New O.C. COVID-19 order mandates use of face masks when unable to maintain distance

(Santa Ana, CA) – In light of recently-issued industry guidance by the California Department of Public Health and Cal-OSHA regarding places of worship and hair salons, the County Health Officer today issued amended Health Officer’s Orders and strong recommendations to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in Orange County as more businesses move toward re-opening. They revise and supersede the May 23, 2020 Orders and recommendations.

Effective 12 a.m. on Friday, May 29, 2020, and continuing until further notice, the following will be in effect in unincorporated and incorporated territories of Orange County:

• Self-isolation of Persons with COVID-19: All county residents who have been diagnosed with or are likely to have COVID-19, as defined below, shall immediately isolate themselves in their home or another residence under the following criteria, as applicable:
  • Individuals with COVID-19 symptoms shall isolate themselves until: (i) at least 3 days (72 hours) after they have recovered, meaning their fever has resolved without use of fever-reducing medications and their respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) have improved; AND (ii) at least 10 days has elapsed from when their symptoms first appeared.
  • Individuals who have a positive COVID-19 PCR laboratory test result and are without COVID-19 symptoms shall isolate themselves for 10 days from the date when the specimen for the positive COVID-19 PRC laboratory test result was obtained.
  • This self-isolation order DOES NOT in any way restrict access by first responders to an isolation site during an emergency.

• Self-Quarantine of Persons Exposed to COVID-19: All county residents who know that they have been in close contact, as defined below, with a person diagnosed with or likely to have COVID-19 shall take the following actions:
  • Quarantine themselves in their home or another residence until 14 days from the last date that they were in close contact with a person that has been diagnosed with or likely to have COVID-19.
  • Exposed persons shall self-quarantine themselves for the entire 14-day COVID-19 incubation period, the typical time between exposure and when symptoms and signs of the disease may develop. They may not leave their place of quarantine except to receive necessary medical care or to obtain such other goods or services necessary for their basic subsistence.

This self-quarantine order DOES NOT in any way restrict access by first responders to a quarantine site during an emergency. This self-quarantine SHALL NOT APPLY to health care professionals and law enforcement personnel.

All businesses, industries, and entities listed on the State’s website at https://covid19.ca.gov/industry-guidance/ and at https://covid19.ca.gov/roadmap-counties/ that reopen in Orange County as part of Stage 2 of the State’s Resilience Roadmap shall post their corresponding industry-specific checklist at a location visible to the public at the public entrance of each property.

In addition to the foregoing industry-specific checklist, all businesses, industries, and entities shall post a document at a location visible to the public at the public entrance of each property that specifically includes an attestation by the business, industry, or entity owner and/or operator that it has:

Performed a detailed risk assessment and implemented a site-specific protection plan;

• Trained employees on how to limit the spread of COVID-19, including how to screen themselves for symptoms and stay home if they have them;
• Implemented individual control measures and screenings;
• Implemented disinfecting protocols; and
• Implemented physical distancing guidelines.

Cloth Face-Covering: All Orange County residents and visitors shall wear a cloth face-covering outside their home when they are not able to maintain at least 6 feet of physical distance from another person who is not a family/household member or does not reside in the same living unit. The cloth face-covering order SHALL NOT APPLY to the following persons:

• Children under the age of 2;
• Anyone who has trouble breathing, or who is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cloth face-covering without assistance; or
• Persons with a medical or mental health condition or development disability that prevents wearing a cloth face-covering.
• Residents are encouraged to read the Health Officer’s amended Orders and strong recommendations (as well as related FAQs) in their entirety by clicking here, as there is greater detail that will help provide necessary clarification.

For more information and resources about COVID-19, please visit www.ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus.