Shelter in Place Order Issued for Sonoma County. Effective at 12:01AM Wednesday.

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As was widely expected and reported earlier by News of the North Bay, the Sonoma County Health Officer has issued a shelter in place order for residents of Sonoma County, effective at 12:01AM Wednesday. The order will be in place for three weeks, until April 7th.

Read the Full Order Here at socoemergency.org

Importantly, essential services like grocery stores, banks, and healthcare facilities will continue as usual.

The order is designed to replicate similar orders issued yesterday by 6 Bay Area counties and in force today, to effectively reduce or eliminate social gatherings that would allow the coronavirus to spread in the community.

The shelter in place instructions are the most stringent in the nation, and mean that Sonoma County residents who are not engaged in “essential services” are required to stay in their homes for the next three weeks, except to leave for food, medical appointments, banking or other essential activities. Those who care for others, or are required to leave Sonoma County to perform essential services are exempted.

It also orders non essential businesses to shutdown, meaning any business except those involved in services and activities considered essential like public safety, healthcare, sanitation, food service, water supplies, banking, home services like plumbing, hardware and the like. Some limited government and court services will continue.

When in public, residents are asked to comply with social distancing requirements whenever possible, which includes keeping a distance of 6 feet from other individuals. In addition, restaurants will be operating on a pickup or delivery basis only, and bars, gyms and other non-essential businesses will close.

As in the immediate Bay Area, enforcement will focus on compliance, and no citations are expected, at least at first. As in the Bay Area, the focus says law enforcement officials, will be on “compassionate” enforcement.