Sean Hecht quoted in KQED — Check: Has COVID-19 Closed Your Bay Area Park?

In California, a county public health officer’s order can limit access to lands managed by federal, state, tribal or city authorities in an emergency. It’s a step that some counties, including Marin and Sonoma, have already taken.  UCLA law professor Sean Hecht said it’s always the job of health officers to “take measures as may be necessary to prevent the spread of the disease or occurrence of additional cases.” When there’s a declared emergency, Hecht said health officers can “take any preventive measure that may be necessary to protect and preserve the public health from any public health hazard.”