Along with San Francisco’s new stay-at-home order, the Health Director of San Francisco, Dr. Grant Colfax, said on Thursday that a new 10-day quarantine period would be required for anyone that travels, moves, or even returns from outside the Bay Area.
New quarantine order
There are no exact details on how the order will be implemented, but Colfax said that violators would be reprimanded. The medical professional said, “This is truly not the time to travel. The consequences are severe. We just ask that people understand that and comply with the health order because it’s the right thing to do. The city can take additional enforcement steps if the situation demands. In violation or failure to comply with this order is a misdemeanor.”
The new 10-day quarantine travel order also applies to residents from nine other counties coming to San Francisco. The list of regions that the order would affect include San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Sonoma, Napa, Marin, and Santa Cruz.
The mayor of San Francisco, London Breed, called on the people of the region to be aware that the coronavirus pandemic was still ongoing. She urged residents to avoid traveling and focus on protecting themselves and their loved ones from the infection.
Breed noted that San Francisco has recorded a surging number of new COVID-19 cases and that hospitals in the region are nearing critical-low capacity.
The new travel framework will start on December 18 and would end on January 4 of next year unless officials find sufficient reason to extend the period. It also severely discourages traveling for non-essential purposes even within the Bay Area, the San Francisco Gate reported.
City officials noted, however, that people who pass by the city through San Francisco International Airport aboard connecting flights and would not be staying the night in the city were not affected by the new quarantine order.
Only essential workers, including medical professionals and frontlines workers that provide necessary assistance amid the pandemic, are allowed to travel across the region.
