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), December 8, 2020 (Resolution No. 1036-20), February 2, 2021 (Resolution No. 1042-21), March 30, 2021 (Resolution No. 1045-21), May 25, 2021 (Resolution No. 1057-21) and July 13, 2021 (Resolution No. 1069-21).
When the Council adopted its most recent resolution extending the emergency declaration related to COVID-19, the pandemic appeared to be coming under control; in June 2021 the state Blueprint for a Safer Economy and the stay at home order were rescinded, and vaccination rates in Santa Clara County were very high. However, in recent weeks the COVID-19 "Delta" variant has become the predominant strain of the virus in the United States and has resulted in substantial increases in case rates and hospitalizations. Santa Clara County recently reinstated indoor mask mandates for all individuals, and the California state of emergency and Santa Clara County's local emergency declarations related to COVID-19 remain in effect. In addition, many residents and businesses continue to suffer economic hardship that began while the stay-home orders were in effect. The recovery period for these individuals and businesses has only recently begun, and the impacts and uncertainties associated with the Delta variant surge have added more ...
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