Sara Cody, Santa Clara’s top health official, explained to county supervisors today the decision to revise a stay-at-home-order to allow for greatly expanded outdoor activity.
Beginning on June 5, county residents can eat at restaurants, attend religious gatherings, and camp and swim at pools, subject to restrictions established by county guidelines.
“Our indicators and and all of our data around the prevalence of the virus and where and how it’s being transmitted are telling us that we can take this next step and we can do so safely,” Cody said.
The county also expanded some indoor activity and will allow all manufacturing and limited in-store retail shopping to resume.
In the past, Cody has been a leading voice of caution about lifting coronavirus protections too quickly.
Just last week, she criticized the state’s decision to allow religious gatherings and political protests of up to 100 people, saying they could lead to another outbreak.
Cody said testing and outreach show the county’s infection rate is “quite low,” especially in places “where we have had the most transmission and higher rates of hospitalization.”
Santa Clara has contained outbreaks in nursing facilities and other places, she said, and the hospital system has capacity.
— Kevin Stark (@starkkev)