Nevada County joins list of counties ending its local coronavirus stay-at-home order

Nevada County announced on Friday it is rescinding its local coronavirus stay-at-home order, but residents are still expected to adhere to the governor’s statewide order, county officials said.

Those officials say they hope to qualify in the coming days to accelerate the reopening of some businesses and restaurants under a fast-track plan proposed Thursday by Gov. Gavin Newsom. County officials said they have a Monday-morning appointment with the state Department of Health Services to review an accelerated reopening plan that officials said they are finalizing this weekend.

The county, which stretches from just north of Auburn to the Nevada state line, is home to Grass Valley, Truckee and Nevada City and has a population of just under 100,000.

The coronavirus appeared to reach Nevada County later than much of the state, with the first three cases confirmed on March 23. The county has not had a newly confirmed case since April 28.

So far, 41 residents have been infected and one has died, according to county health officials.

County officials pointed out on Friday that although Nevada County has rescinded its home-stay order, the statewide order issued by Newsom in March still requires most businesses to remain closed and for people to practice six-foot social distancing.

“We thank everyone for following the Stay-at-Home Order closely,” said Nevada County health chief Dr. Ken Cutler. “We are looking forward to working with our local businesses and employers to move safely with the state into Stage 2, but this is not a return to normal yet.”

County officials said they plan to put together a document that certifies they are ready to move forward more quickly on the governor’s Phase 2 reopening plan. That will include reopening restaurants for on-site dining, as well as reopening some work offices as well as stores and gyms.

County board chair Heidi Hall on Friday said local businesses have been hit with “unimaginable losses” during the nearly two-month coronavirus shutdown, but cautioned as well that any surge in new cases could throw the county off the reopening track, given the governor’s tough standards for counties that want an early reopening.

“This is a razor-thin margin,” she said. “Just 10 new positive cases or one death in a 14-day period and we are significantly set back.”

The governor on Thursday laid out a list of prerequisites for counties to qualify for that early opening, including a requirement that the county have trained contact tracers available to track down and test people who have come into contact with someone who has tested positive.

The state’s Stage 2 reopening plan is at covid19.ca.gov/roadmap.

This story was originally published May 8, 2020 at 11:30 AM.