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DATE OF ORDER: May 1, 2020

Appendix A – Social Distancing Protocol »
Appendix B – COVID-19 Construction Field Safety Requirements »
Appendix C – Golf Site Requirements »

Please read this Order carefully. Violation of or failure to comply with this Order is a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both. (California Health and Safety Code § 120275, et seq.)

UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF CALIFORNIA HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE SECTIONS 101040, 101085, AND 120175, THE HEALTH OFFICER OF THE COUNTY OF SONOMA (“HEALTH OFFICER”) ORDERS:

1. This Order shall become effective at 12:01 a.m. on May 4, 2020 and will continue until it is extended, rescinded, superseded, or amended in writing by the Health Officer or the State Health Officer. This Order, among other changes, reduces Shelter In Place restrictions in a number of important employment areas including construction, landscaping services, and nurseries. This loosening of restrictions is possible because of the significant interruption of community transmission of the virus due to compliance with the Order in Sonoma County. Shelter in Place has worked to save lives and maintain healthcare system capacity. Like the Governor’s Executive Order (N-33-20), this Order does not have a specific end date so that we can respond and make modifications as necessary (either loosening or tightening restrictions) as changes in the data and state orders may dictate.
2. This Order is issued in accordance with, and incorporates by reference, the April 28, 2020 Order of the Health Officer No. C19-10; the April 13, 2020 Order of the Health Officer No. C19-07; the March 19, 2020 Executive Order of the Governor (N-33-20); the March 13, 2020 Order of the Health Officer No. C19-02; the March 4, 2020 Proclamation of a State of Emergency issued by Governor Gavin Newsom; the March 2, 2020 Proclamation of Local Emergency for the County of Sonoma issued by the Director of Emergency Services Declaring the Existence of a Local Emergency in the County Regarding Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19); the Declaration of Local Health Emergency Regarding Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) issued by the Health Officer; the March 4, 2020 Resolution of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Sonoma Ratifying and Extending the Declaration of a Local Health Emergency, and the March 4, 2020 Resolution of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Sonoma Ratifying and Extending the Proclamation of a Local
3. There is not a precise timeline for modifying or rescinding this Order. The Critical Indicators the State Will Consider Before Modifying the Stay-at-Home Order and Other COVID-19 Interventions will serve as the framework for making that decision. California’s indicators for modifying the stay-at-home order are as follows:
   • The ability to monitor and protect our communities through aggressive testing, contact tracing, isolating, and supporting those who are positive or exposed;
   • The ability to prevent infection in people who are at risk for more severe COVID-19;
   • The ability to reduce infection spread so that it is decreasing in the community;
   • The ability of the hospital and health systems to have sufficient bed and ICU capacity to handle surges;
   • The ability to develop therapeutics to meet the demand;
   • The ability to obtain sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) for hospitals and health system to handle surges;
   • The ability for businesses, schools, and child care facilities to support physical distancing; and
   • The ability to determine when to reinstitute certain measures, such as the stay-at-home orders, if necessary.

   https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/California-Roadmap-to-Modify-the-Stay-at-Home-Order.pdf

4. This Order supersedes the March 31, 2020 Shelter in Place Order of the Health Officer (C19-05) directing all individuals to shelter in place (“Prior Order”). This Order amends, clarifies, and extends certain terms of the Prior Order to ensure continued social distancing and limit person-to-person contact to reduce the rate of transmission of Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19”). This Order continues to restrict most activity, travel, and governmental and business functions. But in light of progress achieved in slowing the spread of COVID-19 in the County of Sonoma (the “County”) and neighboring counties, the Order allows a limited number of additional lower risk Essential Businesses to resume operating. This initial, measured resumption of those activities is designed to keep the overall volume of person-to-person contact very low to prevent a surge in COVID-19 cases in the County and neighboring counties. The activities allowed by this Order will be assessed on an ongoing basis and may need to be modified if the risk associated with COVID-19 increases in the future. As of the effective date and time of this Order set forth in Section 1 above, all individuals, businesses, and government agencies in the County are required to follow the provisions of this Order.
