this Order is a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both. (California Health and Safety Code 120295, et seq,)" the order reads.

What's allowed to reopen?

On April 29, most Bay Area counties loosened rules to allow construction and some outdoor activities to resume starting May 4:

All construction projects will be allowed to resume as long as the project complies with safety protocols included with the order.
All real estate transactions will also now be able to resume, but with continued restrictions on open houses and limitations on in-person viewings
Any employee allowed to return to work at a facility can also access childcare programs that can operate.
Certain outdoor businesses can also begin operating again, and people can visit those businesses to perform work or obtain goods, services, or supplies. This includes wholesale and retail nurseries, landscapers, gardeners, and other businesses that primarily provide outdoor services as set forth in the order. Outdoor businesses do not include restaurants, cafes or bars, regardless of whether they have outdoor seating.
Residential moves can resume
The use of some shared outdoor recreational areas that were previously ordered to close like skate parks. Facilities that involve shared equipment or physical contact do not apply.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced modifications to the statewide stay-at-home order on May 12 to allow more businesses in California to reopen amid the coronavirus crisis, including dine-in restaurants, shopping malls and offices. See his new guidelines here.

By May 22, all Bay Area counties allow for the reopening of:

Retail (for curbside pickup)
Manufacturing
Logistics
Childcare facilities
Offices where people can't telework
Car washes
Pet groomers
Landscapers
Outdoor museums

Earlier updated orders:

Bay Area counties have been moving at their own pace to reopen restaurants, hair salons, barbershops and other higher-risk businesses. See San Francisco's reopening timeline here.

As of June 19, all Bay Area counties were allowing outdoor dining at restaurants.

Hair salons reopened in Contra Costa, Napa, San Mateo, Solano and Sonoma counties.

Napa, San Mateo, Solano and Sonoma counties also allowed nail salons to reopen on June 19.

Can I see my friends?

The only counties explicitly allowing for socializing with people outside your household are Alameda and San Mateo counties. Starting June 8, residents of Alameda County are allowed to form "social bubbles" of 12 people or fewer. See the details here.

What is the impact on transit?

Muni

Ridership has plunged during the stay at home order, so Muni will stop subway and light rail service and has cut many bus lines. As Muni adapts its bus service based on need and safety, get the latest info from the agency's website.

BART

BART has cut service hours and reduced train frequency. See the latest service advisories on the agency's website.

AC Transit

AC Transit is running reduced bus service and has cut nearly all transbay service. Buses are only letting on limited numbers of passengers and not collecting fares. Read the latest on AC Transit service here.

VTA

South Bay's VTA temporarily suspended light rail service after an employee tested positive for COVID-19, but since resumed weekday service. VTA is running a reduced bus service, as well. The agency is not collecting fares at this time. See the latest updates on operation here.

Bay Bridge

The Bay Bridge is no longer taking cash payments, at least for the time being. If you don't have a FasTrak, it's OK. You can still drive across the toll plaza and will receive your bill in the mail instead of paying cash at the window.

Instead of congestion pricing, where tolls vary from $5 to $7, the toll will be a flat $6 at all times of day starting on April 23. Three-person carpool and qualifying clean air cars will still only pay $3. Details here.

Golden Gate Ferry

Weekend service is canceled on the Golden Gate Ferry.

The ferry has also made scheduling changes due to low ridership. For a full list of changes to the Golden Gate Ferry and Transit systems, click here.

San Francisco Bay Ferry

See the reduced schedule here.

Tourists and residents are asked to not use the ferry for recreational purposes.

Caltrain

Caltrain cut weekday service by about half. See the latest service advisories at the agency's website.

SMART Train

The Sonoma-Marin Rail Transit has canceled all weekend and some weekday service. Check here for updates.

If you have a question or comment about the coronavirus pandemic, submit yours via the form below or here.

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