Stay at home except for essential needs
San Diego County and California public health officials have issued orders to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus disease, or COVID-19. The County order is in effect until further notice.
Latest updatesFollowing direction from the state announced May 12, these can open after completing a Safe Reopening Plan. | Spanish
What businesses need to do
Businesses need to complete the County's Safe Reopening Plan, print and post it at their entrance.
Supply chains supporting the above businesses, in manufacturing and logistical sectors, can also reopen. They should refer to their industry's guidance and checklists when completing their Safe Reopening Plan .
Each business's plan may need to be updated and reposted when state guidance changes. The County will not require approval for this plan.
Businesses with questions can email: [email protected]
Essential businesses already operating do not need to submit a new plan.
What the orders mean
What’s been closed?
Going outdoorsYou may go outside for exercise if you can keep six feet away from people who are not members of your household. Avoid groups and crowded outdoor spaces.
Beaches
The County has allowed beaches to open with certain limitations, but cities will decide whether to open their beaches. Check before visiting.
You can swim, surf, paddleboard, kayak, snorkel. You can walk or run on the beach. You cannot sit or lie down on the beach. You can take dogs according to the beach’s rules.
Beach parking lots need to remain closed.
Parks
At parks, the County will allow:
Park managers need to create and post a plan for how they will provide for social distancing.
Social distancing and safety templates for Parks & Beaches
Camping
Camping is allowed starting May 9. Each occupied campsite can’t be occupied on either side. Playgrounds or other common amenities are still closed. Operators of individual campgrounds will decide when they reopen. Check before visiting.
Boating
Recreational boating on the ocean, bays and lakes is allowed for members of a household. The managers of any of those locations may have their own restrictions.
Golf
Golf course operators need to create and post a plan for how they will provide for social distancing.
Social distancing and safety templates for Golf Courses (updated 5/6/20 to follow state guidance on golf carts).
Golf courses that follow the safety protocol can reopen. Instruction and sit-down food service are not allowed. Golf carts can have only one person, unless other golfers are from the same household.
Recreational equipment rentals
Businesses that rent recreational equipment, such as bicycles, surfboards, boats, kayaks and other watercraft can reopen if they prepare a Safe Reopening Plan. If any equipment can be used by multiple people, they have to be members of the same household. All equipment needs to be sanitized with a disinfectant effective against the coronavirus after each use.
BusinessesBusinesses and organizations that provide critical infrastructure are exempted, including health care and public health, public safety, food and agriculture and media. See the full list of exempt sectors (PDF).
Businesses allowed to stay open must also practice social distancing and encourage employees to work from home if possible. They must also suspend requiring employees to provide doctors’ permission to stay home.
All employees of businesses allowed to open need to wear face coverings. Childcare facilities are excepted.
Report workers not wearing face coverings
Businesses need to require customers to wear face coverings. They should accommodate customers who have a disability preventing a covering.
A business selling food must have a current permit to sell food from the County Department of Environmental Health.
All businesses that are open need to post their social distancing plan. You can use this template.
Schools and childcareAll public and private schools, colleges and universities are closed. Parents of minor children must take steps to keep them at home.
Childcare facilities are still open. Daycare centers that remain open should employ heightened cleaning and distancing requirements. Babysitters may also come to the house to care for minors of working parents.
As much as possible, childcare facilities need to operate in the following way:
Health care and helping relativesIn most situations, visiting someone in a hospital or long-term care facility is no longer allowed. Exceptions may be made for family or friends to visit a patient in an end-of-life situation or to allow parents or guardians to visit a child who is a patient, for example.
Non-essential medical care (for example, eye exams, teeth cleaning, elective procedures) should be cancelled or rescheduled. If possible, health care visits should be done remotely. Contact your healthcare provider to see what telemedicine services they are providing.
If you are feeling sick with fever or cough or other symptoms, please first call your doctor, a nurse hotline, an urgent care center or 2-1-1. Do I need to get tested for COVID-19? ¿Debo hacerme la prueba para COVID-19?