5. The intent of this Order is to ensure that County residents continue to shelter in their places of residence to slow the spread of COVID-19 and mitigate the impact on delivery of critical healthcare services. This Order allows a limited number of additional essential business activities to resume while the Health Officer continues to assess the transmissibility and clinical severity of COVID-19 and monitors indicators described above in Section 3. The provisions in this Order are based, in part, on the Governor’s Executive Order N-33-20, which prohibits non-essential businesses from operating, and on minimizing situations where the virus can spread, including based on the proximity and duration of contacts otherwise likely to occur. All provisions of this Order must be interpreted to effectuate this intent of minimizing spread of the virus, maintaining the capacity of Sonoma County’s healthcare system, and maintaining functions (e.g. food, shelter, outdoor activity, and medical care) essential for life. Failure to comply with any of the provisions of this Order constitutes an imminent threat and menace to public health.
6. All individuals currently living within the County are ordered to shelter at their place of residence. They may leave their residence only for Essential Activities as defined in Section 16.a, Essential Governmental Functions as defined in Section 16.d, Essential Travel as defined in Section 16.i, to work for Essential Businesses as defined in Section 16.f, or to perform Minimum Basic Operations for other businesses that must remain temporarily closed, as provided in Section 16.g. For clarity, individuals who do not currently reside in the County must comply with all applicable requirements of the Order when in the County. Individuals experiencing homelessness are exempt from this Section, but are strongly urged to obtain shelter, and governmental and other entities are strongly urged to, as soon as possible, provide restroom and hand washing facilities for individuals in such encampments To the greatest extent feasible, the County of Sonoma, the Sonoma County Community Development Commission, local governmental entities, and private nonprofits should, if not already in place, establish Emergency Non-Congregate Sheltering (NCS) solutions for (1) individuals who test positive for COVID-19 or who have been exposed to COVID-19, that do not require hospitalization but need isolation or quarantine, and (2) individuals who are asymptomatic, but are at “high-risk,” such as people over 65 or who have certain underlying health conditions (respiratory, compromised immunities, chronic disease), and who require Emergency NCS as a social distancing measure, in order to slow the spread of COVID-19.
7. When people need to leave their place of residence for the limited purposes allowed in this Order, they must strictly comply with Social Distancing and Hygiene Requirements as defined in Section 16.k, except as expressly provided in this Order, and must comply with Health Officer Order No. C19-07 (the “Facial Covering Order”). The County of Sonoma encourages parents and childcare providers to follow the guidance of the American Association of Pediatrics when masking children over two years of age. https://services.aap.org/en/pages/2019-novel-coronavirus-covid-19-infections/masks-and-children-during-covid-19/
8. All businesses with a facility in the County, except Essential Businesses, as defined in Section 16, are required to cease all activities at facilities located within the County except Minimum Basic Operations, as defined in Section 16. For clarity, all businesses may continue operations consisting exclusively of owners, personnel, volunteers, or contractors performing activities at their own residences (i.e., working from home). All Essential Businesses are strongly encouraged to remain open. But all businesses are directed to maximize the number of personnel who work from home. Essential Businesses may only assign those personnel who cannot perform their job duties from home to work outside the home. All Essential Businesses shall prepare, post, and implement a Social Distancing Protocol at each of their facilities at which they are maintaining operations, as specified in Section 16.h. Businesses that include an Essential Business component at their facilities alongside non-essential components must, to the extent feasible, scale down their operations to the Essential Business component only; provided, however, that mixed retail businesses that are otherwise allowed to operate under this Order may continue to stock and sell non-essential products. Essential businesses must follow industry-specific guidance issued by the California Department of Public Health (“CDPH”) related to COVID-19.
9. All public and private gatherings of any number of people occurring outside a single household or living unit are prohibited, except for the limited purposes expressly permitted in this Order. The Health Officer does not anticipate permitting private or public mass gatherings in the immediate future but will be continuing to reassess based upon infection rate and data related to the State’s critical reopening indicators stated in Section 3. Nothing in this Order prohibits those living together in a single household or living unit from engaging in Essential Travel or Essential Activities together.
10. All travel, except Essential Travel and Essential Activities as defined below in Section 16, is prohibited. People may use public transit only for purposes of performing Essential Activities, or to travel to and from work for Essential Businesses, to maintain Essential Governmental Functions, or to perform Minimum Basic Operations at non-essential businesses. Transit agencies and people riding on public transit must comply with Social Distancing Requirements, as defined in Section 16.k, to the greatest extent feasible, and personnel and passengers must wear Facial Coverings as required by the Facial Covering Order. This Order allows travel into or out of the County only to perform Essential Activities, to operate or perform work for Essential Businesses, to maintain Essential Governmental Functions, or to perform Minimum Basic Operations at non-essential businesses.
