Good Afternoon, There are 488 new cases today, 2,269 additional people have been tested and there is 1 additional death (75 year old male with comorbidities). Our thoughts are with the family of those who have passed and those in the hospital. Current doubling time is 59.7 days. There are 116 people in the hospital and 33 in the ICU.
STATE’S STAY AT HOME ORDER NOT YET IN EFFECT IN VENTURA COUNTY
COUNTY CONTINUES TO ADVOCATE AT THE STATE LEVEL FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITY
Yesterday, the Governor announced a Regional Stay Home Order. It will go into effect in regions that have 15% or less ICU bed capacity. The State has placed Ventura County in the Southern California Region. The Southern California Region is at 20% ICU bed availability. Ventura County remains in the purple tier.
Locally, cases and hospitalizations continue to rise at an alarming rate. With that in mind, the County of Ventura understands the need to take action to stem the spread and ensure a safe level of capacity in our hospitals. However, we do encourage the State to continue to be more data driven and science based for the order to be more specific to sectors that are driving the surge.
Our business community is struggling and data does not show spread at our local businesses but rather at home gatherings. While we also understand the importance of a regional approach, the region our County is assigned to is simply too large and not clear on the reason for the regional County clusters.
The Southern California Region our County was placed in has, by itself, more the half the State’s total population. We are urging the Governor to consider smaller, more targeted regions. In the meantime, we will continue to engage with our local business community as we learn more from the State especially regarding timing of the order in our County and when businesses need to change their operations.
Finally, we appreciate that the Governor has approved and recommended support for impacted businesses. We urge him to consider additional, immediate assistance for impacted workers, families and businesses. We will continue to advocate and engage with the State on behalf of our County on a regular basis.
The order, once triggered, prohibits private gatherings of any size, closes sector operations except for critical infrastructure and retail, and requires 100% masking and physical distancing in all others.
The order remains in effect for at least 3 weeks and, after that period, will be lifted when a region’s projected ICU capacity meets or exceeds 15%. This will be assessed on a weekly basis after the initial 3-week period.
Learn more about this order.
The State projects the Southern California Region, including Ventura County, to fall below 15% capacity within a week. When a region is placed under an order, these sectors will be closed:
· 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. No indoor or outdoor dining.
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 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 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
· Child care and pre-K
This is a critical time to work together to slow the spread. Community members are encouraged to wear masks, social distance, wash hands frequently and not gather.
Once we learn of the State’s decision for our region you will be notified vie e-update. Until then businesses can still operate under the guidance in the purple tier.
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