As Governor Gavin Newsom continues to loosen California's stay at home orders, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for best practices like wearing a face covering while out in public, washing your hands often and staying home when you’re sick, should still be followed. The COVID-19 pandemic is not over, and we need to continue to practice social distancing of staying at least 6 feet away from others while out of our households.

San Mateo County Health Officer Dr. Scott Morrow issued a new health order allowing places of worship and in-store retail to operate with restrictions effective Monday, June 1. Beach access and park limitations are also removed.

Many businesses are reopening, office spaces are being occupied again, some restrictions have been lifted for church attendance and other retail and outdoor activities can resume. As a reminder, the virus continues to circulate in our community. The order modifications increase the interactions among people, which allow the virus to spread at a higher rate. The public and open businesses need to fully do their part to minimize transmission of the virus.

There is an upward trend in the number of hospitalizations throughout the nation, and in California, which indicates that as the stay at home orders are loosened, the virus is likely circulating at higher levels in our communities. San Mateo County Health released a new health officer statement explaining his thinking behind the updated order, which states, “As the governmental public health measures and restrictions imposed during to the first wave of this pandemic are slowly easing, the power to control the spread of the virus is moving to you, the individual, and you, the community. You get to decide what future you want. Your collective behavior will determine our destiny. If enough people, businesses, or organizations in the community do not follow the protective recommendations, the virus may spread with abandon.“

Some people are carriers of coronavirus and are not aware, which makes them asymptomatic. Carriers can potentially spread the virus to vulnerable populations who are at a higher risk of contracting it. If you have any worry at all about the virus and its effect on you or others, you should know, it is not completely safe to be out, it is even less safe to attend gatherings of any size. If you or someone you live with are at risk from serious complications of the virus, you should continue to take all measures to ensure your safety and their safety.