11. This Order is issued based on evidence of continued significant community transmission of COVID-19 within the County and throughout the Bay Area; continued uncertainty regarding the degree of undetected asymptomatic transmission; scientific evidence and best practices regarding the most effective approaches to slow the transmission of communicable diseases generally and COVID-19 specifically; evidence that the age, condition, and health of a significant portion of the population of the County places it at risk for serious health complications, including death, from COVID-19; and further evidence that others, including younger and otherwise healthy people, are also at risk for serious outcomes. Due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 disease in the general public, which is now a pandemic according to the World Health Organization, there is a public health emergency throughout the County. Making the problem worse, some individuals who contract the virus causing the COVID-19 disease have no symptoms or have mild symptoms, which means they may not be aware they carry the virus and are transmitting it to others. Further, evidence shows that the virus can survive for hours to days on surfaces and be indirectly transmitted between individuals. Because even people without symptoms can transmit the infection, and because evidence shows the infection is easily spread, gatherings and other direct or indirect interpersonal interactions can result in preventable transmission of the virus.
12. The collective shelter in place and related efforts taken to date regarding this public health emergency have slowed the virus’ trajectory, but the emergency and the attendant risk to public health remain significant. As of May 1, 2020, there are 244 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the County (up from 6 confirmed cases on March 17, 2020, just before the first shelter-in-place order). Evidence suggests that the restrictions on mobility and social distancing requirements imposed by the Prior Order (and the March 17, 2020 shelter-in-place order) are slowing the rate of increase in community transmission and confirmed cases by limiting interactions among people, consistent with scientific evidence of the efficacy of similar measures in other parts of the country and world.
13. The scientific evidence shows that at this stage of the emergency, it remains essential to continue to slow virus transmission to help (a) protect the most vulnerable; (b) prevent the health care system from being overwhelmed; (c) prevent long-term chronic health conditions, such as cardiovascular, kidney, and respiratory damage and loss of limbs from blood clotting; and (d) prevent deaths. Extension of the Prior Order is necessary to slow the spread of the COVID-19 disease, preserving critical and limited healthcare capacity in the County and advancing toward a point in the public health emergency where transmission can be controlled. At the same time, since the Prior Order was issued the County has made significant progress in expanding health system capacity and healthcare resources and in slowing community transmission of COVID-19. In light of progress on these indicators, and subject to continued monitoring and potential public health-based responses, it is appropriate at this time to allow additional Essential Businesses to operate in the County including some outdoor businesses that, by virtue of their operation outdoors, carry a lower risk of transmission.
14. This Order comes after the release of substantial guidance from the Health Officer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the California Department of Public Health, and other public health officials throughout the United States and around the world, including the widespread adoption of orders imposing similar social distancing requirements and mobility restrictions to combat the spread and harms of COVID-19. The Health Officer will continue to assess the quickly evolving situation and may modify or extend this Order, or issue additional Orders, related to COVID-19, as changing circumstances dictate.
15. This Order is also issued in light of the March 19, 2020 Order of the State Public Health Officer (the “State Shelter Order”), which set baseline statewide restrictions on non-residential business activities, effective until further notice, as well as the Governor’s March 19, 2020 Executive Order N-33-20 directing California residents to follow the State Shelter Order. This Order adopts in certain respects more stringent restrictions addressing the particular facts and circumstances in this County, which are necessary to control the public health emergency as it is evolving within the County and the Bay Area. Without this tailored set of restrictions that further reduces the number of interactions between persons, scientific evidence indicates that the public health crisis in the County will worsen to the point at which it may overtake available health care resources within the County and increase the death rate. Also, this Order enumerates additional restrictions on non-work-related travel not covered by the State Shelter Order; sets forth mandatory Social Distancing and Hygiene Requirements for all individuals in the County when engaged in activities outside their residences; and adds a mechanism to ensure that all Essential Businesses with facilities that are allowed to operate under the Order comply with the Social Distancing and Hygiene Protocol. Where a conflict exists between this Order and any state public health order related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the most restrictive provision controls. Consistent with California Health and Safety Code section 131080 and the Health Officer Practice Guide for Communicable Disease Control in California, except where the State Health Officer may issue an order expressly directed at this Order and based on a finding that a provision of this Order constitutes a menace to public health, any more restrictive measures in this Order continue to apply and control in this County.
