Bay Area orders 'shelter in place,' only essential businesses open in 6 counties

[yuiyoshida]

Six Bay Area counties announced “shelter in place” orders for all residents on Monday — the strictest measure of its kind yet in the continental United States — directing everyone to stay inside their homes and away from others as much as possible for the next three weeks in a desperate move to curb the rapid spread of coronavirus across the region.

The directive was set to begin at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday and involves San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa and Alameda counties — a combined population of more than 6.7 million. It is to stay in place until at least April 7. The three other Bay Area counties — Sonoma, Solano and Napa — did not issue similar mandates.

Just outside the Bay Area, Santa Cruz County late Monday also announced a “shelter in place” order for its 275,000 residents.

The orders — which are all similarly worded — fall just short of a full lockdown, which would forbid people from leaving their homes without explicit permission. The orders (read San Francisco’s here in its entirety at tinyurl.com/waddyqv) call for county and city sheriffs and police chiefs to “ensure compliance,” and local authorities said they would not “rush to enforce” the directives as residents adjusted to understand what activities are no longer allowed. Violation of the orders is considered a misdemeanor punishable by a fine or jail time.

Businesses that do not provide “essential” services must send workers home. Among those remaining open are grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants for delivery only and hardware stores. Most workers are ordered to stay home, with exceptions including health care workers; police, fire and other emergency responders; and utility providers such as electricians, plumbers and sanitation workers. BART will run for essential travel, and airports are not closing.

'Shelter in Place' by Fifth & Mission https://megaphone.link/SFO6575658444

https://www.sfchronicle.com/local-politics/article/Bay-Area-must-shelter-in-place-Only-15135014.php

Bay Area ‘shelter in place’ coronavirus order: What’s open and what’s closed

Six Bay Area counties have ordered their residents to shelter in place for the next three weeks as health officials scramble to keep coronavirus from spreading across the region.

Here’s a quick look at what you need to know about the shelter-in-place order in terms of what’s open and what’s not:

What is staying open? Grocery stores, food banks, pharmacies, restaurants for takeout food and delivery only, veterinary services, pet-food stores, gas stations, auto repair shops, hardware and other home-supply stores and home repair services, banks and laundry services. Child-care facilities are allowed to remain open as long as rules limiting the size and composition of the groups are restricted. Residential care facilities for adults, children and seniors will remain open as will food banks and other non-profits that serve the needy. Delivery services that take food, goods or services directly to residences are allowed to operate.

Stores that sell groceries and other non-grocery products and products necessary to maintaining the safety and sanitation of homes will be allowed to remain open, as will laundromats.

Businesses that provide food, shelter, and social services to the economically disadvantaged will be kept open, as will residential facilities and shelters for seniors, adults and children

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https://www.sfchronicle.com/local-politics/article/Bay-Area-shelter-in-place-coronavirus-15135189.php

[RockRaven]

1. Buckle up, friends and neighbors. A bumpy ride lies ahead.

I wish this wasn't happening (the pandemic I mean, not the lockdown), but part of me is curious if tomorrow is going to be zombie-movie-surreal or just "meh, it's kinda quiet today."