San Mateo County intends to break from the Bay Area’s more restrictive health order and align with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Phase 2 guidelines, effective May 18, County Health Officer Dr. Scott Morrow announced Wednesday.
The Phase 2 guidelines will allow curbside and delivery activities for non-essential retail, as well as logistics and manufacturing and other businesses, to open with modifications, such as social distancing protocols. This state roadmap provides more information on Newsom’s phased approach to reopening the economy.
The new county health order that’s in line with the state order will be released later this week, Dr. Scott Morrow said in a statement.
“I am encouraged that data about COVID-19 cases, hospital capacity, and other indicators show some stability so that San Mateo County can now enter the early stages of Phase 2,” Dr. Morrow said. “I want to remind everyone these modifications are not being made because it is safe to be out and about. The virus continues to circulate in our community, and this increase in interactions among people is likely to spread the virus at a higher rate. Whether these modifications allow the virus to spread out of control, as we saw in February and March and resulted in the first shelter in place order, is yet to be seen. The social distancing and face covering directives, along with the prohibition on gathering, will remain in place since the risk of exposure to COVID-19 looms large for all of us. The public and open businesses need to fully do their part to minimize transmission of the virus.”
Photo: Dr. Scott Morrow, courtesy of San Mateo County
