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Current Health Order

Summary of Changes: Updated Stage 3 Health Officer Order Shelter-In-Place Effective 3:00 p.m., June 19, 2020, Until 3:00 p.m., July 3, 2020

As the State and Counties (with Variances) move further into Stage 3, this week the State released a new Guidance for Personal Care Services, for reopening in Variance Counties no sooner than June 19, 2020. Consistent with that release, the Health Officer, issues an Updated Stage 3 Shelter-in-Place Order (SIP) to become effective 3:00 p.m. June 19, through 3:00 p.m., July 3, 2020. In addition, the Order was revised to account for the newly issued Order effective June 18, 2020, broadly requiring facial coverings statewide when in public or common spaces and which will apply to all industries (and all Guidances to be updated.) (Read more on that here).

In addition to these central changes to the Order, the Health Officer made some revisions to clarify the additional areas of the SIP.
 

Personal Care Services
The Health Officer updated the Stage 3 Order to re-open Personal Care Services, defined by as: (1) personal care that requires touching a client’s face or body, e.g., facials, electrolysis, and waxing; (2) esthetician, skin care, and cosmetology services; (3) electrology; (4) nail salons, body art professionals, tattoo parlors, and piercing shops; (5) and massage therapy (in non-healthcare settings). This varied sector may re-open with strict adherence to the COVID-19 Industry Guidance: Expanded Personal Care Services (https://covid19.ca.gov/pdf/expanded-personal-services.pdf), and with special attention to the “Additional Considerations” for each particular field. Central to that Guidance is the statewide requirement that workers must wear a face covering throughout the entire interaction with the customer; customers must wear face coverings at all times while in the facility, except when the face covering must be removed for the performance of services involving that part of the face; facilities should provide clean face coverings for all staff and make them available to customers, if possible; and workers should wear disposable gloves (except in body massage services). Additionally, the Guidance provides details regarding cleaning and disinfection of particular accoutrements and utensils such as tweezers, scissors, electrical implements, esthetic devices, linens, wax pots, and pedicure bowls. The Health Officer also encourages personal care service businesses to take additional measures to protect the workers from exposure, such as installing plexiglass screens, and wearing face shields, which may provide additional protection to workers performing services which involve touching a client’s face.

As with all Permissible Higher Risk Businesses, before reopening, all Personal Care Services businesses must to file their Safe Business Reopening Plan (addressing the requirements of the State Industry Guidances) with their local self-certification form, which will be accessible for the public to view online at https://www.mendocinocountybusiness.org.

Revisions Related to K-12Schools and Early Childhood Education
The Updated Stage 3 Order provides an exemption to the self-certification requirement for Schools and School-based programs, and clarifies that guidelines for Childcare and other programs do not apply to public and private schools, early childhood education, and K-12 schools, which must instead follow the applicable (currently interim) State Guidelines for Schools and School-Based Programs 1 (https://covid19.ca.gov/pdf/guidance-schools.pdf) . The State through this recently released guidance has made clear that the guidelines and considerations do not reflect the full scope of issues that school communities will need to address, which range from day-to-day site-based logistics to the social and emotional well-being of students and staff. Further state guidance is forthcoming, including on school- based sports and extracurricular activities. The Order clarifies there is no requirement that an individual local school’s COVID-19 plan be specifically approved by the Health Officer. Each Industry Reopened By Statewide Guidance Is Permitted Even if Not Specifically Mentioned In SIP The Health Officer Updated Stage 3 Order clarifies for those industries which have been re-opened by the State per Industry Guidance but are not specifically referenced in the local Health Officer’s Orders, their re-opening is permitted by the Health Officer in accordance with the State’s Guidance. All businesses are responsible for regularly reviewing the State website to determine any changes or restrictions that may be issued by the State for their particular industry, i.e., open sectors in counties with variances (https://covid19.ca.gov/roadmap-counties/), and industry-specific guidances statewide (https://covid19.ca.gov/industry-guidance/) For example, Music, TV and film production may resume throughout California, including within Mendocino County, per the statewide guidance.

Revisions to Transient Lodging
Recognizing that some households include extended family in one household, the Updated Stage 3 Order is revised to state each room, unit, or Vacation Rental (regardless of size) may only be occupied by no more than one household or living unit, including up to no more than 4 adults and the children of that single household or living unit. Additionally, the Health Officer clarifies the purpose for the 24 hour vacancy between each separate occupancy (48 hours for Vacation Rentals), to allow thorough cleaning in a safe manner and disinfection between each re-occupancy. In the case of Vacation Rentals, the extra buffer is also needed for the extended stay of guests in the event of isolation or quarantine due to COVID- 19. The Order also clarifies that public saunas, steam rooms and hot tubs should remain closed in any transient lodging establishment. However, private hot tubs in such establishments, for use by only one household are permitted, provided that they are drained and cleaned in between each reservation’s use.

Additional Revisions to SIP
In accordance with recent revisions by the State, the Health Officer has clarified that outdoor religious services and protests do not have a specific attendee capacity limit. Additionally, the inside capacity limit, i.e., 25% of building capacity or a maximum of 100 attendees, whichever is lower is still in effect. All other restrictions for these activities remain. Public pools and shared pools have been revised to permit pool-based physical therapy or exercise (as recommended for health reasons) for up to 12 individuals at one time per pool, with all individuals maintaining at least six feet physical distance from each other (and following the additional requirements in the order).

Finally, while the current Order expires at 3:00 p.m. on July 3, 2020, a revised order will be released at the expiration of this Order.
Read the Entire Health Order  

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County of Mendocino COVID-19 updates

Mendocino County has an up-to-date information site including business resources.  Our two coastal districts also have very active Facebook Groups:

4th District :: 5th District

City of Fort Bragg press releases

West Business Development Center

How your business may be impacted and resources to help.

Community Foundation Resources

KOZT Resource Page

MCN Update page

A message for business that use Square

Today Square Online Store released the option for curbside pickup, and later this week a local delivery feature will be available for all businesses so that you can quickly adapt to this changing environment. They are also waiving curbside pickup and delivery fees for the next three months. Square Online Store already offers online orders for in-store pickup with no monthly fee. They are refunding all software subscription fees for the month of March.

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