REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Adopt a Resolution Extending the City's Declaration of Local Emergency for COVID-19
Report
DISCUSSION
On March 12, 2020, City Manager Kent Steffens declared a local health emergency pursuant to the authority granted to him as the Emergency Services Director in Sunnyvale Municipal Code Chapter 2.16 (Emergency Organization and Functions) and applicable state law. The City Council adopted a resolution ratifying that declaration (Resolution No. 979-20) on March 17, 2020, and resolutions extending the declaration on April 7, 2020, (Resolution No. 981-20), May 26, 2020, (Resolution No. 994-20), July 14, 2020, (Resolution No. 1010-20), August 25, 2020, (Resolution No. 1016-20), October 13, 2020 (Resolution No. 1025-20), and December 8, 2020 (Resolution No. 1036-20).
The emergency conditions related to COVID-19 continue. Since the Council's last extension of the emergency, COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths at the local, state, and national levels have surged to the highest levels yet seen in the pandemic. In November, Santa Clara County moved back into the "purple" tier, the most restrictive tier in the State's risk-assessment system. In early December, due to rapidly rising case numbers, the state layered over the tier framework a regional stay-at-home order that is triggered when regions in the state drop below 15% ICU capacity. As of the date this report was written, approximately 98% of Californians were subject to a stay-at-home order. ICU capacity in the Bay Area region was averaging around 5% and the stay-at-home order was extended indefinitely. The rate of distribution of vaccinations is currently much lower than originally anticipated and current reports estimate that it will be months before they are broadly available to the general public.
Therefore, staff anticipates that the COVID-19 emergency conditions will continue for some time before the public health orders are rescinded. Staff recommends that Council a...
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