Stanislaus County is free from coronavirus stay-home order. What does it mean?
Stanislaus County and the rest of a 12-county San Joaquin Valley region are no longer under a regional stay-home order, meaning that COVID-19 restrictions are lifted for some businesses and activities.
The state suddenly lifted the regional order Monday based on declining numbers of COVID-19 patients in hospitals and a four-week projection that available intensive care unit capacity will return to 15 percent or higher.
As the state lifted regional orders throughout California, Stanislaus County was immediately returned to the purple tier of California’s reopening plan. Top health officials cautioned that the coronavirus pandemic is far from over and urged people to keep wearing masks, avoid gatherings, practice social distancing and get vaccinated.
Under the purple tier — which is the most restrictive of the state’s four tiers — restaurants remain closed for dining indoors, but they can serve diners outdoors and provide takeout and delivery. Hair and nail salons can open indoors with modifications, including everyone wearing masks.
Gyms can offer outdoor exercise activities. Movie theaters are closed, but drive-in or outdoor movies are allowed. Houses of worship can offer outdoor services only.
Certain youth sports competitions may resume.
“That’s awesome. I like that,” Modesto Sukiyaki co-owner Cheng Her said Monday morning about being able to offer outdoor dining. Her said he expects that could make a big difference for the restaurant’s finances. He said business has been down by about 50 percent since March when the first stay-at-home order was issued.
“It’s one more step toward returning to normal,” Her said. Her and his business partner laid off their five employees during the pandemic and Her was texting them Monday about coming back to work.
Her said Modesto Sukiyaki, which is in the Frontier Town Shopping Center, can have four or five tables under the covered walkway in front of the restaurant. He plans on getting portable heaters to keep diners warms on cold winter days. He expects to start serving diners outdoors as soon as within a couple of days.
While Modesto Sukiyaki has been diligent in following the various pubic health orders issued during the pandemic, that has not been the case for other businesses in Modesto and elsewhere in Stanislaus County.
Businesses defying public health order
Many restaurants, health clubs, yoga studios and other businesses continued to operate indoors since early December when the state issued its regional stay-at-home order for the San Joaquin Valley and prohibited these businesses from operating indoors.
A quick check at lunchtime Monday showed several restaurants along McHenry Avenue that were serving customers indoors. About two weeks ago, The Bee checked on about a dozen Modesto nightclubs and bars on a Friday evening and found about a dozen that were open in violation of the public health order.
Modesto officials have said the city has taken an education-first approach in gaining compliance from businesses and investigates when it receives complaints. City spokesman Thomas Reeves confirmed Monday that Modesto has fined two businesses since March for not complying with the public health orders.
In Turlock, Vito’s Ristorante and Pizzeria co-owner Shanin Soomalan said she expects restaurant owners will continue to do what is best for their personal situations. Soomalan, who decided with her husband to follow the stay-at-home order and only offer takeout, said she said she respects owners who decided they needed to serve outdoors when orders banned it.
“Now that the order has been lifted a lot of people probably took a deep breath today and weren’t as worried about doing the outdoor seating as far as there being consequences,” Soomalan said. “Either way this is a really positive thing. I’ve had numerous other restaurant owners messaging me today saying how happy they are to be able to open again and others that will continue doing indoor dining.”
If she did indoor dining in December, Soomalan said she would have fewer sleepless nights worrying about finances. But she and her husband made the personal decision for their family, employees and community, Soomalan said.
Staff set up outdoor dining tables at the restaurant near California State University, Stanislaus on Monday afternoon, Soomalan said. With patio seating for 20 people, Soomalan said she hopes to see more lunch customers, but does not expect busier evenings because of colder weather.
With Monday’s lifting of the regional stay-at-home order, malls and retail stores have slightly more latitude than the rules imposed by the state’s Dec. 5 stay-home order. Retail centers can operate at 25 percent rather than 20 percent.
Bars that don’t serve food still closed
Outdoor family entertainment centers like miniature golf and batting cages are allowed under the purple tier. Outdoor playgrounds are open with modifications.
Closures remain in effect for bars and breweries that don’t serve food.
In Stanislaus County, hospitals were caring for 282 patients suffering from COVID-19 on Sunday, down from 343 on Jan. 12.
The number of coronavirus-related hospitalizations reached as high as 363 in December. The county’s coronavirus dashboard says the hospitals have 4 percent of their ICU beds available.
Regions of California, such as Greater Sacramento, the Bay Area and San Joaquin Valley, were placed under the stay-home order in early December if their projected ICU capacity was less than 15 percent.
Stanislaus County can move to the state’s less restrictive red tier if new COVID-19 cases are around 40 per day or less. The county’s caseload has been running six times higher than that level.
This story was originally published January 25, 2021 at 12:56 PM.
