Sonoma County Allows Retail Businesses to Offer Curbside Pick-Up, Delivery

Sonoma County will allow nonessential retail businesses to offer curbside pick-up and delivery, and allow manufacturing and supply chain operations to function in support of approved businesses under a revised county health order.

The retail businesses include, but are not limited to, bookstores, jewelry stores, toy stores, clothing stores, shoe stores, home and furnishing stores, sporting goods stores, antique stores and music stores.

The updated order, effective as of Friday, May 8, coincides with the state’s move into phase two of its pandemic resilience roadmap, which allows businesses that pose a lesser COVID-19 threat to reopen. 

The governor’s roadmap is comprised of four stages for reopening and criteria that counties must meet prior to entering each stage. 

To accelerate further into stage two, counties must demonstrate, and public health officers attest to the state for review, that they have a low prevalence of COVID-19 spread; meet testing and contact tracing criteria; are prepared with health care system capacity to handle a sudden rise of cases; and have plans to protect vulnerable populations. 

County Health Officer Dr. Sundari Mase says Sonoma County still has work to do.

“Specifically, the County needs more time to demonstrate a low prevalence of COVID-19 and no COVID-19 deaths in the last 14 days. The County is close to meeting this criteria, and will continuously review for eligibility to expand business reopening,” her health order reads. 

All reopening businesses must implement social distancing and hygiene procedures based on state recommendations. In Sonoma County, businesses are encouraged to work with the Economic Development Board to develop, and begin planning to implement their protocols.

People at high risk of severe illness due to the virus are still encouraged to stay home as much as possible, and stores and shopping malls must still remain closed. 

“I concur with the Governor’s assessment of our success and need for continued vigilance,” County Health Officer Dr. Sundari Mase said. “We will continually assess whether we meet the State requirements and work with the business community to make sure we are able to safely reopen additional businesses as soon as conditions and the State permit.”

Read the entire updated order and find more information at socoemergency.org.