Full Notification

On March 16, the public health officers of seven Bay Area jurisdictions, including Marin, issued a legal order directing residents to shelter at home for three weeks beginning March 17.  The order limits activity, travel and business functions to only the most essential needs.

Scientific evidence shows social distancing is one of the most effective approaches to slow the transmission of communicable disease.  The shelter-at-home order follows new data of increasing local transmission of COVID-19, including 258 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 4 deaths shared by the seven jurisdictions (as of March 15).  This includes nine in Marin. This does not account for the rapidly increasing number of assumed cases of community transmission.

The Public Health Order is in effect until April 7, 2020 until 11:59PM.

To answer questions related to the Public Health Order, we created an extensive Q&A document to help understand the Order.

The order defines essential activities as necessary for the health and safety for individuals and their families. Essential businesses allowed to operate during the recommended action include health care operations; businesses that provide food, shelter, and social services, and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals; fresh and non-perishable food retailers (including convenience stores); pharmacies; child care facilities; gas stations; banks; laundry businesses and services necessary for maintaining the safety, sanitation and essential operation of a residence.  In addition, health care, law and safety, and essential government functions will continue under the recommended action. For the full list, please see section 10 of the order.

“While the goal is to limit groups congregating together in a way that could further spread the virus, it is not complete social shutdown,” said Dr. Matt Willis, Marin County’s Public Health Officer. “You can still complete your most essential outings or even engage in outdoor activity, so long as you avoid close contact.”

On January 30, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, and the United States followed the next day by declaring a federal public health emergency. On February 26, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention[External] (CDC) confirmed community transmission of COVID-19 in the San Francisco Bay Area, meaning the afflicted patient had no signs of associating with anyone who had been diagnosed with the virus. This collective legal order comes one day after Governor Gavin Newsom ordered older adults, age 65 and older, stay home.

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