Updated guidance for staying at home and self-quarantine
Plumas County Public Health Director Andrew Woodruff released the following guidelines March 27 for the stay-at-home order as well as self quarantine:
On March 19, 2020, in order to preserve the public health and safety, and to ensure the healthcare delivery system is capable of serving all persons with COVID-19, Governor of the State of California issued an executive order for all individuals living in the state of California to stay at home. We would like to clarify the current local guidance related to this order, and provide recommendations for self- quarantine.
Every person in Plumas County should not leave their residence except for the following reasons:
• You are an essential part of the workforce and are being asked to work. Guidance about essential employee is defined by federal government https://www.cisa.gov/critical- infrastructure-sectors , and further clarification is provided by the state https://covid19.ca.gov/stay-home-except-for-essential-needs/.
• Plumas County residents may leave home to get necessary supplies, including food and medical care. If you are high risk (65+, or living with a chronic health condition), you may want to seek assistance in getting essential needs met. Call 283-6400 if you need help.
• It is recommended to go outside for fresh air or a walk while still practicing social distancing
Every person who needs to go into public to obtain necessary supplies or to work should be practicing social distancing by staying six feet away from others and practicing good hygiene. During the time the order is in place, travel outside the county should be limited as much as possible. There are no enforced travel restrictions at this time. If you do travel outside the county to an area where there is risk of contracting COVID-19 is high, and you are not an essential worker, it is recommended that you self-quarantine for 14 days upon return.
There are some important factors to determine if you should self-quarantine.
• Area visited: If there are cases of COVID-19 identified in an area then it increases your risk to visit that area . For international information about cases: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/map-and-travel-notices.html. Within the United States: https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html. If you need help accessing this information, call 283-6400.
• Interaction with others: The more contact with the general public the higher chance of contracting COVID-19. For example, traveling for a medical appointment may expose you to less people than going grocery shopping at a popular time.
What does it mean to self-quarantine:
• Do not leave home even for necessary supplies; seek assistance instead.
• If you live with others, eliminate contact with them to the extent possible; practicing social
distancing, clean all common areas and use good hygiene.
To ensure the health and well-being of our community we are all making temporary sacrifices. Plumas County is fortunate in that there are still zero identified cases of COVID-19 in our community; however, this can change quickly. Many counties neighboring Plumas have identified cases in their county. Participating in these guidelines is our social responsibility to one another and will save lives.
In order to continue to protect the health of our community it is recommended everyone follow the executive order, practice social distancing if in public and continue to use universal precautions; including washing hands and covering mouths with an elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze.
As of March 27, 2020, there are ZERO confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Plumas County
For additional information, please visit Plumas County website: www.plumascounty.us or call 530-283-6400 or send e-mail to [email protected]
