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As residents throughout the Bay Area hunker down for the mandatory shelter-in-place order for health officials, San Ramon Valley government agencies have begun working to help ease the challenges and anxieties felt in the community.
Tuesday marks the first official day of the county mandated shelter-in-place order for Contra Costa County — in addition to five other Bay Area counties — and local government officials have been working closely with the county to ensure that residents know what is allowed and what is prohibited during the three week order.
“We understand this is an uncertain time for our community. I want you to know that we at the City of San Ramon are maintaining close coordination with Contra Costa County Health Services, and health officers from counties throughout the Bay Area, to help inform the public about the latest efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” said San Ramon City Manager Joe Gorton, a sentiment shared by officials from Danville and the SRVUSD.
Contra Costa Health Services officials have reported 39 confirmed cases as of Tuesday at 1 p.m., county officials say the shelter-in-place is an essential way to slow virus transmission and this order protects the most vulnerable populations, while easing the burden on the healthcare system.
Officially going into effect on Tuesday at midnight, the shelter-in-place order is expected to last at least through April 7, and seeks to dissuade residents from venturing outside of their homes unless they are conducting essential business.
“The aim of this Order is to ‘flatten the curve’ of the virus, slowing the occurrence of new cases in order to keep from overwhelming the healthcare system. By committing to social distancing measures as a community, we can lessen the impact to our public health resources and healthcare workers,” Gorton said in a message to residents.
After the order was made public, San Ramon announced the formation of a COVID-19 Rapid Response Team which has undertaken the task of minimizing disruptions being made to city services. Gorton said that the city has a comprehensive action plan to continue the flow of essential services and support vulnerable populations.
To help keep residents informed, Gorton also provided a list of common essential services that allow residents to leave their homes. Those examples include:
* Healthcare operations and essential infrastructure.
* Grocery stores, certified farmers’ markets, farm and produce stands, supermarkets, food banks, convenience stores, and other establishments engaged in the retail sale of canned food, dry goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, pet supply, fresh meats, fish, and poultry, and any other household consumer products (such as cleaning and personal care products).
* Businesses that provide food, shelter, and social services, and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals.
* Newspapers, television, radio and other media services.
* Gas stations and auto-supply, auto-repair and related facilities
* Banks and related financial institutions.
* Hardware stores.
All City facilities in San Ramon have officially been closed to the public, including City Hall, all Community Centers, the Permit Center and Police Department — however police officers will still be active and patrol the streets.
In the town of Danville, officials have also been working to keep residents informed about both the order and illness, and published a list of frequently asked questions provided by Contra Costa Health Services.
Available online at www.cchealth.org, frequently asked questions cover a wide variety of topics such as what to do if you need to take transportation, what services are definitively closed and how to receive help if sick, to name a few.
“As can be seen by (Monday’s) order, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the way we go about our daily lives here in Danville, and the Town is working to not only assist in flattening the curve but to provide information on this evolving situation as we get it. Normal life is on pause right now as we all do everything possible to reduce our risk of transmission,” Town Manager Joe Calabrigo said in a message to residents.
While bars and restaurants are closed to the public, residents can still order take-out from operating restaurants and the town is currently coordinating with the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce to coordinate temporary parking zones downtown for people who have called in take-out orders.
Schools are also allowed to remain open under the order — so long as they can enact social distancing on their sites — however on Friday the SRVUSD Board of Education announced that it will be suspending attendance at all school sites through at least April 10, due to concerns of COVID-19 spreading.
SRVUSD officials had initially planned to release additional details on the closure that pertain to issues such as remote learning opportunities for students sometime during the week of March 16, however the closure has district officials seeking additional information from health officials on how to plan for the future.
“We know you have many questions about how the district will handle a variety of situations related to school closures,” district officials said in a statement. “We are currently waiting on further guidance and direction from both the Governor and the California Department of Education and we are planning for both the short and long term. We are asking for your continued patience and understanding while we work out all the details in this ever-changing environment.”
District officials also stressed the importance of maintaining healthy home environments, and encouraged community members to try to relax and remain calm.
“The most important thing we must do right now is to come together as a community and accept responsibility for the role that each one of us plays in ensuring that we are doing what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19,” district officials said. “Please take this time in the next hours and days to relax and enjoy your family, reflect on what is truly important including being patient, connecting with family and staying healthy.”
