Yesterday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that all sectors other than retail and essential operations would be closed in regions of California where less than 15% of ICU beds are available under a new Regional Stay-Home Order. Although health officials throughout the Bay Area are glad to see the State take action in light of the rapidly escalating surge in hospitalizations statewide, many believe even more aggressive action is necessary in the Bay Area to slow the surge and prevent our local hospitals from being overwhelmed.

Rather than waiting until intensive care unit (ICU) bed availability reaches critical levels and delaying closures that are inevitable, the Public Health Officers for the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, and Santa Clara as well as the City of Berkeley jointly announced that they will implement the State’s Regional Stay-Home Order right away.  

“Although Marin has fared better than some other counties in our region over the last few weeks, we know it is only a matter of time before rising case and hospitalization put pressure on our hospitals too,” said Marin County Health Officer Dr. Matthew Willis. “We must act now, and must act together to ensure all hospitals in the Bay Area have the capacity they need to care for our residents.”

Consistent with the State framework, the six jurisdictions are working to ensure that all sectors have at least 48-hour notice of these closures. Marin County will implement the State’s Regional Stay Home Order on Tuesday, December 8 at noon. Most of the other Bay Area Health Officers will implement the Order as of Sunday, December 6, with Alameda County scheduled to take effect on Monday, December 7. The new restrictions will remain in place until January 4, 2021. 

The order instructs Bay Area residents to stay at home as much as possible and limit mixing with other households, which can lead to the spread of COVID-19. All sectors other than retail and essential operations must be closed. Access to (and travel for) critical services and outdoor activities to preserve physical and mental health are allowed. 

Beginning at noon Tuesday, December 8, the following sectors in Marin County 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
• Cardroom 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, motels, short-term rentals, other lodging: Allow to open for critical infrastructure support only. Short-term rental operations are included under hotel and lodging operations and must restrict operations per state guidance.
• Restaurants: Allow only for takeout, pick-up, or delivery.
• Offices: Allow remote use only, except for critical infrastructure sectors where remote working is not possible.
• Places of worship and political expression: Allow outdoor services only.
• Indoor gyms & fitness centers (including yoga and dance studios): must close indoor operations under the new order. Currently, Marin gyms and fitness studios are open at 10% capacity because of Marin’s Tier 2 status. This also includes any other industries that follow the state’s guidance for gyms & fitness studios, such as youth sports.
• Entertainment production including professional sports: Allow operation without live audiences. Additionally, testing protocol and “bubbles” are highly encouraged.

The following sectors are allowed to remain open when a remote option is not possible. Those that remain open must have appropriate infectious disease preventative measures in place, including 100% masking and physical distancing:

• Critical infrastructure
• Non-urgent medical and dental care

In addition, the Stay-Home Order does not modify existing state or Marin guidance regarding TK-12 schools. Schools that are currently open to in-classroom instructions or have plans to reopen to in-classroom instruction prior to Tuesday, December 8, are able to continue to provide in-person instruction on school sites. All schools that have not yet reopened for in-person instruction are able to continue to serve small cohorts of students (e.g., students with disabilities) following California Department of Public Health Guidance. Schools wishing to reopen to in-person classroom instruction during the timeframe of the Stay-Home Order must apply for a waiver via the CDPH. 

“We recognize that public health is about community well-being and that includes the economic health of the community,” Willis said. “And as we take this step, we want to remind people to find ways to support their local businesses in a safe way, doing it from home as much as possible, but utilizing the online or curb-side pick-up options that our local stores may offer.” 

See the sector closures and restrictions on activity under the State’s Regional Stay-Home Order. MarinRecovers.com will be updated by Tuesday, December 8, to reflect the new restrictions.

Stay Informed

Visit the City of Novato COVID-19 webpage at novato.org/coronavirus to sign up for email or text message updates from the City, as well as for information on impacts to City services, City facility closures and cancelled and postponed events, what to do if you are feeling sick, and tips on how to reduce your risk of exposure.

Novato businesses and workers impacted by COVID-19, visit novato.org/COVID19biz for a listing of resources including information regarding unemployment, disability and paid family leave benefits; small business loans and grants; tax assistance; non-profit support; as well as information on workplace health and safety.

For up-to-date information on what other local agencies are doing in response to COVID-19, please visit the following websites:

Novato Unified School District: nusd.org/covid
North Marin Water District: nmwd.com
Novato Sanitary District: novatosan.com
Marin Transit: marintransit.org
Golden Gate Transit: goldengate.org/district/news-media
SMART: sonomamarintrain.org