Date: March 16, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sarah Dukett
Phone: 707-671-5215
Email: duketts@mendocinocounty.org
County Health Officer Issues Order and Recommendation
Media Advisory for Press Conference Tuesday March 17 at Noon
Mendocino County Public Health has been actively responding to the threat of COVID-19 since early January 2020. On March 4, 2020, Mendocino County declared a local health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At this time, there is no evidence of community spread in Mendocino County. However, due to the crisis level shortage of testing for this disease and given that nearby San Francisco Bay Area is experiencing outbreaks of COVID-19 with extensive community spread, we recognize the imminent threat presented to Mendocino County’s public health due to COVID-19.
Health Officer Order
Due to this rapidly evolving situation and in alignment with the CDC guidance on mass gatherings from March 15, 2020, Health Officer Dr. Noemi Doohan has ordered a ban on all non-essential public or private gatherings of 50 people or more. For gatherings of 10-50 people, COVID-19 mitigation measures must be implemented, including social distancing by allowing all attendees to stand or sit at least six feet from any other attendee. A violation of an order is a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both.
Health Officer Recommendation
Mendocino County is monitoring the recent “shelter in place order” released today in a coordinated effort by the big 6 Bay Area counties (San Francisco, Marin, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Contra Costa and Alameda). This joint order, which can be viewed at https://bit.ly/2IOHTtR, restricts non-essential activities including: travel outside the home, and directs business modification in those counties (please see San Mateo for examples: https://www.smcgov.org/shelter-place-faqs). At this time, the Mendocino County Health Officer is releasing a recommendation that is in alignment with the Bay Area “shelter in place order.” The Health Officer recommends that Mendocino County residents who have upcoming non-essential travel planned to any of the Bay Area counties are urged to cancel their plans. A recommendation is official guidance issued by the Health Officer.
Media Advisory
The Health Officer Dr. Noemi Mimi Doohan will hold a press conference updating the community on the COVID-19 situation and issued Public Health Order and Recommendation.
When: Tuesday, March 17, 2020, at approximately 12:00 p.m.
Where: County Administrative Center – Board Chambers – 501 Low Gap Road, Ukiah, CA 95482
Who: Noemi Mimi Doohan, MD, PhD, Mendocino County Health Officer
Live Online: The press conference will be live streamed on the Mendocino County YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/MendocinoCountyVideo) and Facebook page
(www.facebook.com/mendocinocounty/).
This Press Conference forum is designed for media personnel, but the public is welcome to watch from the County’s YouTube Channel) or Facebook page. For your benefit and the benefit of our community, we ask that you not attend work, school or community events in person if you have symptoms of influenza or other respiratory illness (i.e. cough, fever).
Attachment: ORDER OF THE HEALTH OFFICER OF THE COUNTY OF MENDOCINO IMPOSING A MANDATORY COUNTYWIDE MORATORIUM ON GATHERINGS OF MORE THAN 50 PERSONS, AND A CONDITIONAL COUNTYWIDE MORATORIUM ON GATHERING BETWEEN 10 AND 50 PEOPLE TO MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 AND RECOMMENDATION REGARDING SHELTER IN PLACE
Mendocino County’s Coronavirus Webpage: http://bit.ly/mendoph
Coronavirus Hotline: (707) 234-6052 or callcenter@mendocinocounty.org
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