Health Officer Closes ‘Nonessential’ Tuolumne County Lodging
Sonora, CA — Enhancing efforts to discourage visitors into Tuolumne County during the COVID-19 emergency public health officials are shutting down nonessential short-term lodging.
Friday afternoon, Interim Tuolumne County Health Officer Eric Sergienko issued an order and an explanation to businesses, renters, property owners, businesses and residents.
Citing any continued operations as a direct violation of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Stay At Home order, the doctor also noted that it encourages visitors to the county, thus increasing the potential to both spread the virus, strain the local health care system, and impair efforts to mitigate COVID-19 from spreading within the county and across the state.
The order stipulates that short-term lodging, vacation rentals, timeshares, hotels, motels and other facilities may remain open if they are being used for COVID-19 mitigation and containment measures.
These specifically include isolating and quarantining those who need it; protecting the homeless population and displaced persons who cannot safely return home due to COVID-19 related issues or emergencies such as domestic violence and wildfires; and housing essential workers in the sectors listed within the Stay At Home order.
There are also prohibitions on any short-term lodging renting or leasing activities for nonessential reasons.
While seeking voluntary compliance, the order states that failure to abide by it could result fines, imprisonment or both. Anyone with questions is asked to call Public Health at 209 533-7401.
