Sonoma County Allows Outdoor Dining, Summer Day Camps in Updated Health Order

Restaurants, wineries, breweries and bars may now open in Sonoma County to serve outdoor meals.

Health Officer Dr. Sundari Mase issued an amended shelter-in-place that went into effect Saturday, May 23, that also expands childcare to include summer day-camp programs and allows drive-in ceremonies and drive-in movies. The modified order also now allows libraries to offer curbside pickup and clarifies that faith-based counseling may be delivered face-to-face when a virtual session is not possible. 

A press release on the changes says that outdoor activities pose less of risk of virus transmission than indoor activities, and patrons should be limited at tables to members of the same household.

Under the order, all businesses and organizations must follow local and state guidelines for health and safety, including developing a social-distancing protocol.

The county has also developed an app called the SoCo COVID-19 Check, available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, that employees should be using to verify that they are healthy enough to work. Businesses have until June 1 to adopt the app. 

Here’s a summary of the significant changes in this health order:

• Restaurants and food facilities may offer onsite sit-down outdoor meals
• Wineries, tasting rooms, bars, pubs, breweries and craft distilleries may offer: a) curbside pick-up, delivery, shipping; and b) sit-down outdoor meals in accordance with their land use permit and if the business has a food-facility permit (if applicable)
  • Questions pertaining to food-facility or host-facility permits? Contact Environmental Health at (707) 565-6565 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Questions pertaining to land-use permits? Contact Permit Sonoma by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
• Summer day camps and other educational or recreational institutions or programs may provide childcare/supervision for children of all ages
• Ceremonies (including graduations and religious activities) may be conducted with household members attending in closed motorized vehicles