On Thursday, June 18, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that Californians are required to wear face coverings in public spaces, effective immediately. According to the California Department of Public Health, the specific higher-risk situations in which face coverings are required are:

• Inside of, or in line to enter, any indoor public space;
• Obtaining services from the healthcare sector in settings including, but not limited to, a hospital, pharmacy, medical clinic, laboratory, physician or dental office, veterinary clinic, or blood bank;
• Waiting for or riding on public transportation or paratransit or while in a taxi, private car service, or ride-sharing vehicle;
• Engaged in work, whether at the workplace or performing work off-site, when:
  • Interacting in-person with any member of the public;
  • Working in any space visited by members of the public, regardless of whether anyone from the public is present at the time;
  • Working in any space where food is prepared or packaged for sale or distribution to others;
  • Working in or walking through common areas, such as hallways, stairways, elevators, and parking facilities;
  • In any room or enclosed area where other people (except for members of the person’s own household or residence) are present when unable to physically distance;
• Driving or operating any public transportation or paratransit vehicle, taxi, or private car service or ride-sharing vehicle when passengers are present. When no passengers are present, face coverings are strongly recommended;
• While outdoors in public spaces when maintaining a physical distance of six feet from persons who are not members of the same household or residence is not feasible.

Exemptions

Individuals exempt from wearing a face covering include persons age two or younger; persons with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability condition that prevents wearing a face covering; persons who are hearing impaired or are communicating with someone who is hearing impaired; persons for whom wearing a face covering would create a risk to the person related to their work, as determined by local, state, or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines; persons who are obtaining a service involving the nose or face for which temporary removal of the face covering is necessary; persons seated at a restaurant or other establishment that offers food or beverage service, while they are eating or drinking, provided they can keep a distance of six or more feet away from those who are not members of their household; persons who are engaged in outdoor work or recreation, when alone or with household members, and when they are able to keep a six foot distance from others; and persons who are incarcerated.

According to the Office of Public Affairs, Governor Newsom explained his reasoning for mandating face coverings in public spaces now: “Simply put, we are seeing too many people with faces uncovered – putting at risk the real progress we have made in fighting the disease. California’s strategy to restart the economy and get people back to work will only be successful if people act safely and follow health recommendations. That means wearing a face covering, washing your hands and practicing physical distancing.”

For more info see: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/CDPH%20Document%20Library/COVID-19/Guidance-for-Face-Coverings_06-18-2020.pdf

H.R.7010 has passed both the House and the Senate and is expected to be signed by the White House momentarily. This bill provides much needed relief to the PPP program:

1. The 8 week limit to spend their fund has been extended to 24 weeks;
2. The requirement that 75% be spent on salaries has been reduced to 60%, meaning that not 40% can be spent on utilities & rent;
3. The “workforce amnesty” provision that allowed employees to be replaced or rehired in sufficient number to replace the entire workforce was rolled back from June 30th to December 31st;
4. There will be no payment due until five years after the borrower received the PPP loan (with the 1% interest in tact);
5. Forgiveness for laid off employees who them, or a replacement, are not rehired if the borrower can show that they were unable to find similarly qualified employees or get that employee back; and
6. Also,  employers will be able to defer paying the 6.2% payroll tax that employers are charged for employees for a period of two years, regardless of whether the borrower receives loan forgiveness under the PPP program

There are no new talk of increased funding, thus if you were unable to apply that is unlikely to change. Still, for those lucky enough to meet the PPP requirements, this is great news.

For more information see the full text at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/7010/text.

Order N-65-20 was issued to help ease the strain on domestic violence service providers by waiving the 10 percent cash or in-kind matching requirements for state grants awarded to these organizations. The order also waives the deadline to verify grade point average and waives certain certification requirements and selective service registration verification for Cal Grant applicants. Additionally, the order suspends programmatic deadlines for entities that receive funding from the Energy Commission for the development and deployment of new technologies that support the state’s clean energy and decarbonization goals.

A full copy of the order can be found here: https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/5.19.20-EO-N-65-20.pdf

California slowly moves towards Stage Three of the Covid-19 release. Therein, Yolo, Sacramento, and Placer counties have all been cleared to reopen Dine-in restaurants and hair salons and barbershops. Specific guidance for opening such can be found here: https://covid19.ca.gov/roadmap-counties/.  Also open are Curb-side retail; Manufacturers; Logistics; Childcare for those outside of the essential workforce; Office-based businesses (telework remains strongly encouraged); Select services: car washes, pet grooming and landscape gardening; Outdoor museums, open gallery spaces and other public spaces with modifications.

San Francisco, and surrounding counties, have not yet reached this point.

