The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, to approve a letter of “attestation” requesting a local variance from the State of California to advance through Stage 2 of California’s “Resilience Roadmap” related to the COVID-19 pandemic. For specific criteria about the attestation and detailed information about the county’s re-opening plan, read “Sacramento County Accelerates Further Into Stage 2” in SACCOUNTY NEWS.
The significance of the Board’s vote is that the State can now consider certifying Sacramento County to advance into Stage 2b of California’s gradual social and economic reactivation. The baby step taken today by no means represents a free-for-all “opening.” To be clear, the County’s “Stay at Home” Order, last extended on May 1, remains in effect and will likely be extended with modifications a third time before expiring on May 22.
What the action by the Board does mean is that we’re taking great caution in ensuring we meet the State’s criteria used to measure virus containment and our ability to continue affecting lower infection and death rates as certain segments of our local economy begin enjoying greater operational latitude. This will undoubtedly give businesses the welcome opportunity to better serve their customers and provide their workers the income, salaries and benefits upon which they so desperately rely.
I remain confident in our county’s public health professionals who have been guiding our methodical and effective response to date. Sacramento County, and our region as a whole, have some of the lowest COVID-19 infection rates in the entire country. We want to keep it that way. We’re confident we’ll achieve that objective while making substantive progress to reactivate our local economy.
Take care of yourself and others.
-Phil
