Summary of New Health Officer Order from CBO/Business Liaison County of Santa Clara Emergency Operations Center

COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER ISSUES NEW HEALTH ORDER
ESTABLISHING LONG-TERM RISK-REDUCTION STRATEGIES TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY AS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CONTINUES

Santa Clara County, CA – Today, the County of Santa Clara Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody announced a new order that puts in place long-term risk reduction measures.  The order allows certain additional activities to resume, but also puts in place significant additional containment measures to control the spread of COVID-19.  Santa Clara County currently has fewer cases of COVID-19 per hundred thousand residents than any county in the Bay Area, and far fewer than many urban regions across the country.  However, case counts in the County are rising, and the number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 is also increasing.

“Our approach from the outset of the pandemic has been careful, based on constant assessments of relevant data, and also the evolving scientific understanding of the virus,” said County of Santa Clara Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody.  “This new order marks the next stage in this consistent approach, reflects the reality that COVID-19 will be with us for a long time, and we need to adapt to that new reality.  Today’s order offers a long-term containment strategy that we believe will need to remain in place for the coming months.”

Today’s action by Dr. Cody aligns with Governor Newsom’s announcement yesterday prohibiting certain activities in communities throughout the State because they create great risk of COVID-19 transmission.  Those activities were never reopened in Santa Clara County, and they remain closed under the new order.  The order must be approved by the State before it can take effect, under the “variance” process set forth in the State’s COVID-19 Roadmap.

Under the prior order, most businesses and activities in the community had been allowed to reopen.  The new order allows other activities to resume, including hair and nail services, gyms, and small gatherings, but only with strict social distancing protocols in place, consistent use of face coverings, and significant capacity limits.  It also requires all employers to immediately report cases of COVID-19 tied to their work places to local public health officials.  The order continues to stress that we are all safest when we stay home, and that people over age 70 and those with serious underlying medical conditions should continue to leave home only for essential needs.

The order will go into effect on July 13, or as soon as State approval is granted, whichever is later. This timelines provides businesses that are not currently open time to prepare to operate safely, to train employees to comply with the strict social distancing protocols, and to submit to the County the detailed social distancing protocol the order requires all businesses to have in place. Until that time, the current shelter-in-place order remains in effect.

CBO/Business Liaison

County of Santa Clara Emergency Operations Center

Website: http://sccphd.org/coronavirus

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sccpublichealth/

Instagram: @scc_publichealth

Summary of New Health Officer Order
As COVID-19 rates across our state and region continue to increase, the County Health Officer is
shifting to a new approach to contain the virus and protect the safety of our community. The new
Health Officer Order, issued July 2, 2020, imposes strict across-the-board risk reduction measures
on activities and businesses. The Order also allows certain activities to resume if those measures
are followed, primarily those that were already open in surrounding jurisdictions.

General Requirement:

The Order urges County residents to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission by staying home as
much as possible and minimizing trips and activities outside the home.
• Individuals over the age of 70 and those with serious underlying medical conditions should stay
home other than for essential needs.
• The Order requires all individuals to strictly follow social distancing requirements when outside their
home, and generally prohibits all activities that don’t allow for social distancing.
Gatherings: The Order strongly discourages gatherings, but it allows outdoor gatherings (up to 60
people) and indoor gatherings (up to 20 people). Gatherings have special rules and must comply with
the Health Officer’s forthcoming Mandatory Directive on Gatherings.
Face coverings: Everyone must comply with the Face Covering Guidance issued by the California
Department of Public Health, which requires most people to wear a face covering most of the time
whenever they leave home.