16. Definitions and Exemptions.
    1. For purposes of this Order, individuals may leave their residence only to perform any of the following “Essential Activities.” But people at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and people who are sick are urged to stay in their residence to the extent possible except as necessary to seek medical care or Essential Governmental Functions. For purposes of this Order, people at “high risk of severe illness from COVID-19” are people who meet the CDC definition of higher risk. (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/high-risk-complications.html) Essential Activities are:
       1. To engage in activities or perform tasks important to their health and safety, or to the health and safety of their family or household members (including pets), such as, by way of example only and without limitation, obtaining medical supplies or medication, or visiting a health care professional.
       2. To obtain necessary services or supplies for themselves and their family, household members, and pets, or to deliver those services or supplies to others, such as, by way of example only and without limitation, canned food, dry goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, pet food and supply, fresh meats, fish, and poultry, and any other household consumer products, and products necessary to maintain the habitability, sanitation, and essential operation of residences.
       3. To engage in outdoor recreation activity, including, by way of example and without limitation, walking, hiking, bicycling, and running, in compliance with Social Distancing Requirements and with the following limitations:
          1. Outdoor recreational activity at “Parks” must comply with the April 28, 2020 Order of the Health Officer No. C19-10. Parks means an area of land, beach or water open to the public for recreation, including but not limited to walking, hiking, biking, relaxing, boating, fishing, and playing, regardless of ownership.
          2. Outdoor recreational activity at golf courses and golf driving ranges shall be subject to maximum compliance with Social Distancing and Hygiene Requirements set forth in this Order and the Golf Site Requirements in Appendix C. The owner or manager of each golfing site shall provide security or patrolling, and shall be responsible for ensuring golfers’ compliance with the Social Distancing and Golf Site
       4. To perform work providing essential products and services at an Essential Business or to otherwise carry out activities specifically permitted in this Order, including Minimum Basic Operations.
       5. To provide necessary care for a family member or pet in another household who has no other source of care.
       6. To attend a funeral with no more than 10 individuals present.
       7. To move residences, but only if it is not possible to defer an already planned move, if the move is necessitated by safety, sanitation, or habitability reasons, or if the move is necessary to preserve access to shelter. When moving into or out of the Bay Area region, individuals are strongly urged to quarantine for 14 days. To quarantine, individuals should follow the guidance of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
    2. For the purposes of this Order, individuals may leave their residence to work for, volunteer at, or obtain services at “Healthcare Operations,” including, without limitation, hospitals, clinics, COVID-19 testing locations, dentists, pharmacies, blood banks and blood drives, pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies, other healthcare facilities, healthcare suppliers, home healthcare services providers, mental health providers, or any related and/or ancillary healthcare services. “Healthcare Operations” also includes veterinary care and all healthcare services provided to animals. This exemption for Healthcare Operations shall be construed broadly to avoid any interference with the delivery of healthcare, broadly defined. “Healthcare Operations” excludes fitness and exercise gyms and similar facilities.
    3. For the purposes of this Order, individuals may leave their residence to provide any services or perform any work necessary to the operation, maintenance, construction or repair of “Essential Infrastructure,” including airports, utilities (including water, sewer/septic, gas, electrical), oil refining, roads and highways, public transportation, solid waste facilities (including collection, removal, disposal, recycling, and processing facilities), cemeteries, mortuaries, crematoriums, food production and supply expansion, and telecommunications systems (including the provision of essential global, national, and local infrastructure for internet, computing services, business infrastructure, communications, and web-based services).
    4. For the purposes of this Order, all first responders, emergency management personnel, emergency dispatchers, court personnel, and law enforcement personnel, and others who need to perform essential services are categorically exempt from this Order to the extent they are performing those essential services. Further, nothing in this Order shall prohibit any individual from performing or accessing “Essential Governmental Functions,” as determined by the governmental entity performing those functions in the County. Each governmental entity shall identify and designate appropriate employees, volunteers, or contractors to continue providing and carrying out any Essential Governmental Functions, including the hiring or retention of new employees or contractors to perform such functions. Each governmental entity and its contractors must employ all necessary emergency protective measures to prevent, mitigate, respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and all Essential Governmental Functions shall be performed in compliance with Social Distancing and Hygiene Requirements to the greatest extent feasible.
