Originally set to expire on Jan. 8, the Bay Area must remain under the Regional Stay At Home Order until the region’s four-week ICU projection shows a capacity of greater than or equal to 15 percent. As of Jan. 8, the Bay Area’s ICU capacity was 3 percent.
The State will assess the Bay Area’s ICU projections in the coming days and then the State will announce a formal decision on whether the Bay Area meets the criteria to exit the order.
On Jan. 8, the California Department of Public Health released a statement detailing that the State has extended the Bay Area’s Regional Stay at Home Order due to the region’s ICU bed capacity remaining below 15 percent. All current restrictions will remain in place.
In Santa Clara County, the current ICU Bed Capacity, including surge capacity ICU beds, is 6 percent. With the current surge of COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations, the County expects to be under the restrictions of this State order for some time, according to the County in a Jan. 9 press release.
On Dec 4. 2020, most Bay Area counties triggered the Stay At Home Order early and shortly after the State officially triggered the Regional Stay At Home Order when the region dipped under 15 percent ICU capacity.
The Regional Stay At Home Order closes bars, wineries, personal care services, and hair salons and barbershops. Schools that are already open can stay open and critical infrastructure can also remain open. Retail capacity will be 20 percent and restaurants will be limited to delivery and takeout. Outdoor recreational facilities can operate outdoors only without any food, drink or alcohol sales. Cardrooms are also closed indoors and outdoors. This is on top of all the other rules that Santa Clara County has been under in the Purple Tier, as well as the State’s 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew. Santa Clara County also has a handful of stricter rules like a mandatory travel quarantine and a ban on contact sports.
“It is more critical than ever to stay at home, wear a mask if you must leave home for essential activities, and keep a distance from those outside your households,” said the County.