With New California COVID Orders, The Valley Wonders Who Will Enforce Them

The question remains as to who will enforce updating COVID-19 orders and guidelines in Fresno and the greater Central Valley.

Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Thursday, December 3, that a new regional stay-at-home order for California will take effect this weekend.

The public health order states that at 12:59 P.M. on December 5, if a region falls below the 15 percent ICU threshold, they will have 24 hours to implement a Stay at Home Order.

The regional Stay at Home Orders will require residents to stay home as much as possible and close operations for certain sectors. It also mandates mask-wearing in public at all times and physical distancing.

The order splits California up into five regions: Northern California, Bay Area, Greater Sacramento, Southern California, and San Joaquin Valley.

The San Joaquin Valley includes Fresno, Calaveras, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, San Benito, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tulare, and Tuolumne counties.

While these may be the most specific orders California has received in months, who will be enforcing these orders in the San Joaquin Valley remains unclear.

Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims said on Thursday that the department would not be enforcing the stay-home-order, according to ABC30.

"We were told by OES (Governor's Office of Emergency Services), they will continue to use state agencies to enforce these orders," said Mims.

However, Newsom said much of the enforcement would remain on a local level.

He also said there would be consequences for counties that do not enforce the restrictions.

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