County of Fresno

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Ordered Closure

HEALTH OFFICER ORDER FOR COUNTY OF FRESNO
TO CLOSE ALL IMMANUEL SCHOOLS

Please read this Order carefully. Violations of or failure to comply with this Order is a crime punishable by
fine, imprisonment, or both. Violators are also subject to civil enforcements actions including civil
penalties of up to $1,000 per violation per day, injunctive relief, and attorneys’ fees and costs. (Health and
Safety Code Section 120275; Penal Code Section 19; Government Code Sections 25132 and 8665;
County Ordinance 2.44.100
Under the authority of California Health and Safety Code Sections 101040, 101085,120175, and
120275; Title 17 California Code of Regulations Section 2501; Article XI of the California Constitution;
California Government Code Sections 8610, 8630, 8634, and 8665; and Fresno County Code Section
2.44.100, The Health Officer of the County of Fresno (“Health Officer”) Orders:
1. All Immanuel Schools, headquartered at 1128 South Reed Avenue, Reedley, CA 93654, regardless
of grade level taught or building location, shall close for in-person instruction until Fresno County has
come off the State’s Monitoring List for fourteen (14) consecutive days. School community members
– including parents, teachers, staff and students – can track daily data on whether and why their
county is on the Monitoring List at https://covid19.ca.gov/roadmap-counties/#track-data.
2. All Immanuel Schools, regardless of grade level taught, shall follow the State of California’s School
and School Based Program Guidance (PDF).
3. Any elementary school wishing to receive a State waiver to open in-person instruction (PDF) shall
only be granted the waiver at the discretion of the Fresno County Health Officer.
4. Violation of this order will subject Immanuel Schools to civil enforcement actions including civil
penalties of up to $1,000 per violation per day, injunctive relief, and attorneys’ fees and costs.
5. This Order is issued as a result of the worldwide pandemic of COVID-19 disease, also known as
“novel coronavirus” which has infected over ten million individuals worldwide in over 200 countries
and is implicated in over 700,000 worldwide deaths, including over 16,000 cases and 150 deaths in
Fresno County. These numbers increase significantly every day.
6. This Order is issued based on evidence of increasing transmission of COVID-19 both within the
County of Fresno and worldwide, scientific evidence regarding the most effective approach to slow
transmission of communicable diseases generally and COVID-19 specifically as well as best
practices as currently known and available to protect the public from the risk of spread or of exposure
to COVID-19.

Promotion, preservation and protection of the community’s health
1221 Fulton Street /P. O. Box 11867, Fresno, CA 93775
(559) 600-3200
FAX (559) 600-7687
The County of Fresno is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer
www.co.fresno.ca.us
www.fcdph.org

 7. This Order is intended to address the strain upon the health care system from the effects of the
COVID-19 virus. Similarly, this Order is intended to reduce the likelihood of exposure to COVID-19,
thereby slowing the spread of COVID-19 in communities worldwide.
8. This Order is issued in accordance with, and incorporates by reference, the: March 4, 2020
Proclamation of a State of Emergency issued by Governor Gavin Newsom; the March 13, 2020
Declaration of a National Emergency issued by President Donald Trump; the March 15, 2020
Declaration of Local Health Emergency based on an imminent and proximate threat to public health
from the introduction of novel COVID-19 in Fresno County; the March 15, 2020 Declaration of Local
Emergency; the March 17, 2020 Resolutions of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Fresno
ratifying the Local Emergency and Local Health Emergency; the guidance issued on March 11, 2020
by the California Department of Public Health regarding large gatherings of 250 people or more;
Governor Gavin Newsom’s Executive order N-25-20 of March 12, 2020 preparing the State to
commandeer hotels and other places or temporary residence, medical facilities, and other facilities
that are suitable as places of temporary residence or medical facilities as necessary for quarantining,
isolating, or treating individuals who test positive or COVID-19 or who have had a high-risk exposure
and are thought to be in the incubation period; the guidance issued on March 15, 2020 by the centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, the California Department of Public Health, and other public
health officials through the United States and around the world recommending the cancellation of
gatherings involving more than fifty (50) or more persons in a single space at the same time;
Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-33-20 giving the state the ability to increase the health care
capacity in clinics, mobile health care units and adult day health care facilities and allowing local
governments more flexibility to utilize the skills of retired employees in order to meet the COVID-19
surge; Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-39-20 indented to expand the health care workforce
and recruit health care professionals to address the COVID-19 surge; the California Public Health
Officer’s Order issued July 17, 2020; the California Department of Public Health’s July 17, 2020
guidelines on reopening schools; and the California Department of Public Health’s Industry Guidance
for Schools and School Based Programs updated on August 3, 2020 . The Governor and the County
Public Health Officer continue to issue COVID-19-related orders to mitigate the public health crisis.
9. This order is made in accordance with all applicable State and Federal laws, including but not limited
to: Health and Safety Code Sections 101030, et seq.: Health and Safety Code Sections 120100, et.
Seq.; and Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations Section 2501.
10. To the extent necessary, pursuant to Government Code Sections 26602 and 41601 and Health and
Safety Code Section 101029, the Health Officer requests that the Sheriff and all Chiefs of Police in
the County ensure compliance with and enforcement of this Order. Violators are also subject to civil
enforcement actions including civil penalties of up to $1,000 per violation per day, injunctive relief,
and attorneys’ fees and costs.
11. Copies of this Order shall promptly be (1) made available at the County of Fresno Department of
Public Health office located at 1221 Fulton Mall, Fresno, CA 93721; and (2) provided to any member
of the public requesting a copy of this Order.

(Signature of Health Officer or Deputy Health Officer)

August 13, 2020
(Date of Issuance of Order)

 NOTICE OF RIGHTS
1. If you object to this order, you have a right to arrange for your own legal representative.

2. You have a right to also file for judicial relief to seek release from the order.

3. All requests to contact the County Health Officer will be through FCDPH at (559) 600-3332
during normal business hours. After hours, weekends, and holidays notify FCDPH On-Call
staff at (559) 352-7067. If no response, contact County Sheriff Dispatch at (559) 600-3111.

(Signature of Health Officer or Deputy Health Officer)

August 13, 2020
(Date of Issuance of Order)