Sacramento County Extends Stay-At-Home Order To May 1, Adds New Restrictions

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Sacramento County is extending its stay-at-home order until May 1 and adding new restrictions for residents and businesses, health officials announced Tuesday, the latest step in the county's attempts to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The new order goes into effect at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday. The county first issued a legal order March 19, and it was scheduled to expire Tuesday night.

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In addition to keeping current rules in place, it requires businesses deemed essential to have social distancing measures in place, changes definitions of what kind of businesses is essential, restricts access to parks and other recreation areas, and prohibits non-essential gatherings of any number of people.

“This new Public Health Order has additional clarification and directives, but the main point remains clear: people in Sacramento County must keep social distancing to the max,” county Director of Health Services Dr. Peter Beilenson wrote in a statement. “The single most important thing everyone can do to beat this is to stay home.” 

Here are some of the changes being made under the new order:

• Essential businesses must implement social distancing protocols.
• Parks are not being closed through this order, but visitors must abide by social distancing rules, such as staying six feet apart. Park features such as playgrounds, barbecues and basketball courts are being closed to public access. In a separate action, the county is closing parks April 11-12 to discourage gatherings over the Easter weekend.
• Non-essential gatherings of any number of people are now prohibited.
  Essential travel now includes travel to manage after-death arrangements and burial, arrange for shelter or avoid homelessness, avoid domestic violence or child abuse, and travel for parental custody arrangements.
• Funeral home providers, mortuaries, cemeteries and crematoriums are now essential.
• Only children of workers or employers involved in an essential business can attend child care facilities.

The new order also exempts homeless individuals but encourages them to find shelter if possible.

This story is developing and will be updated