    5. For the purposes of this Order, a “business” includes any for-profit, non-profit, religious organizations, or educational entity, whether a corporate entity, organization, partnership or sole proprietorship, and regardless of the nature of the service, the function it performs, or its corporate or entity structure.
    6. For the purposes of this Order, “Essential Businesses” means:
       1. Healthcare Operations and businesses that operate, maintain, or repair Essential Infrastructure;
       2. Grocery stores, certified farmers’ markets, farm and produce stands, supermarkets, food banks, convenience stores, and other establishments engaged in the retail sale of unprepared food, canned food, dry goods, non-alcoholic beverages, fresh fruits and vegetables, pet supply, fresh meats, fish, and poultry, as well as hygienic products and household consumer products necessary for personal hygiene or the habitability, sanitation, or operation of residences. The businesses included in this subparagraph (ii) include establishments that sell multiple categories of products provided that they sell a significant amount of essential products identified in this subparagraph, such as liquor stores that also sell a significant amount of food. Farmer’s markets shall comply with CDPH Guidance regarding Retail Food, Beverage, and Other Related Service Venues issued March 16, 2020;
       3. Businesses engaged in the production, cultivation, processing, testing, or distribution of food, beverage, or other agricultural products. These businesses shall be closed to the public, except that retail sales to the public may occur via curbside pick-up, delivery, shipping, farm and produce stands, or farmer’s markets (see Subsection 16.f.ii. of this Order), where otherwise allowed by law. Such businesses include agriculture, farming, ranching, florists, fishing, dairies, creameries, wineries, breweries, and licensed cannabis businesses;
       4. Businesses that are necessary to support businesses described in Subsection 16.f.iii. above, including but not limited to farm management companies, food and beverage processing, equipment dealerships, fuel companies and deliveries, mobile and fixed mechanics, agricultural transportation services, and companies providing seeds, nursery stock, fertilizer, livestock feed, and crop production products;
       5. Businesses providing food, shelter, and social services, and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals;
       6. Businesses providing construction services, in compliance with the Construction Field Safety Requirements at Appendix B to this Order.
          1. “Construction services” means services to build, expand, maintain, operate, repair, replace, remodel, retrofit or refurbish the exterior of any structure, or the interior of any unoccupied structure, and includes services needed to support construction activity including, for example, environmental review work, land-surveying, painting, plumbing, electrical, roofing, drywall, fencing, paving, fixture installation, inspection, and similar services;
          2. “Unoccupied structure” means a new or existing structure that no person inhabits or accesses for the duration of the construction activity, except for persons performing the construction or construction support services.
       7. Construction in an occupied structure necessary to ensure that a structure is safe, sanitary, or habitable when in strict compliance with the Construction Field Safety Requirements at Appendix B to this Order. This subsection does not limit the construction services allowed under Subsection 16.f.vi above. Repair or construction in an occupied structure to make the structure safe, sanitary, and/or habitable, must comply with applicable federal, state, and local code requirements, and may not involve expansion of a structure. Such work, includes, but is not limited to, the following examples:
          1. Provision of a working bathroom.
          2. Provision of an operable kitchen.
          3. Heating and ventilation work necessary to maintain operable systems.
          4. Electrical work needed to supply electricity and to maintain a safe electrical system.
          5. Plumbing work needed for use of bathroom or kitchen or to correct any hazardous plumbing conditions.
          6. Painting needed to maintain clean and sanitary walls and ceilings free from mildew, mold, dampness, and vermin, and this painting work may address damage, including smoke damage.
          7. Carpet or flooring replacement needed to maintain sanitary floor coverings or address damage from mildew, mold, dampness and vermin.
          8. Work needed to repair weather protection of roof and exterior walls, including fixing or replacing broken windows and doors.
          9. Other repair work to fix damage or address health hazards, including vector control and life safety work.
          10. Construction or repair work necessary to ensure access for individuals with a disability or other physical limitations.
