Governor Newsom’s new stay-at-home order for California is based on the percentage of intensive care beds that are available in a region. According to the order, a region must have at least 15 percent of its ICU beds available for the region’s businesses to stay open. San Bernardino County is in the southern California region, and as of Sunday evening, the region’s ICU availability was at 10.3 percent. This means that all private gatherings of any size are prohibited. Barbershops and hair and nail salons must close, restaurants are limited to take-out and delivery only, and the number of patrons inside retail stores and shopping centers is limited to 20% of its capacity.
Todd Burke, a spokesman for Tenant Healthcare, which runs Hi-Desert Medical Center, said the hospital in Joshua Tree has four ICU beds, which were all in use Friday. Of those four ICU beds, Burke said only one bed was in use by a COVID-19 patient. He stressed the hospital has the capability to increase its number of ICU beds, if necessary, and provide the same ICU-level of care in the surge beds if needed.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER
The stay-at-home order will be in place for three weeks and will bar gatherings of people from different households. Under the order, the following businesses/recreational facilities will be forced to close:
indoor and outdoor playgrounds;
indoor recreational facilities;
hair salons and barbershops;
personal care services;
museums, zoos, and aquariums;
movie theaters;
wineries;
bars, breweries and distilleries;
family entertainment centers;
cardrooms and satellite wagering;
limited services;
live audience sports; and
amusement parks.
Schools with waivers will be allowed to remain open, along with “critical infrastructure” and retail stores, which will be limited to 20% of capacity. Restaurants will be restricted to takeout and delivery service only.
Hotels would be allowed to open “for critical infrastructure support only,” while churches would be restricted to outdoor only services.
Entertainment production—including professional sports—would be allowed to continue without live audiences. Some of those restrictions are already in effect in select counties.
