OC COVID-19 Order Amendments

On July 6, Acting County Health Officer Dr. Clayton Chau issued new Amended Orders and Strong Recommendations, effective immediately in support of directives made earlier this week by the California Department of Public Health and the Governor’s Office.

The amendments came in light of the recent increased COVID-19 transmission and hospitalization rate in Orange County, the placement of Orange County on the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) County Monitoring List, and further CDPH directives applicable to the County of Orange, The Amended Orders replace the July 1 version and includes the mandatory closure of bars (with certain exceptions) while also closes indoor operations of certain sectors including:

• Dine-in restaurants

• Wineries and tasting rooms

• Movie theaters

• Family entertainment centers (bowling alleys, miniature golf, etc.)

• Zoos and museums

• Cardrooms The order not apply to outdoor or pick-up operations of the above-listed sectors, provided the establishment/business operates in accordance with its respective industry or sector guidance including appropriate physical distancing and face coverings practices.

For specific industry or sector guidance, see the following link: https://covid19.ca.gov/industry-guidance/#top. To read the Order in its entirely, visit https://occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/article/oc-healthofficers- orders-recommendations.

This Order shall remain in effect until at least July 22 and may be extended further by the County Health Officer based on his assessment and evaluation of local epidemiological indicators.

Any extension shall be posted on the Orange County Health Care Agency website, available at www.ochealthinfo.com.

Wear a Cloth Face-Covering

To help prevent the spread of droplets containing COVID-19, all county residents and visitors shall wear face coverings in certain high-risk situations, as required by the Guidance for the Use of Face Coverings issued by California Department of Public Health on June 18. For more information, see www.cdph.ca.gov, Guidance for Face Coverings issued by California Department of Public Health on June 18.

For more information, see www.cdph.ca.gov, Guidance for Face Coverings, which includes a list of high-risk situations wherein county residents and visitors shall wear a face covering, and for a list of individuals who are exempt from wearing a face covering.

Strongly Recommended

Effective immediately, and continuing until further notice, the following shall be in effect in unincorporated and incorporated territories in Orange County, California:

• Maintain Six Feet of Physical Distancing: All Orange County residents and visitors should maintain at least six feet of physical distance from another person who is not a family/household member or live in the same living unit, when in a public place; visiting a retail, commercial or other place of business; or at work.

• For Vulnerable Population: All Orange County residents who are 65 years old or older; have serious underlying medical conditions (for example, chronic lung disease, moderate to severe asthma, serious heart conditions, severe obesity, diabetes, chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis, liver disease); or have a compromised immune system should remain at home consistent with guidance provided by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) available at https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/ PublicHealthGuidanceSelfIsolationforOlderAdultsandThoseWho-HaveElevatedRisk.aspx

• Other Recommendations: All Orange County residents should avoid contact with people who are sick; not gather in groups; stay out of crowded places; avoid mass gatherings; wash hands frequently; wash face coverings frequently; cover coughs and sneezes; and clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily, including tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.

These Amended Orders and Strong Recommendations shall not supersede any conflicting or more restrictive orders issued by the State of California or federal government, according to the California Department of Public Health release.

On Feb. 26, the County of Orange Health Officer declared a Local Health Emergency based on a threat to public health from the introduction of a novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Orange County.