Coronavirus Update: Shelter In Place Orders Could Come To Colorado, Here's How California Residents Are
DENVER (CBS4)- Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said Thursday sheltering in place has not been ruled out for Denver, after San Miguel County, issued a shelter in place order - the first in Colorado.
While Hancock said he's not ready just yet to issue the order, he said he is looking to the Bay Area to learn more about how other municipalities are handling shelter in place orders. So, CBS4 decided to take a closer look at how shelter in place orders are affecting folks on the West Coast.
"The streets are empty, which is a first," said Peter Tyler, of Oakland. "It's kind of an eerie feeling."
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Tyler has been under shelter in place orders since Tuesday.
"There were officers around, telling people,'Hey when we implement shelter in place at midnight, you will need to be at home, or there will be citations ordered, if necessary,'" Tyler said.
The orders say "violation or failure to comply with this order is a misdemeanor, punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both."
The restrictions also ban all non-essential travel and people must work from home, unless they provide an "essential service" - like health care and public safety workers.
However, folks are still allowed to go to the grocery store, pharmacy, bank, or gas station.
Nicholas Bradley manages a cannabis shop in San Jose. He says the city of San Jose still considers cannabis staff essential, but some counties in the Bay Area don't.
"Our city has deemed cannabis as essential, but the county has said only medical transactions can occur," Bradley explained.
All in all, he says business is down, and he's just trying to survive like everyone else.
"We've heard about it and seen it in things like movies, but it's definitely a different beast when it's reality for you," Bradley said.