       8. Newspapers, television, radio, and other media services;
       9. Gas stations and auto-supply, auto-repair and automotive dealerships (including but not limited to for cars, trucks, motorcycles and motorized scooters);
       10. Bicycle shops for sales and repairs;
       11. Banks and related financial institutions;
       12. Service providers that enable residential transactions (including rentals, leases, and home sales), including but not limited to real estate agents, escrow agents, notaries, and title companies. Residential viewings should occur virtually as much as possible. In person residential viewings shall be by appointment only, and shall be limited to two visitors (from the same household or living unit) and one individual showing the unit. In person visits are not allowed when the occupant is still residing in the residence unless gloves, facial coverings, and shoe coverings are worn during the visit, there is no contact with staging items or personal property during the showing, and the seller or landlord cleans the property after the visit with products on the Environmental Protection Agency’s approved list of disinfectants, paying attention to any areas that may be commonly touched, such as door knobs, handles, counter tops, and staging items;
       13. Hardware stores;
       14. Service providers that provide outdoor services, such as arborists, landscapers, gardeners, pool maintenance, and environmental site remediation services.
       15. Businesses providing mailing and shipping services, including post office boxes;
       16. Educational institutions—including public and private K-12 schools, colleges, and universities—for purposes of facilitating distance learning or performing essential functions, provided that social distancing of six feet per person is maintained to the greatest extent possible;
       17. Laundromats, drycleaners, and laundry service providers;
       18. Restaurants and other facilities that prepare and serve food, but only for drive-thru, delivery, or carry out. Schools and other entities that typically provide free food services to students or members of the public may continue to do so under this Order on the condition that the food is provided to students or members of the public on a pick-up and take-away basis only. Schools and other entities that provide food services under this exemption shall not permit the food to be eaten at the site where it is provided, or at any other gathering site. Food trucks shall comply with CDPH Guidance regarding Retail Food, Beverage, and Other Related Service Venues issued March 16, 2020;
       19. Funeral home providers, mortuaries, cemeteries, and crematoriums, to the extent necessary for the transport, preparation, or processing of bodies or remains;
       20. Businesses that supply other Essential Businesses with the support or supplies necessary to operate, but only to the extent that they support or supply these Essential Businesses. This exemption shall not be used as a basis for engaging in sales to the general public from retail storefronts;
       21. Businesses that have the primary function of shipping or delivering groceries, food, or other goods directly to residences or businesses. This exemption shall not be used to allow for manufacturing or assembly of non-essential products or for other functions besides those necessary to the delivery operation;
       22. Airlines, taxis, rental car companies, rideshare services (including shared bicycles and scooters), and other private transportation providers providing transportation services necessary for Essential Activities and other purposes expressly authorized in this Order;
       23. Home-based care for seniors, adults, or children;
       24. Residential facilities and shelters for seniors, adults, and children;
       25. Professional services, such as legal, notary, or accounting services, when necessary to assist in compliance with non-elective, legally required activities or in relation to death or incapacity;
       26. Services to assist individuals in finding employment with Essential Businesses;
       27. Moving services that facilitate residential or commercial moves that are allowed under this Order;
       28. Childcare facilities providing services that enable owners, employees, volunteers, and contractors for Essential Businesses, Healthcare Operations, or Essential Governmental Functions to work are permitted. To the extent possible, childcare facilities must operate under the following conditions:
           1. Childcare must be carried out in stable groups of 12 or fewer (“stable” means that the same 12 or fewer children are in the same group each day).
           2. Children shall not change from one group to another.
           3. If more than one group of children is cared for at one facility, each group shall be in a separate room. Groups shall not mix with each other.
           4. Childcare providers shall remain solely with one group of children.
           5. Facial Coverings are not required for children younger than age two (2). For children two (2) years of age or older, the Health Officer encourages parents and childcare providers to follow the guidance of the American Association of Pediatrics when masking children over two years of age. (https://services.aap.org/en/pages/2019-novel-coronavirus-covid-19-infections/masks-and-children-during-covid-19/). Facial Covering practices should be consistent with the cognitive and developmental capabilities of the child when in a childcare setting. Naptime is an exception to the masking requirement as children should not be masked when they are sleeping; napping children should observe social distancing (nap 6 feet apart).
