The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department has issued a health officer order effective Sunday, April 5, that provides clarity for businesses in the county regarding the governor’s stay-at-home order. The health officer order will run through May 4, unless extended.

Violation of the health officer order may constitute a misdemeanor crime, punishable by a fine up to $1,000, imprisonment, or both.

Those who suspect Lompoc businesses of violating the order as outlined below may report the issue to the Lompoc Police Department using the online citizen concern form at the following website:

https://www.cityoflompoc.com/government/departments/economic-community-development/code-enforcement/citizen-concern-form. The form is also linked from the city’s COVID-19 information and resources webpage.

The citizen concern form has been altered to include capability for reporting COVID-19 related business issues.

The city of Lompoc expects local businesses will voluntarily comply with the terms of the health officer order, which reads as follows:

» Food facilities must offer food to go only, and comply with hygiene and social distancing standards or be subject to permit suspension and mandatory closure.

a. Food Facilities: Restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and coffee shops may only remain open to offer food for pick-up, delivery or drive-thru.
b. All food must be in containers.
c. Food must be consumed off-site. No provision for on-site dining allowed.
d. All food workers must wear facial covers (covering nose and mouth) supplied by the employer and maintained in a clean, sanitary manner.
e. Six-foot spacing must be maintained between customers.
f. Workers may not work while ill.
g. Food facility employees or volunteers who have had symptoms of COVID-19 shall return to work only when they have been free of symptoms for at least 72 hours without medication and at least seven days have elapsed since the onset of symptoms.
h. The Health Officer recommends that food facility operators actively screen all workers, volunteers, and outside vendors for COVID-19 symptoms upon each individual’s arrival at the food facility. Individuals who exhibit symptoms consistent with COVID-19 as defined by the Santa Barbara County Health Officer shall be immediately excluded from the facility.

» The following businesses are ordered to close without exception:

1. Bars and nightclubs that do not serve food;
2. Movie theaters, live performance venues, bowling alleys, and arcades;
3. Gyms, and fitness centers, and aquatic centers;
4. Wineries, breweries, and tap rooms that provide tastings;
5. Trophy shops or trophy businesses;
6. Tattoo parlors, tattoo businesses, tattoo artists, and body art facilities;
7. Barbers, hair salons and hairstylists;
8. Campgrounds and RV parks, public and private. Only those who certify that the RV is their primary residence may be permitted to stay in the RV park;
9. Nail salons, manicurist and pedicurists to close except for medical necessity e.g. medical treatment for diabetes;
10. Day spas and massage parlors, except as required for prescribed medical treatment.

» The following must close:

Swimming pools, hot tubs, spas, saunas, steam rooms (except those in a single-family residence or medical setting, with medically prescribed therapy carried out with individuals six feet apart).

The full health order can be viewed at: https://countyofsb.org/uploadedFiles/phd/PROGRAMS/Disease_Control/Corona/HealthOfficer%20Order%20.