Approval has not yet been provided for reopening Personal services such as nail salons, tattoo parlors, gyms and fitness studios; Indoor museums, kids museums, gallery spaces, zoos and libraries; Community centers, including public pools, playgrounds, and picnic areas; Entertainment venues, such as movie theaters, gaming, gambling, arcade venues, pro sports; Hospitality services, such as bars, wineries, tasting rooms and lounges; Nightclubs; Concert venues; Live audience sports; Festivals; Theme parks Hotels/lodging for leisure and tourism – non-essential travel; and Higher Education. But, that is expected soon, as both Placer and Yolo county have recently been able to reduce casualties related to COVID-19 to “0.”

For more details see: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/County_Variance_Attestation_Form.aspx

California is asking everyone who tested positive for COVID-19 and survived to donate blood so they can use those antibodies to help currently ill individuals.

Who can donate COVID-19 plasma?

• A person who had a test that showed coronavirus infection,
  AND
• Has felt well for at least 14 days,
  AND
• Passes the usual rules for blood donation. 

Most blood centers require a negative swab test if you plan to donate before one month has passed since you recovered. The blood center may also have other rules.

You can find a donation center at: https://covid19.ca.gov/plasma/.

As of May 8th, lower-risk businesses can reopen with social distancing guidelines. The new guidance can be found at https://covid19.ca.gov/roadmap/. Stage two will gradually be implemented but so far allows:

• retail (curbside and delivery only);
• related logistics and manufacturing;
• office workplaces;
• limited personal services;
• outdoor museums;
• child care; and
• essential businesses can open with modifications

Since the Stage-2 opening, there has been a 3% increase in COVID-19 deaths and tested cases. Individuals are encouraged to maintain vigilance and safe practices. As such, a reminder 0f businesses still disallowed from opening are:

• Personal services such as nail salons, tattoo parlors, gyms and fitness studios
• Entertainment venues with limited capacities, such as movie theaters, gaming, gambling, and arcade venues, and pro sports
• Indoor museums, kids museums and gallery spaces, zoos and libraries
• Community centers, including public pools, playgrounds, and picnic areas
• Limited-capacity religious services and cultural ceremonies
• Nightclubs
• Concert venues
• Live audience sports
• Festivals
• Theme parks
• Hotels/lodging for leisure and tourism – non-essential travel
• Higher education

For more info visit: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Local-Variance-Attestations.aspx

Executive Order N-64-20 will allow all registered voters in California to vote by mail in the November 3, 2020 General Election. The Governor’s office will continue to work with the Legislature and the Secretary of State to determine how requirements for in-person voting opportunities and other details of the November election will be implemented, while preserving public health and giving county elections officials needed flexibility.

The full Order can be read here: https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/05.08.2020-EO-N-64-20-signed.pdf

Friday will bring the releases of the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act (“HEROES Act”). The bill provides relief for essential workers, such as aviation, rail and Amtrak workers, extends work visas for immigrants, and further provides assistance to state and local governments, hazard pay for frontline health care workers, forgiveness of student debt and bolstering Medicaid and Medicare, provisions to assist farmers, protect renters and homeowners from evictions and foreclosures, and extends family and medical leave provisions previously approved by Congress.

The Bill does not have wide support, unlike previous stimulus bills to assist with COVID-19. After the infamous handling of the PPP, as well as a several trillion dollar price tag on for economic stimulus payments, conservative lawmakers have advised this bill will not pass the Senate. With the economy set to reopen soon, the fate of this bill is unknown.

The full bill can be read here: https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20200511/BILLS-116hr6800ih.pdf

Sacramento County
The Sacramento County Public Health Officer​ issued a new Public Health Order effective May 2nd, and will be in effect until May 23, 2020, unless extended. The Public Health Order reinforces the direction for all individuals to stay home and extends the terms of the order to continue social distancing and reducing person-to-person contact to further slow transmission of COVID-19.

Note that you may be reported for violations as individual can call 3-1-1 and report you. See more info at: https://www.saccounty.net/COVID-19/Documents/May1_ExecutedHealthOrder_SignedNewStayathomeOrder-FINAL.pdf

Placer County
Placer County will let their Stay-at-home order formally expire May 2nd; however, they remind residents that little will be changes as it was only in place because “[t]he local order was intended to complement the indefinite statewide shelter-in-place order issued by Governor Gavin Newsom on March 19.”  The statewide shelter-in-place order will still be in place, thus residents will need to continue their quarantine. See more info at: https://www.placer.ca.gov/6571/Placer-County-looks-ahead-to-phased-reop