If you need to go to the hospital, call ahead so they can prepare for your arrival. If you need to call 911, tell the 911 operator the exact symptoms you are experiencing so the emergency medical providers can prepare to treat you safely.
You can care for elderly or disabled parents or friends if you are not feeling sick. Be sure that you protect them and yourself by following social distancing guidelines such as washing hands before and after, using hand sanitizer, maintaining at least six feet of distance when possible, and coughing or sneezing into your elbow or a tissue, throwing the tissue away, and then washing your hands. If you have early signs of a cold, please stay away from your older loved ones.
Why are we doing this?The goal is to “flatten the curve.” This means slowing the spread of the virus to give the healthcare system time to be as prepared as possible to care for all patients.
Since we don’t yet have a vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat COVID-19, preventing the spread of the virus to new people is critical. In addition to social distancing, other protective measures everyone must take include:
- THIS INFORMATION COMES DIRECTLY FROM: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/phs/community_epidemiology/dc/2019-nCoV/health-order.html#SafeReopening
- Office-based businesses (telephone work is still strongly encouraged)
- Businesses in malls or strip malls for curbside pickup only
- Car washes
- Pet grooming
- Landscape gardening
- Outdoor museums, open gallery spaces
What businesses need to do
Businesses need to complete the County's Safe Reopening Plan, print and post it at their entrance.
Supply chains supporting the above businesses, in manufacturing and logistical sectors, can also reopen. They should refer to their industry's guidance and checklists when completing their Safe Reopening Plan .
Each business's plan may need to be updated and reposted when state guidance changes. The County will not require approval for this plan.
Businesses with questions can email: [email protected]
Essential businesses already operating do not need to submit a new plan.
What the orders mean
- Everyone needs to stay home except to take care of essential needs, go to an essential job, or go out for exercise.
- Practice social distancing. Keep at least six feet away from other people unless they’re household members. Avoid gatherings of any size.
- You need to have a face covering when leaving home and wear it when you're within six feet of anyone not a household member, or when entering a business. More details about face coverings
- It is strongly recommended you stay home, unless you need medical care, if:
- You are over 65 years old
- Have a chronic underlying health condition
- Have a compromised immune system
- Have mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19
- Grocery stores, farmers markets, food banks, convenience stores
- Restaurants for take-out, delivery or drive-through
- Pharmacies
- Banks
- Laundromats/laundry
- Hardware/home improvement stores
- Airports and public transportation
- Childcare (see below)
- Bookstores
- Jewelry stores
- Toy stores
- Clothing stores
- Shoe stores
- Home and furnishing stores
- Sporting goods stores
- Antique stores
- Music stores
- Florists
- Office-based businesses (telework is still strongly encouraged)
- Car washes
- Pet grooming
- Landscape gardening
- Outdoor museums, open gallery spaces
What’s been closed?
- Dine-in areas of restaurants
- Bars and nightclubs.
- Gyms and fitness centers
- Hair and nail salons
- Entertainment venues
- Public events and gatherings
Going outdoorsYou may go outside for exercise if you can keep six feet away from people who are not members of your household. Avoid groups and crowded outdoor spaces.
Beaches
The County has allowed beaches to open with certain limitations, but cities will decide whether to open their beaches. Check before visiting.
You can swim, surf, paddleboard, kayak, snorkel. You can walk or run on the beach. You cannot sit or lie down on the beach. You can take dogs according to the beach’s rules.
Beach parking lots need to remain closed.
Parks
At parks, the County will allow:
- Parking lots to open, with limitations.
- Park visitors to sit, lie down, picnic if they practice social distancing.
- Members of a family or household to play active sports, such as basketball or volleyball.
Park managers need to create and post a plan for how they will provide for social distancing.
Social distancing and safety templates for Parks & Beaches
Camping
Camping is allowed starting May 9. Each occupied campsite can’t be occupied on either side. Playgrounds or other common amenities are still closed. Operators of individual campgrounds will decide when they reopen. Check before visiting.
