Message From County Administrator

Fellow Employees of Sonoma County:

I want to take this opportunity to update you on the new Shelter-in-Place Health Order, which takes effect on May 4, 2020, and will reduce restrictions in a number of important employment and consumer business areas. The County Health Officer has determined that our collective action in staying home, combined with contact tracing, targeted testing, face coverings, and physical distancing are helping to interrupt the transmission of COVID-19 in our communities. The early aggressive measures taken by the County have been successful in saving lives and maintaining our regional health care system capacity. 

Restrictions will ease in areas of business where transmission risk is lower, including activities related to construction, landscaping and pool services, arborists, plant nurseries and florists, car and bicycle sales, real estate viewing, environmental remediation, and golf courses. All businesses continue to be subject to physical distancing and face covering requirements.

With regard to County operations, departments are continuing to manage their essential functions and operations with help from all of you.

Please stay in close contact with your supervisor/manager as plans continue to develop.

While this new order represents an important step along the road to recovery, science and data will continue to drive County decisions on how and when to further modify the Shelter-in-Place order. Importantly, the new order does not have a specific end date so that the County can respond and make modifications as necessary as conditions change and State orders may dictate. In the near term, the Health Officer will be working with the County Economic Development Board (EDB) and industry leaders to develop specific COVID-19 mitigation measures to facilitate re-openings for all other businesses. Providing guidance to the community on mitigation strategies, including the ability for businesses to implement this guidance, is a required component to move to Phase II of the Governor’s Resilience Roadmap, issued on April 28, 2020.  

As I have stated many times, our collective success is based on our individual behavior and willingness to do what is right and comply with the health order. History tells us that we are a resilient community and we have all reason to count on getting through this situation Sonoma Strong. I deeply appreciate your commitment and sacrifice during this challenging time.

Thank you for doing your part to keep our communities safe.

Stay strong,

Sheryl

Sheryl Bratton
County Administrator