The Bay area shelter-in-place order will extend through May, going beyond its previous deadline of May 3. The order has no definite expiration date.
Public health officials across the San Francisco Bay Area issued a joint press release on Monday. The modifications on the Bay area shelter-in-place order would include "limited easing of specific restrictions for a small number of lower-risk activities."
While there is no expiration date yes, the order will remain in effect through May, according to the officials.
Meanwhile, San Francisco Mayor London Breed said during a press conference that an extension was likely.
"What that means is another few weeks or even a month of asking you all to comply and to remain at home and to continue to follow the social distancing orders that we put forth," she said, based on a report by San Francisco Chronicle.
The San Francisco Bay area, as well as the rest of the US, continues to curve the spread of the coronavirus. This virus causes a disease known as COVID-19.
The Bay area extended its shelter-in-place order once, from April 7 to May 3. Officials advised residents to remain inside their houses as much as possible. They can only get out to do necessary activities like grocery shopping or going for a walk.
Reopening essential businesses
Based on San Francisco's policies, people should wear masks while in public. This is the rule especially when they are at essential businesses such as restaurants and grocery stores.
Solano County, north of San Francisco, also extended its shelter-in-place order through May 17.
Bay Area counties continuously acknowledge the same advice from public health officials on how to adjust the shelter-in-place orders for their locales.
As of Monday, the Bay area recorded 7,720 confirmed COVID-19 cases. There were 1,424 coronavirus cases in San Francisco County.
Most cases come from nursing homes and homeless shelters, including MSC South, San Francisco's largest shelter. The shelter struggled with an outbreak in early April when 70 people tested positive for the coronavirus.
No return to normal yet
According to Gov. Gavin Newsom's reopening plans, they would consider several factors such as widespread testing and contact tracing before easing restrictions. Newsom implemented a statewide stay-at-home order on March 19.
Meanwhile, Dr. Grant Colfax, San Francisco's public-health director, said on Friday that while the "curve is flat" in the city, it does not mean life can return to normal just yet.
That reality is especially evident for people who are suffering from the economic damages brought by the pandemic. The mayor announced on Friday that her office expected the unemployment figures to soon reach 100,000, or about one in every nine residents, Curbed SF reported.
