Region to implement stay-at-home order
Butte County’s ICU capacity falls under 12%, entire Greater Sacramento area below 15%, prompting order
OROVILLE » Butte County, along with the rest of the Greater Sacramento region, will be required to implement a new stay-at-home order as intensive care unit capacity fell below 15% in the region, in part due to a continued rise in COVID-19 cases.
As of Wednesday, the Greater Sacramento region had 14.3% of its ICU capacity remaining, which will prompt all counties in the region to implement the stay-athome order by 11:59 p.m. Thursday.
Butte County Public Health said in a statement that critical infrastructure, non-urgent medical and dental care, childcare and schools are permitted to remain open with preventative measures in place, including physical distancing and wearing face masks.
Retail stores are allowed to operate at 20% of capacity, and 35% capacity for standalone grocery stores. Restaurants may only offer take- out and delivery options.
However, many non- essential businesses and sectors are required to close or remain closed. They include indoor recreational facilities, hair salons and barbershops, personal care services, movie theaters (excluding driveins), wineries, bars, breweries and distilleries.
Additionally, private gatherings of any size are prohibited. More information on the regional stayatorder can be found on the state’s www.covid19. ca.gov website.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state’s public health department announced on Dec. 3 the new potential stay- at- home order that would be determined by ICU capacity in the following five regions: Northern California, Greater Sacramento, Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley and Southern California. If a region falls below that 15% threshold, the stay-at-home order goes into effect and remains in effect for a minimum of three weeks. Based on that timeline, the earliest Butte County and the rest of the region could conceivably clear the stay-at-home order would be Dec. 31 or Jan. 1.
According to the updated numbers released Wednesday, only Northern California (27.1%) and the Bay Area (20.9%) had above 15% capacity, while the remaining three fell under 15%.
“As of Dec. 9, the Greater Sacramento Region, which includes Butte County, has fallen below 15% ICU capacity,” Butte County Public Health said in a statement. “Therefore, the order will go into effect Thursday, Dec. 10 at 11:59 p.m. and remains in effect for at least three weeks. Everyone in California must adhere to State Health Officer orders. The order will remain in effect until the region’s four week projected ICU capacity is equal to or greater than 15%. This will be assessed approximately twice a week. At that point, the Blueprint for a Safer Economy’s tier based system will be re-instated.”
In Butte County, state hospital data showed that 63 individuals, both residents and non-residents of the county, were hospitalized due to the virus on Tuesday, Dec. 8. That number is the highest the county has seen in nine months of
“The order will go into effect Thursday, Dec. 10 at 11:59 p.m. and remains in effect for at least three weeks. Everyone in California must adhere to State Health Officer orders. The order will remain in effect until the region’s four week projected ICU capacity is equal to or greater than 15%.”
— Butte County Public Health statement
the pandemic, and climbed by 12 people two days earlier on Dec. 6.
Nine patients are hospitalized in ICU, while seven ICU beds are available in the county. Not all ICU beds are taken by coronavirus patients and the state data indicates Butte County’s
ICU availability is 11.6%.
The Greater Sacramento region also includes Alpine, Amador, Colusa, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Sierra, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba counties.