Santa Clara County will allow several companies to reopen and larger groups of people to meet starting this month, officials said Thursday.
Beginning July 13 or when the state gives the go-ahead, all companies, except those explicitly listed as “high risk” in the new county health order, can reopen with social distancing and mask requirements. Groups of up to 20 people can meet indoors, while groups of up to 60 can meet outside.
Potential changes acknowledge that the county has been sheltering in place longer than expected, Dr. Sara Cody said, and relies on a “risk reduction” model rather than a general order to stay home.
“We are at a turning point,” said Cody. “It is clear that COVID-19 will be with us for a long time, so we must adapt to a new way of life that keeps us all safe and allows us to do some of the things that we miss, appreciate and find more meaningful.”
Businesses will be required to follow the same set of universal rules, including mandatory reporting of any case and more specific distancing requirements. Only one employee is allowed for every 250 gross square feet, with one customer for every 150 square feet of public space.
High-risk businesses that should remain closed include those that would inherently require removing a face covering, such as eating and swimming indoors, smoking rooms, saunas, steam rooms, and heated exercise studios. Nightclubs, indoor bars, sports arenas and stadiums, theme and amusement parks, concert halls and indoor playgrounds should also be closed.
“Except for those businesses or activities that are so problematic by their nature or the type of operation they entail, except for those, all other activities and businesses can be resumed as long as they follow the protocols,” said David Campos. he told this news organization.
Companies allowed to resume operations before Thursday’s announcement will be required to submit new documents with social distancing protocols to the county on or before the order’s effective date to remain open.
Meanwhile, gatherings are defined as any group of people from separate households, such as a religious service, party, or conference, and social distancing is allowed only as long as possible.
The county will request a variance with the state to allow the changes to take place, but it has also been on the state’s list for additional monitoring after a recent increase in hospitalizations. When asked how the increase influenced his decision to issue a new health order, Cody said hospitalizations went from “very low” to “low,” but overall, per capita cases are still less alarming than in much of the surrounding region.
“We are recognizing that there are parts of our lives that nurture us, that are important to us, that we want to do and have to do,” he added.
County attorney James Williams urged people to stay home and follow social distancing protocols before the new rules take effect on July 13 or when the state approves the variance, whichever is later.
“We want people to know, and that includes the weekend of July 4, the current shelter in place remains in place and unchanged,” Williams said.
