The Shoemaker Bugle

By Monserrat Juarez

The stay at home order that went into effect Sunday December 6 at midnight is not the same as the one we witnessed earlier this year. This stay at home order comes as a result of the decrease in ICU capacity throughout the state. This order will stay in effect until December 28 and the order will only be lifted if the ICU capacity is at 15% or higher. Currently, Southern California is at 12.5%.

Unlike the lockdown we experienced in the spring, this stay at home order will not close down retail stores or outdoor areas like parks, beaches, and nature hikes. All of the following will be closed during this stay at home order:

• Outdoor restaurant dining
• Hair salons, barbershops, nail salons and other personal care services
• Playgrounds
• Outdoor card rooms and satellite wagering and casinos
• Outdoor museums, zoos, and aquariums
• Outdoor movie theaters
• Outdoor wineries
• Overnight stays at campgrounds
• Food, drink, or alcohol sales at outdoor recreational facilities

The use of hotels for vacation trips or to visit family will be prohibited. However, hotels will not be closed down completely. They will still be open to healthcare workers, food, agriculture, energy, utilities, transportation, communications, government operations, manufacturing, financial services and the entertainment industry. The places and activities listed below will remain open in Southern California:

• Entertainment production
• Professional sports without live audiences, except for Santa Clara County. It has its own order banning contact sports, which has forced the San Francisco 49ers to temporarily relocate to Arizona for December home games
• Schools that are already open for in-person learning can remain open
• Outdoor areas like beaches, parks, and hiking trails
• Medical offices, dentist offices
• Child care and prekindergarten
• Restaurants for takeout and delivery service
• Critical infrastructure sectors

Non-essential traveling will be banned because the increase in cases was caused as a result of out-of-state visitors this Thanksgiving holiday.

Although all of these restrictions have been labeled as requirements, many cities have already announced that law enforcement officials will not help enforce the stay at home order. The reason Governor Newsom decided to label this stay at home order a requirement is because he hoped that it would urge people to help stop the spread.