Unfortunately, on December 5, health officials announced that available ICU capacity in the San Joaquin Valley, including Kings County, fell to 8.6%, meeting the state’s trigger criterion. This translates to the implementation of the state's stay-at-home-order. The Valley region also includes Calaveras, Fresno, Kern, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, San Benito, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tulare and Tuolumne counties. COVID-19 cases continue to increase as California counties reported a new single-day record of 22,491 cases Friday. The state also recorded its highest seven-day case average of 17,819 and tallied 208 deaths, the most in one day since the end of July.

The Kings County Department of Public Health Saturday afternoon amplified the state’s order – that regions with less than 15% available ICU capacity will have 24 hours to implement further modifications and closures as defined within the order.  This all means that California health officials are ordering Californians to stay at home as much as possible to limit mixing with other households that may lead to COVID-19 spread.

Californians will still have access and can travel for critical services, and it also allows outdoor activities to “preserve Californians’ physical and mental health.”

Kings County belongs to the San Joaquin Valley Region and will be forced to adhere to the new rules despite its individual ICU capacity. Overall, the San Joaquin Valley Region has met the available ICU capacity per the region’s current 8.6% numbers.

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According to local and state health officials, the following changes must be implemented throughout the San Joaquin Valley Region before 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, December 6. 

• Gatherings of any size with people outside an individual household are prohibited.
• Adherence to physical distancing and 100% masking in public spaces, critical infrastructure, and all other industries.

Furthermore, the state mandates the following sectors be closed. Some sectors were already closed under Kings County’s Purple Tier assignment:

• Indoor and outdoor playgrounds
• Indoor recreational facilities, including gyms and fitness centers
• Hair salons, barbershops, and personal care services include esthetic and skincare services, electrology, nail services, tattoo, piercing facilities, and massage services.
• Museums, zoos, and aquariums
• Movie theaters
• Wineries, bars, breweries, and distilleries
• Family entertainment centers
• Cardrooms and satellite wagering
• Limited services, such as laundromats/dry cleaners, auto repair shops, car washes, landscapers, door-to-door ser4vicesand sales, pet grooming, and dog walking
• Live audience sports

The following sectors must adopt additional modifications in addition to 100% masking and physical distancing:

• Outdoor recreational facilities: Outdoor operation only without any food, drink, or alcohol sales. Overnight stays at campgrounds will not be permitted.
• Retail: Indoor operation at 20% capacity with entrance metering and no eating or drinking in the stores. Additionally, special hours should be instituted for seniors and others with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.
• Shopping centers: Indoor operation at 20% capacity with entrance metering and no eating or drinking in the stores. Additionally, special hours should be instituted for seniors and others with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.
• Hotels and lodging: Open for critical infrastructure support only.
• Restaurants: Allow only for take-out or delivery.
• Offices: Remote only except for critical infrastructure sectors where remote working is not possible.
• Places of worship and political expression: Outdoor services only.
• Entertainment production, including professional sports: Allow operation without live audiences. Additionally, testing protocol and “bubbles” are highly encouraged.

Kings County’s schools, some that have students attending, will be allowed to remain open when remote working is not possible, with appropriate preventative measures including 100% masking and physical distancing. In addition, the following are allowed to remain open, along with the same criteria:

• Critical infrastructure
• Non-urgent medical and dental care
• Childcare and pre-K

The state’s order will remain in effect for at least three weeks and, after that period, it will be lifted when the region’s projected ICU capacity meets or exceed 15%. This will be assessed every week after the initial three-week period. Once the order is lifted, counties will be assigned to a risk tier (Purple, Red, Orange, or Yellow) based on testing positivity and case rates.

County officials say that regular testing is critical to curbing the spread and impact tier assignment. Free testing services continue to be available throughout Kings County seven days a week. For the current schedule and locations, visit www.kingscovidinfo.com and click on “Kings County: Free Mobile Testing Site Schedule.

In Kings County, the Kings County Department of Public Health reports that since the outbreak started there have been 6,094 cases reported. Active cases are 1,147 as of Dec. 5. Health officials say 80 Kings County residents have died since the beginning of the outbreak. However, state-operated correctional facilities in Kings County have reported 5,657 cases with 11 total deaths.  There are currently 1,525 active cases.