With San Benito County significantly updating its shelter in place order requirements earlier this week, below is a summary of major provisions included in the order such as allowable activities and what are defined as essential businesses.
The order is effective until 11:59 p.m. May 3 or until it is extended, rescinded, superseded or amended.
General provisions include:
Residents may leave for essential activities only or to work for essential businesses
Residents must strictly comply with social distancing practices
All essential businesses must prepare and post social distancing protocol
People may use public transit only for essential purposes
Essential activities include:
Healthcare services
Government and first responder services deemed necessary
Delivery of essential food and other supplies
Outdoor recreation in compliance with social distancing requirements
Work for essential businesses and workplaces
Providing care for someone else or a pet who doesn’t have a source of care
Attending a funeral with no more than 10 people present
Moving residences
Limitations on outdoor recreation include:
Avoiding crowds
Prohibited use of recreation areas with high-touch equipment such as those in parks
Use of shared recreation facilities outside residences
Sports with use of shared equipment used outside of household members
Allowable essential maintenance infrastructure services include work at or for:
Airports, utilities, oil refining, roads and highways, public transportation, solid waste facilities, cemeteries, mortuaries, crematoriums, telecommunications systems
Essential businesses include:
Healthcare operations
Grocery stores, farmers markets, produce stands, food banks, convenience stores and other establishments involved in food prep or sales – including liquor stores that also sell a significant amount of food
Cultivation of products for personal consumption such as farming, ranching, fishing, processing, cooling, storing
Businesses that provide food, shelter and other social services
Construction limited to projects “immediately necessary” toward essential infrastructure; projects associated with healthcare operations provided it’s related to the COVID-19 response; housing developments with an affordable component with written approval by the Resource Management Agency; public works projects; shelters and temporary housing; projects to provide services to the homeless, elderly, economically disadvantaged or special needs residents; construction to ensure existing construction sites that need to be shut down are handled in a safe manner; construction necessary to ensure residences and buildings with essential businesses are safe and habitable
Newspapers, television, radio and other media services
Gas stations and auto supply, auto repair and auto dealerships but only to provide auto supply and repair services (but not car sales or car washes)
Bicycle repair and supply shops
Banks and other financial institutions
Service providers that enable residential transactions such as rentals, leases, home sales
Hardware stores
Plumbers, electricians, exterminators and other services to maintain a habitable home, but not for cosmetic purposes
Arborists, landscapers, gardeners and similar service professionals, but only to maintain sanitation, habitability and operation of businesses or residents – not for cosmetic purposes. A sole gardener can provide work on a home exterior without any contact with a homeowner.
Businesses providing mailing and shipping services
Educational institutions for purposes of facilitating distance learning or essential functions
Laundromats, dry cleaners and other laundry services
Restaurants but only for delivery or carry out
Funeral homes and related services
Businesses that supply other essential businesses, including shippers for groceries
Airlines, taxis, rental car companies, rideshare services and other private transportation providers but only for essential activities
Home-based care for people and pets
Residential facilities
Professional services such as notaries or accounting services
Services to help others find unemployment
Moving services for moves allowed in the order
Childcare facilities with restrictions including: groups of 12 or fewer, children can’t change from one group to another, groups in separate rooms, childcare providers remain solely with one group
More on requirement to post social distancing mandates:
Protocol must be posted by 11:59 p.m. Thursday near the entrance and easily viewable by the public and employees
Protocol must explain limits on numbers of people able to enter, where lines form while marking six-foot increments where individuals should stand
Provide hand sanitizer, soap and water or effective disinfectant at or near the entrance and in locations with high-frequency interactions
Provide non-contact payment systems or disinfectant for all payment portals or stationary after use
Regularly disinfecting other high-touch surfaces
Posting a sign at the entrance telling people not to enter if they have a cough or fever; maintain six feet from others; sneeze or cough into one’s elbow; not shaking hands or unnecessary physical contact
Other allowable travel information:
Travel related to essential functions listed above
Travel to return to a residence from outside the county
Travel required by law enforcement or the courts
Travel for non-residents to return to residence outside the county
Travel to manage after-death arrangements
Travel to avoid homelessness
Travel to avoid domestic, child abuse
Travel for parental custody arrangements
Travel to a temporary residence to avoid exposing others to COVID-19
