Outdoor Dining Allowed With Amended Sonoma County Shelter-In-Place Order
SANTA ROSA (CBS SF) -- In Sonoma County, restaurants and other food facilities are now allowed to offer onsite sit-down meals - outdoors.
That is one significant change in the Sonoma County Health Officer's public shelter-in-place order, which expands the list of Sonoma County businesses able to operate as part of the county's move into Stage Two of Gov. Gavin Newsom's reopening plan. The amended order went into effect after midnight Saturday morning.
Facilities such as wineries, breweries and bars may also open for outdoor dining if meals are served. They also can continue with curbside to-go pickup.
The outdoor activities are allowed because they pose less of a risk of virus transmission than indoor activities, health officials said. Only members of the same household or "living unit" are allowed to sit at the same table.
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The newly revised order also expands childcare to include summer day-camp programs and allows drive-in ceremonies such as graduations and worship services and operation of drive-in movies. The newly modified order also permits libraries to offer curbside pickup of books and other materials, and clarifies that faith-based counseling may be delivered face-to-face when a virtual session via video or audio conference is not possible.
In addition, since businesses are required to have employees conduct a health assessment and temperature check before they can report to work, Sonoma County has developed an electronic application for businesses called the "SoCo COVID-19 Check." Currently, only the employee version is available for download on the Apple App and Google Play stores; the Department of Health Services version, which includes the employer version, is currently in review and ready to be approved.
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