Yolo County shuts down again
Gov. Gavin Newsom gets strict as more people become infected statewide
Although it’s mandated wearing masks outside and announced it would fine those who didn’t comply with orders to maintain physical distancing and business closures, Yolo County is again calling for a closure of businesses.
The action comes following orders by Gov. Gavin Newsom issued on Monday afternoon.
Per the State of California’s announcement for counties on the County Monitoring List for three consecutive days, the following industries will be closed in Yolo County effective immediately unless they can be modified to operate outside or by pick-up: Gyms and fitness centers, personal care services, including nail salons, skincare and cosmetology, electrolysis, body waxing, and body art, tattoo and piercing shops; hair salons and barbershops, places of worship, offices for non-essential sectors and indoor malls.
These closures will affect 29 counties that are currently on the State’s list and represent more than 80% of the total population in California. In addition, all alcohol-only bars and breweries must close operations, both indoor and outdoor, statewide.
Yolo County has been on the State’s County Monitoring List since July 8 for exceeding the metrics related to elevated disease transmission and limited hospital capacity, according to county officials.
Since being placed on the state’s list, Yolo County has been working with the California Department of Public Health and the State’s Strike
Team to evaluate local case data, increase disease investigation and contact tracing, strategize enforcement of non-complying businesses, and continue public messaging on social distancing and face-covering orders. Local hospitals have also been working to increase bed capacity, including additional ICU beds for those in need.
Yolo County is expected to exceed 1,000 confirmed cases this week when four weeks ago on
June 15 the county only had 255 cases. Residents and businesses are all required to wear face coverings, maintain a physical distance by at least six feet, and stay home as much as possible to help lower the spread of COVID-19.
Due to the expected uptick in coronavirus cases, the county preemptively closed down all bars and breweries as well as indoor dining and numerous other indoor activities. This move was made because Yolo County was nearing the threshold for state monitoring. As expected, the county was added to this coronavirus watch list last Wednesday, which would have meant ordering the same closures made earlier this month.
The Board of Supervisors earlier last week also approved an urgency ordinance aimed at enforcing coronavirus guidelines — primarily by imposing fines ranging from $25 to $10,000.
Specifically, non-commercial violators face between $25 to $500 while commercial violators, such as local businesses, face between $250 to $10,000 for disobeying county health orders.
County Counsel Phil Pogledich told supervisors via teleconference that the ordinance was aimed at the “tough 10 percent of businesses or organizations or individuals that simply don’t want to come into compliance.”
“It is not convenient for them,” he explained. “It’s too expensive for them. There are a host of reasons as to why they are not coming into compliance. So it’s that tough 10 percent that this ordinance is targeted toward.”
The urgency ordinance will be primarily complaint-driven. County staff will not be patrolling local areas looking for businesses not wearing masks, Pogledich clarified.
The ordinance “allows for a code enforcement officer, an environmental health investigator, a peace officer acting on behalf of the county to write a citation on the spot to a business that would impose a civil penalty for them for a violation or more than one violation,” he explained.
“Our local community continues to bear the brunt of the COVID-19 crises. As the virus spreads locally through a failure to observe health protocols, the impact widens,” said Yolo County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gary Sandy. “The numbers of those infected continues to climb, our healthcare systems are jeopardized, and our business community is decimated. It is in everyone’s interest to wear face coverings and maintain social distancing. Avoid large gatherings at all costs. We must remain vigilant and re-dedicate ourselves to driving the cases numbers down.”