At 12:01 am Friday, Kern County businesses will likely be subject to another round of trade restrictions that are already in place in more than 30 counties in California.
After Kern’s coronavirus metrics exceeded state guidelines for three days in a row starting Saturday, the state informed the Department of Public Health Services that it would implement stricter business regulations starting Friday.
Although official news of the closings had not been sent to Kern on Thursday afternoon, local officials believed the state would enact new restrictions.
These include banning indoor activities in industries like churches, shopping malls, hair salons, gyms, non-critical offices, and other personal service providers. Bars and restaurants have already been ordered to cease indoor activity.
The county ended up on the state’s COVID-19 watch list by failing a variety of state-monitored metrics, including test positivity rate, coronavirus-related hospital stays, and the proportion of infected individuals relative to the population.
The restrictions come just as businesses have started to reopen after a statewide shutdown at the start of the pandemic.
“It is challenging for our economy and our local businesses to stay abreast of changes and constantly adapt,” said director of public health services Matt Constantine during a press conference on Thursday. “It is not as easy as opening in one day.”
He acknowledged that once placed on the state’s monitoring list, there was no timeline or other guide to be removed. Counties ending up on the list must watch and wait for new orders from the state.
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