San Francisco County
The San Francisco Department of Public Health, in coordination with other Bay Area health departments, is extending its Stay Home order to May 31st in order to maintain progress on slowing the spread of the coronavirus. In recognition of the gains made to date, the new orders will allow some lower-risk outdoor activities and jobs to resume May 4, provided that specific public health requirements are followed. This order takes effect at 11:59 p.m. on May 3, 2020. It will remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. on May 31, 2020 unless the Health Officer determines changes are warranted. See the order at: https://sf.gov/sites/default/files/2020-04/2020.04.29%20FINAL%20%28signed%29%20Health%20Officer%20Order%20C19-07c-%20Shelter%20in%20Place.pdf

Relaxed quarantine restriction come May 4th include:

• all construction will be allowed to resume as long as specific safety measures are in place;
• businesses that operate primarily outdoors, such as plant nurseries, may reopen;
• employees of a business allowed to operate under the order can also access childcare programs that are allowed to operate;
• outdoor recreational facilities, like skate parks, can reopen; and
• residential moves will be allowed.

YOLO County
It is currently unclear if the stay-at-home order will continue past May; however, like Placer County, residents and business will be bound by the state-wide shelter-in-place Order. Yolo has uniquely made it mandatory that all individuals wear facemasks while outside.

Face coverings must be worn in public settings, such as:

• Waiting in line to go inside a store
• Shopping at a store
• Picking up food at a restaurant
• On public transportation (or waiting for it)
• In a taxi or rideshare vehicle
• Seeking healthcare
• Going into facilities allowed to stay open
• Working an essential job that interacts with the public
• Children 2 years and older should be encouraged to wear a mask when around others closer than 6 feet. When they do, they must be supervised by an adult.

Face coverings are NOT required to be worn by people who are:

• At home.
• In the car alone or with members of their own household.
• Children under the age of 2 years old due to the risk of suffocation.
• Outdoors, walking, hiking, bicycling or running. However, people must comply with social distancing during these activities, including maintaining at least 6 feet of distance from other people. People should also have a face covering readily accessible.
• Residents with a health condition whose medical doctor has advised against wearing a face covering and can provide documentation.

Businesses must:

• Require their employees, contractors, owners, and volunteers to wear a face covering at the workplace and when performing work off-site;
• Inform customers about the need to wear a face covering, including posting signs and advising those in line or in the store;
• Take reasonable steps to keep people who are not wearing a face covering from entering their business, and
• Refuse service to anyone not wearing a face covering.
• Individual violators are unlikely to be cited however essential businesses and other enterprises will be expected to enforce this order. Everyone has an opportunity to contribute to public health and the welfare of our community by following this health order. Individuals that choose not to wear face coverings may encounter difficulties such as being refused access to public transit and essential businesses.

See more info at: https://www.yolocounty.org/Home/Components/News/News/11623/26.

Three initiatives have been announced to support Californians over 65 years young who are isolated at home during the stay at home order. California is launching a meal delivery program, a partnership to make wellness check-in calls, and the expansion of Friendship Line California. These actions will support the approximately 1.2 million Californians over the age of 65 who live alone.

Restaurants Deliver: Home Meals for Seniors
This first-in-the-nation program will ensure vulnerable older Californians have consistent access to nutritious meals while staying safe at home. The Restaurants Deliver: Home Meals for Seniors program will enlist community restaurants to prepare meals that will be delivered to older Californians who are isolating at home during California’s stay at home order. The program will also support local restaurant workers and owners who have lost business during the pandemic. The program will be administered by local authorities and will serve older Californians who are ineligible for other nutrition programs. Details for using it can be fund here: https://covid19.ca.gov/restaurants-deliver-home-meals-for-seniors/

Social Bridging Project
The Social Bridging Project will mobilize more than 1,000 callers to proactively reach out to older Californians who are isolating at home. The project will combat social isolation through direct, one-on-one communication with older Californians, many living alone and isolated. Listos California is partnering with the California Department of Aging, United Airlines, Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), and Sacramento State University to make calls to older Californians. Callers will check on the individual’s well-being, connect them to resources, and connect with them on a personal level.

Friendship Line California: 1-888-670-1360
California is expanding Friendship Line California to support lonely and isolated older Californians across the state. Friendship Line California is toll-free and available to provide emotional support to older Californians facing loneliness, isolation and anxiety. The California Department of Aging is partnering with the Institute on Aging to support this effort.

For more info, or to use these services see: https://covid19.ca.gov/restaurants-deliver-home-meals-for-seniors/ and https://www.gov.ca.gov/2020/04/24/governor-newsom-announces-initiatives-to-support-older-californians-during-covid-19-pandemic/.