Community Connection December 2020

WELCOME TO THE COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Brought to you by the Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau

HELP SUPPORT LOCAL BUISNESSES

Monterey County restaurants and wineries need your help! Support our local community through takeout, delivery, online purchases and gift cards. Check out this comprehensive list from local foodie, Raul Nava (@offthemenu831), for what’s open, promotions, delivery options, BIPOC-owned restaurants and more. Please note that this list is being updated regularly, so it’s always best to visit websites to confirm information.

NEW HEALTH ORDER FOR MONTEREY COUNTY

Following Governor Newsom’s announcement, five counties in the Bay Area region decided to preemptively enact the State’s new restrictions even before reaching the ICU limit. Local Health Officer, Dr. Moreno has just enacted the same for Monterey County beginning on Sunday, December 13 at 10 p.m.

County Health Order, dated December 9, 2020
State Health Order Supplement, dated December 6, 2020
State Health Order, dated December 3, 2020

Under stay at home orders, critical infrastructure, schools, non-urgent medical and dental care and child care and preschools are allowed to remain open with precautions, but there are changes to these sectors:

Hotels and Lodging- Allowed to operate for COVID-19 mitigation and containment measures, treatment measures, accommodation for essential workers and housing solutions, including measures to protect the homeless.
Restaurants- Open for take out or delivery only.
Outdoor Recreational Facilities- Only allowed to operate outdoors to facilitate physically distanced health and wellness through outdoor exercise without food, drink or alcohol sales. Overnight campgrounds are not allowed to open.
Retail- Operate indoors at 20% capacity, or 35% at standalone grocery stores, with somebody monitoring the entrance. The state also says special hours should be offered to seniors and other people with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.
Shopping Centers- Operate indoors at 20% capacity with somebody monitoring the entrance. The state also says special hours should be offered to seniors and other people with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.
Offices- Remote work only, except for those in critical infrastructure sectors when remote work is not possible.

Hair salons, barbershops, personal care services, museums, zoos, aquariums, movie theaters, wineries, bars, family entertainment centers, cardrooms, limited services, live audience sports and amusement parks except those falling within critical infrastructure will not be allowed to operate.

STATE ISSUES REGIONAL STAY AT HOME ORDER

Health officials are tracking the state by five regions: Northern California, Bay Area, Greater Sacramento, San Joaquin Valley and Southern California

SACRAMENTO – As COVID-19 case rates and hospitalizations continue to rise at an alarming pace and threaten to overwhelm the health care delivery system, California health officials today announced a Regional Stay at Home Order that will be triggered if Intensive Care Unit (ICU) capacity drops below 15 percent in a given region. State health officials are tracking the state by five regions: Northern California, Bay Area, Greater Sacramento, San Joaquin Valley and Southern California. No regions currently meet this threshold but some are projected to within the next week. Residents are required to stay at home as much as possible and minimize mixing to reduce unnecessary exposure, while still being able to do important things like go to the doctor, buy groceries, pick up take out, go on a hike, or worship outdoors. K-12 schools that are already open can remain open and retailers can operate indoors at no more than 20 percent capacity to reduce exposure risk.

The public health order takes effect at 12:59 p.m. on December 5. Thereafter, if a region falls below the 15 percent ICU threshold, it will have 24 hours to implement the Stay at Home Order. Read full release here.

FREE MASK GIVEAWAY IN SOUTH COUNTY

The Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau has partnered with the office of Supervisor Chris Lopez, District 3 and several other organizations in a drive-thru mask giveaway. The giveaway will take place on Friday, December 4th, from 4:00 - 6:00 pm at Patriot Park in Greenfield. Priority will be given to residents. Read more here.

Thank you to the following partners:

City of Greenfield
Don Perata
Greenfield Cultural Arts Center
First Night Monterey
Joe Coto
Monterey County Agricultural Commission
Robert Apodaca
United Latinos VOTE

HAVE YOU BEEN EXPOSED OR TESTED POSITIVE?

CDC recommends isolation and quarantine help protect the public by preventing exposure to people who have or may have a contagious disease.

Isolation separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick.
Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.

For resources to help you as you recover, contact the Monterey County Office of Emergency Services.

The Monterey County Health Department COVID-19 Hotline
- (831) 769-8700 or
- (831) 755.4521 or
- Email: covid-19@co.monterey.ca.us

CHEERS TO A HAPPY AND HEALTHY HOLIDAY SEASON

The COVID-19 pandemic has been stressful and isolating for many people. Gatherings during the upcoming holidays can be an opportunity to reconnect with family and friends. This holiday season, consider how your holiday plans can be modified to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to keep your friends, families, and communities healthy and safe. Read CDC recommendations here.

TMD Christmas English