       29. Short-term lodging facilities (including short-term rentals, vacation rentals, timeshares, hotels, motels, and other short-term lodgings) only to the extent they provide: (1) lodging to protect the County homeless population, (2) lodging for County residents who have been displaced and cannot return to their residence because there is a person residing at their residence that must isolate or quarantine or is at a high risk of severe illness from COVID-19, as defined in this Section 16.a. above, (3) lodging for County residents who need to isolate or quarantine, (4) housing support for Healthcare Operations, Essential Infrastructure, Essential Businesses, and Essential Governmental Functions (i.e. housing traveling nurses or government contractors). Short-term lodging facilities shall not operate for tourism. No homeowner, agent of the homeowner, property manager, marketing agent, listing agent, or real estate agent shall engage in efforts to rent or lease any short-term lodging facilities within the County for any other purpose;
       30. Faith-based organizations may provide social services as provided for in Subsection 16.f.v. above, and they may provide counseling and host religious services through virtual streaming or similar technology; and
       31. Nurseries.
    7. For the purposes of this Order, “Minimum Basic Operations” include the following activities when they cannot be performed remotely, provided that there are only the minimum number of persons on-site and persons comply with Social Distancing and Hygiene Requirements as defined this Section:
       1. The minimum necessary activities to maintain and protect the value of the business’s inventory and facilities; ensure security, safety, and sanitation; process payroll and employee benefits; provide for the delivery of existing inventory directly to residences or businesses; and related functions.
       2. The minimum necessary activities to facilitate owners, personnel, and contractors of the business being able to continue to work remotely from their residences, and to ensure that the business can deliver its service remotely.
    8. For the purposes of this Order, all Essential Businesses must prepare and post a “Social Distancing and Hygiene Protocol” for each of their facilities in the County frequented by the public or employees. The Social Distancing Protocol must be substantially in the form attached to this Order as Appendix A. Construction businesses shall additionally comply with, and incorporate into its Social Distancing Protocol, the COVID-19 Construction Field Safety Requirements attached to this Order as Appendix B. The Social Distancing Protocol must be posted at or near the entrance of the relevant facility, and shall be easily viewable by the public and employees. A copy of the Social Distancing Protocol must also be provided to each employee performing work at the facility. All Essential Businesses shall implement the Social Distancing Protocol and provide evidence of its implementation to any authority enforcing this Order upon demand. The Social Distancing Protocol must explain how the business is achieving the following, as applicable:
       1. Limiting the number of people who can enter into the facility at any one time to ensure that people in the facility can easily maintain a minimum six-foot distance from one another at all times, except as required to complete Essential Business activity;
       2. Where lines may form at a facility, marking six-foot increments at a minimum, establishing where individuals should stand to maintain adequate social distancing;
       3. Providing hand sanitizer, soap and water, or effective disinfectant at or near the entrance of the facility and in other appropriate areas for use by the public and personnel, and in locations where there is high-frequency employee interaction with members of the public (e.g. cashiers);
       4. Providing for contactless payment systems or, if not feasible to do so, the providing for disinfecting all payment portals, pens, and styluses after each use;
       5. Regularly disinfecting other high-touch surfaces;
       6. Posting a sign at the entrance of the facility informing all personnel and customers that they should: avoid entering the facility if they have any COVID-19 symptoms; maintain a minimum six-foot distance from one another; sneeze and cough into one’s elbow; not shake hands or engage in any unnecessary physical contact; and
       7. Any additional social distancing measures being implemented (see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html).
    9. For the purposes of this Order, “Essential Travel” means travel for any of the following purposes:
       1. Travel related to the provision of or access to Essential Activities, Essential Governmental Functions, Essential Businesses, and Minimum Basic Operations.
       2. Travel to care for any elderly, minors, dependents, or persons with disabilities.
       3. Travel to or from educational institutions for purposes of receiving materials for distance learning, for receiving meals, and any other related services.
       4. Travel to return to a place of residence from outside the County.
       5. Travel required by law enforcement or court order.
       6. Travel required for non-residents to return to their place of residence outside the County. Individuals are strongly encouraged to verify that their transportation out of the County remains available and functional prior to commencing such travel.
