Statement to the Public Regarding COVID-19 and our Business Community
Like every city in every country in the world, we find ourselves at a “tipping point” where our actions will dictate our future. Change in the road ahead is imminent. How will we face down this pandemic is still ours to decide! Our business community has become a vital part of the fabric of life in Lafayette. Convenience, variety, and a preference to “small business” has made our downtown vibrant and fun. Many of these same merchants who know you by name, support your schools and causes and provide commerce in a local setting are at the brink of losing everything. Their businesses, their homes, their savings are all at stake.
Sound local leadership closed many of our businesses in the spring to stop the spread of COVID-19. And merchants took one for the team when they closed, and then did everything possible to reopen successfully. Our inability to keep this virus under control boils down to misleading information, a sense of invincibility, ignorance and bad behavior. We must do the “right thing” and flatten the curve. The only way to do that is to be more diligent in wearing masks, washing hands, social distance and staying at home when possible.
What is good for our businesses is good for us. Collecting sales tax is so important to the health of our city. Sales tax pays for police services, public works, and many of the other services you have come to expect in Lafayette.
From an editorial published on July 14, 2020 in the Journal of the American Medical Association:
Americans are increasingly adopting the use of cloth face masks to slow the spread of COVID-19, and the latest science may convince even more to do so.
In an editorial published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), CDC reviewed the latest science and affirms that cloth face coverings are a critical tool in the fight against COVID-19 that could reduce the spread of the disease, particularly when used universally within communities. There is increasing evidence that cloth face coverings help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others.
“We are not defenseless against COVID-19,” said CDC Director Dr. Robert R. Redfield. “Cloth face coverings are one of the most powerful weapons we have to slow and stop the spread of the virus – particularly when used universally within a community setting. All Americans have a responsibility to protect themselves, their families, and their communities.”
From the Contra Costa County Health Department: Requiring Face Coverings, Date of Order: 7/5/2020
This Order requires that all individuals in Contra Costa County wear face coverings in accordance with guidance issued by the State of California. Subject to the exemptions set forth in the State Face Covering Guidance, including but not limited to exemptions in industry guidance documents issued by the State of California, individuals and businesses in the County must comply with the following local requirements, as applicable:
- Individuals shall wear Face Coverings when less than 6 feet away from any person who is not a member of the individual’s household or living unit.
- Individuals must wear Face Coverings when inside or on the grounds of, or waiting in line to enter, any business.
All businesses must:
- Require their employees, contractors, owners, and volunteers to wear a Face Covering
- Take all reasonable steps to prohibit any member of the public who is not wearing a Face Covering from entering and must not serve that person if those efforts are unsuccessful.
Every business has the right to refuse service, as long as it is not discriminatory. No Mask- No Service.
One city. One push. We can do this!
Let us be leaders in the fight against the virus. 25,000 people, wearing masks, keeping social distancing, and helping to keep our merchants in business. Stop the spread of rumors. Know the facts. Get Tested! www.cdc.gov
- WEAR A MASK
- PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING
- STAY AT HOME WHEN POSSIBLE
It’s not complicated, yet it’s imperative. Lafayette, CA has always been a community that gets it! A little sacrifice now means a lot less sacrifice later.
Current Face Mask Mandate
The mandate calls for Californians to cover up while waiting in lines or indoors in public places, in various work settings and while in healthcare facilities. Here are the details:
You must wear a mask when …
- You’re inside any public space or waiting in line to enter one
- You’re in any healthcare setting, like a hospital, pharmacy, medical clinic, laboratory, physician or dental office, veterinary clinic or blood bank
- You’re waiting for or riding on public transportation or while in a taxi or ride-sharing vehicle
- You’re interacting with a member of the public at work, or working in any space visited by the public, even if you’re alone inside the workplace
- You’re working in a setting where food is prepared or packaged for sale or distribution
- You’re working in — or walking through — common areas like hallways, stairways, elevators, and parking lots
- You’re in any room or enclosed area where other people, except for members of your own household, are present — and physical distancing is difficult
- You’re driving or operating any public transportation or paratransit vehicle, taxi, private car service or ride-sharing vehicle and other passengers are present
- You’re outside in a public space and physical distancing isn’t possible
You don’t have to wear a mask if …
- You’re a child under the age of 2
- You have a medical, mental health, or developmental disability that prevents wearing a mask
- You’re hard of hearing or communicating with someone hard of hearing who needs to see your face
- Wearing a face covering would create a risk related to your work — as determined by local, state, or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines
- You’re obtaining a service involving the nose or face and need to take off the mask to do so
- You’re eating at a restaurant, provided you’re at least six feet away from the nearest table
- You’re swimming, walking, hiking, bicycling, or running outside and able to maintain social distance
- You’re incarcerated. Prisons and jails will have their own specific guidance on face masks, according to the state
Learn more at https://covid19.ca.gov/masks-and-ppe.