Boating
Recreational boating on the ocean, bays and lakes is allowed for members of a household. The managers of any of those locations may have their own restrictions.
Golf
Golf course operators need to create and post a plan for how they will provide for social distancing.
Social distancing and safety templates for Golf Courses (updated 5/6/20 to follow state guidance on golf carts).
Golf courses that follow the safety protocol can reopen. Instruction and sit-down food service are not allowed. Golf carts can have only one person, unless other golfers are from the same household.
Recreational equipment rentals
Businesses that rent recreational equipment, such as bicycles, surfboards, boats, kayaks and other watercraft can reopen if they prepare a Safe Reopening Plan. If any equipment can be used by multiple people, they have to be members of the same household. All equipment needs to be sanitized with a disinfectant effective against the coronavirus after each use.
BusinessesBusinesses and organizations that provide critical infrastructure are exempted, including health care and public health, public safety, food and agriculture and media. See the full list of exempt sectors (PDF).
Businesses allowed to stay open must also practice social distancing and encourage employees to work from home if possible. They must also suspend requiring employees to provide doctors’ permission to stay home.
All employees of businesses allowed to open need to wear face coverings. Childcare facilities are excepted.
Report workers not wearing face coverings
Businesses need to require customers to wear face coverings. They should accommodate customers who have a disability preventing a covering.
A business selling food must have a current permit to sell food from the County Department of Environmental Health.
All businesses that are open need to post their social distancing plan. You can use this template.
Schools and childcareAll public and private schools, colleges and universities are closed. Parents of minor children must take steps to keep them at home.
Childcare facilities are still open. Daycare centers that remain open should employ heightened cleaning and distancing requirements. Babysitters may also come to the house to care for minors of working parents.
As much as possible, childcare facilities need to operate in the following way:
- Limit groups of children to no more than 12.
- Children must stay in the same group and must not move from one group to another.
- The providers/teachers must stay with one group of children and not mix among groups.
- If there is more than one group at a facility, they need to be in separate rooms.
- Providers need to establish health check and temperature screenings. Children or employees with temperatures 100 degrees or more are not allowed in the facility.
Health care and helping relativesIn most situations, visiting someone in a hospital or long-term care facility is no longer allowed. Exceptions may be made for family or friends to visit a patient in an end-of-life situation or to allow parents or guardians to visit a child who is a patient, for example.
Non-essential medical care (for example, eye exams, teeth cleaning, elective procedures) should be cancelled or rescheduled. If possible, health care visits should be done remotely. Contact your healthcare provider to see what telemedicine services they are providing.
If you are feeling sick with fever or cough or other symptoms, please first call your doctor, a nurse hotline, an urgent care center or 2-1-1. Do I need to get tested for COVID-19? ¿Debo hacerme la prueba para COVID-19?
If you need to go to the hospital, call ahead so they can prepare for your arrival. If you need to call 911, tell the 911 operator the exact symptoms you are experiencing so the emergency medical providers can prepare to treat you safely.
You can care for elderly or disabled parents or friends if you are not feeling sick. Be sure that you protect them and yourself by following social distancing guidelines such as washing hands before and after, using hand sanitizer, maintaining at least six feet of distance when possible, and coughing or sneezing into your elbow or a tissue, throwing the tissue away, and then washing your hands. If you have early signs of a cold, please stay away from your older loved ones.
Why are we doing this?The goal is to “flatten the curve.” This means slowing the spread of the virus to give the healthcare system time to be as prepared as possible to care for all patients.
Since we don’t yet have a vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat COVID-19, preventing the spread of the virus to new people is critical. In addition to social distancing, other protective measures everyone must take include:
- Wash your hands often
- Don’t touch your face
- Clean highly used household surfaces often
- THIS INFORMATION COMES DIRECTLY FROM: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/phs/community_epidemiology/dc/2019-nCoV/health-order.html#SafeReopening