       7. Travel to manage after-death arrangements and burial.
       8. Travel to arrange for shelter or avoid homelessness.
       9. Travel to avoid domestic violence or child abuse.
       10. Travel for parental custody arrangements.
       11. Travel to a place to temporarily reside in a residence or other facility to avoid potentially exposing others to COVID-19, such as a hotel or other facility provided by a governmental authority for such purposes.
    10. For purposes of this Order, “residences” include hotels, motels, shared rental units and similar facilities. Residences also include living structures and outdoor spaces associated with those living structures, such as patios, porches, backyards, and front yards that are only accessible to a single family or household unit. Hotels, motels and short term rentals are subject to the restrictions in Section 16.f.xxix above.
    11. For purposes of this Order, “Social Distancing and Hygiene Requirements” means:
        1. Maintaining at least six-foot social distancing from individuals who are not part of the same household or living unit;
        2. Frequently washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or using hand sanitizer that is recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as effective in combatting COVID-19;
        3. Covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or fabric or, if not possible, into the sleeve or elbow (but not into hands);
        4. Wearing a facial covering when out in public, consistent with the Facial Covering Order; and
        5. Avoiding all social interaction outside the household when sick with a fever, cough, or other COVID-19 symptoms.
    12. All individuals must strictly comply with Social Distancing and Hygiene Requirements, except to the limited extent necessary to provide care (including childcare, adult or senior care, care to individuals with special needs, and patient care); as necessary to carry out the work of Essential Businesses, Essential Governmental Functions, or provide for Minimum Basic Operations; or as otherwise expressly provided in this Order.
    13. To the extent the Sheriff or any chief of police has any questions regarding the definitions under this Order, the Health Officer hereby delegates authority to the County Counsel to answer such questions.
17. Government agencies and other entities operating shelters and other facilities that house or provide meals or other necessities of life for individuals experiencing homelessness must take appropriate steps to help ensure compliance with Social Distancing and Hygiene Requirements, including adequate provision of hand sanitizer. Also, individuals experiencing homelessness who are unsheltered should abide by 12 foot by 12 foot distancing for the placement of tents/sleeping quarters, and government agencies should provide restroom and hand washing facilities for such individuals as set forth in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Interim Guidance Responding to Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) Among People Experiencing Unsheltered Homelessness (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/unsheltered-homelessness.html).
18. Pursuant to Government Code sections 26602 and 41601 and Health and Safety Code section 101029, the Health Officer requests that the Sheriff and all chiefs of police in the County ensure compliance with and enforce this Order. The Sheriff, chiefs of police, County Counsel, and city attorneys are empowered to ensure compliance with and enforce this Order within their jurisdictions. Questions of interpretation of the Order shall remain as set forth in Subsection 16.l. above. The violation of any provision of this Order constitutes an imminent threat and menace to public health, constitutes a public nuisance, and is punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both.
19. The County is ordered to establish an Operations Center, implement all emergency protective orders, implement all health officer orders, and implement the County’s pandemic response.
20. The Health Officer has determined that this Order, and its prior Orders, were and are necessary because cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed throughout Sonoma County. COVID-19 is highly contagious and has a propensity to spread in various ways including, but not limited to, by attaching to surfaces or remaining in the air, resulting in physical damage and/or physical loss.
21. The Social Distancing and Hygiene Requirements and Appendices in this Order establish minimum requirements. The Health Officer, in consultation with the Economic Development Board and industry representatives, may develop and establish additional sector specific social distancing and health/safety standards and best practices. Until such sector specific standards and best practices are established, industries should review any relevant sector specific COVID-19 guidance or regulations issued by Federal, California, or Sonoma County governmental agencies in order to develop and implement their own best practices, in addition to complying with the Social Distancing and Hygiene Requirements and Appendices in this Order.
22. Copies of this Order shall promptly be: (1) made available at the County Administration Center at 575 Administration Drive, Santa Rosa CA 95403; (2) posted on the County Public Health Department website (https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Health/Public-Health/) and (https://socoemergency.org/); and (3) provided to any member of the public requesting a copy of this
23. If any provision of this Order to the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held to be invalid, the reminder of the Order, including the application of such part or provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected and shall continue in full force and effect. To this end, the provisions of this Order are severable.

IT IS SO ORDERED:

Dr. Sundari R. Mase, MD MPH
Health Officer of the County of Sonoma