Requirements to All Business: 

The Order requires that all businesses that are open for their workers or for customers follow a set of
rules to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19, including:
1. Telework: All businesses must continue to require workers to do their jobs from home whenever
possible. Workers can go into work only to complete the job duties they can’t complete from
home.
2. New Social Distancing Protocol requirements: All businesses must complete and submit an
updated Social Distancing Protocol for each of their facilities on the County’s website at www.
COVID19Prepared.org. The Social Distancing Protocol must be signed under penalty of perjury
and will be posted on the County’s website. Businesses that operate from a facility must post
an updated COVID-19 Prepared sign and Visitor Information summary sheet. Businesses that
provide services at several facilities that they do not own (like cleaning services) must distribute
the Protocol to the owners or operators of each location they serve. All businesses must
distribute the Protocol to their workers.
3. Capacity limitations: All businesses must comply with the same density limitations. There may
be no more than one worker per 250 gross square feet of the facility, and no more than one
customer or member of the public per 150 square feet of space open to the public. Exceptions
apply for healthcare, education and childcare facilities. And capacity limits do not apply to
children under age 12 when accompanying a parent into a business facility.
4. Positive case reporting: All businesses (and governmental entities) are legally required to
report to the Public Health Department within 4 hours if they learn that any of their workers are
confirmed to be positive for COVID-19. They must also ensure workers alert them if they test
positive.

Requirements Applicable to All Businesses
• The Order urges County residents to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission by staying home as
much as possible and minimizing trips and activities outside the home.
• Individuals over the age of 70 and those with serious underlying medical conditions should stay
home other than for essential needs.
• The Order requires all individuals to strictly follow social distancing requirements when outside their
home, and generally prohibits all activities that don’t allow for social distancing.
Gatherings: The Order strongly discourages gatherings, but it allows outdoor gatherings (up to 60
people) and indoor gatherings (up to 20 people). Gatherings have special rules and must comply with
the Health Officer’s forthcoming Mandatory Directive on Gatherings.
Face coverings: Everyone must comply with the Face Covering Guidance issued by the California
Department of Public Health, which requires most people to wear a face covering most of the time
whenever they leave home.

General Requirements

Summary of New Health Officer Order
As COVID-19 rates across our state and region continue to increase, the County Health Officer is
shifting to a new approach to contain the virus and protect the safety of our community. The new
Health Officer Order, issued July 2, 2020, imposes strict across-the-board risk reduction measures
on activities and businesses. The Order also allows certain activities to resume if those measures
are followed, primarily those that were already open in surrounding jurisdictions.
2 of 2
The Health Officer will issue a set of mandatory directives with rules to reduce risk in the following
specific industries and activities:
• Personal Services, including hair and nail salons, massage therapy, and other body care
services
• Gyms and fitness centers
• Construction
• Recreational and athletic activities
• Gatherings, including for social, economic, religious, cultural, and other purposes
• Agriculture
• Hotels and motels
• Public transit
• Childcare, summer camps, and children’s activities
• Pools
• Outdoor dining
• Food facilities
All businesses and people in the County must follow these directives, as well as the industry-specific
guidance issued by the State.

Mandatory Directives
Business facilities that pose a high risk of COVID-19 transmission or large outbreaks must stay closed to
the public. These include any indoor facility used for activities where face masks are removed (including
indoor dining and bars, indoor swimming pools, saunas, heated exercise rooms, and smoking lounges),
nightclubs, theaters, stadiums, arenas, music venues, indoor playgrounds and amusement centers, and
non-residential adult and elder daycare facilities.
Some business facilities remain closed
In addition to the County Health Officer Order, businesses and residents must comply with the State’s
Stay-at-Home Order. If there is a conflict between the two Orders, the more restrictive Order applies.
Businesses that are allowed to open under the County Order should confirm that they are also allowed
to open under the State Order. And County residents who want to participate in activities allowed
under the County Order, including gatherings, should confirm that those activities are also allowed
under the State Order.

The State’s Stay at Home Order
It depends. The County is submitting an application to the State that, if approved, would allow more
businesses to open under the State’s Stay-at-Home Order. The State calls this a “variance.” If the State
approves the County’s application for a variance before July 13, then the Order goes into effect on July
13. Otherwise, the Order will go into effect two days after the State approves the County’s variance.
Continue to check the Public Health website for updates.

When is the Order effective?

It depends. The County is submitting an application to the State that, if approved, would allow more
businesses to open under the State’s Stay-at-Home Order. The State calls this a “variance.” If the State
approves the County’s application for a variance before July 13, then the Order goes into effect on July
13. Otherwise, the Order will go into effect two days after the State approves the County’s variance.
Continue to check the Public Health website for updates.