Coronavirus Update: Sacramento County Directs Residents To Stay Home As Much As Possible
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — New, aggressive directives from Sacramento County officials have been given out to residents to try and combat the spread of coronavirus.
Effective as of Tuesday, public health officials are urging everyone to stay home as much as possible.
Only trips to "essential" sites are excluded. Those sites include doctor's offices, grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations, banks, and businesses that provide food, shelter, social services and other necessities of life.
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg urged residents to follow the directives.
"A directive is an order by another name, and it's crucial that we all follow it," Steinberg tweeted. "We need to stay home so we can flatten this coronavirus infection curve and prevent our healthcare system from being overwhelmed."
Steinberg stressed that people will still be able to engage in all the functions essential to life.
"Life will change, but there's no reason to panic," Steinberg wrote.
As of Tuesday, public health officials have confirmed 40 cases of COVID-19 in Sacramento County. More than 470 cases have been confirmed statewide.
The full directive from Sacramento County can be found below:
In summary, Sacramento County public health officials direct, effectively immediately until further notice, the following:
-
Workplaces:
o Workplaces and businesses should implement telecommuting and teleconferencing for their employees, where appropriate and feasible.
- Only those employees performing essential duties that cannot be performed by telecommuting should physically come to work
o Vulnerable Populations:
o Those aged 65 and older and/or those with chronic health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, heart disease, or lung diseases such as COPD, as well as those with severely weakened immune systems are at highest risk of complications.
o People at higher risk should stay home and away from gatherings of un-related individuals
o Those in the vulnerable populations can go outside (to walk the dog, go on walks or go to the park) provided they are at least six feet from others
o Less Vulnerable Populations:
o All those at lower risk should stay home to the maximum extent possible except when going to essential sites
o Essential sites include but are not limited to:
o Health Care Facilities
o Grocery stores
o Pharmacies
o Hardware stores/plumbers/electricians for emergency services
o Businesses that provide food, shelter and social services, and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals
o Newspapers, television, radio and other media services
o Gas Stations and auto supply, auto repair and related facilities
o Banks and related financial institutions
o Plumbers, electricians, exterminators and others who provide services that are necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation and essential operation of residences
o Airlines, taxis and other private transportation providers
o Gathering Places:
o No gatherings in any formal setting
o All bars, wineries and brew-pubs should be closed
o All in-dining at restaurants should cease; take out and home delivery (with social distancing) may continue
o All gyms should be closed
o All bingo halls and card rooms should be closed
- Schools:
o All Sacramento schools are closed
- Sick Persons:
o Everyone should stay home if they are sick until they have had no fever, cough or other respiratory symptoms for at least 72 hours after symptoms resolve, or 7 days from when symptoms began, whichever is longer.
o Anyone who lives with someone who tests positive for COVID-19 should stay home for 14 days.
o Those with cold-like symptoms who can manage their symptoms at home with over-the-counter-drugs, should do so, regardless of whether they have a cold, the flu, or COVID-19.
§ If, however, difficulty breathing and lethargy develops, or symptoms were better and then got worse, they should call their healthcare provider, or urgent care center ahead so they can prepare to take care of them.
§ People should only call 911 or go to an emergency department if they believe that they are extremely sick or their life is in imminent danger. Other emergencies are still occurring, and emergency resources must be available to address all of them, not just COVID-19
- Masks: Follow CDC's recommendations for using a facemask.
- CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
- Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a healthcare facility).
