Health officials in Santa Clara County began in 2021 by adding new restrictions on businesses – they now have to close their workers’ break-ins.
While officials told San José Spotlight that they had issued previous “guidelines” on break-ins, an earlier version of the province’s directive does not contain any language on closing indoor employee break-ins.
There are new updates to the capacity limitation guideline. To reduce the spread of COVID-19, we need businesses to close kitchens in the workplace and break down rooms for eating, drinking and for any gathering.
Read about the changes: https://t.co/Je6jTMWOdx pic.twitter.com/qstNzt6vL6
– Healthy SCC (@HealthySCC) 1 January 2021
According to the changes made on Dec. 31, businesses in Silicon Valley must ‘prohibit staff from using indoor dining rooms or break areas to eat or drink’, even if they are alone at the time.
Employees only have access to cafeterias and break rooms to use appliances such as coffee makers, refrigerators or microwaves. They can store or heat food, but cannot eat it inside the break room. Provincial officials recommend eating lunch in the car, the safest option.
Employees may use break areas for legally protected purposes, such as lactation.
“Eating inside a break room is one of the biggest risk activities during this pandemic, because break rooms are usually small with little ventilation, and face coverings must be removed to be able to eat,” the country said in an updated document. written with common questions. “Assignments have proven to be one of the most common causes of COVID-19 transmission in the workplace.”
Healthcare facilities and hospitals are exempt from this rule. Any businesses that cannot close their indoor dining rooms should make an exception at the country and come up with a safety plan, such as the actual interruptions or the creation of an outdoor break room. It should also increase ventilation in the room and regularly disinfect surfaces with high contact.
The province had earlier advised employees to wear masks in rooms, keep six meters away, stay seated, limit conversations and eat outside “where possible”.
The new rules come as Santa Clara County faces a disturbing increase in COVID-19 cases, hampering hospitals in the area.
As of December 31, the province had recorded 69,870 cumulative COVID-19 cases and 709 deaths. These figures reflect an increase of 2,507 new cases and 36 new deaths over the past few days. The province reported that 681 people with COVID-19 were hospitalized, and officials said only 28 ICU beds remained.
Access to COVID-19 vaccines is limited and slow.
The province has so far received more than 94,805 COVID-19 vaccines, but it is rolling them out in levels with health workers’ priority. Officials reported that this week they delivered 500 shots at a new clinic to firefighters, EMTs, nurses and paramedics on air ambulances.
Meanwhile, health officials are urging people to continue to be tested – especially if they have been exposed during the holidays.
For people without COVID-19 symptoms, the province offers indoor and transit websites. Those who have symptoms should use driveways to prevent others from becoming infected.
“There’s a light at the end of the tunnel through the vaccinations that have begun,” Santa Clara County COVID-19 test officer Marty Fenstersheib said. “But that does not mean we can watch. The rate of positivity is ten times lower than it was just two months ago – COVID-19 is more prevalent in the community than ever before. Anyone who believes they have been exposed should be quarantined and get tested. ”
Click here for a complete list of free test sites, including new sites opening next week in Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, Cupertino, Campbell and Palo Alto.