The California Division of Public Well being has deemed Tesla staff “important staff” within the state, and exempted the corporate from new Covid-19 well being orders introduced by Gov. Gavin Newsom this week. The designation means Tesla’s U.S. automotive plant in Fremont, California, can proceed working in accordance with its prior Covid-19 security plan.

The brand new Restricted Keep at Residence Order impacts a majority of California’s residents starting Saturday. It imposes a curfew, asking nonessential work and gatherings to cease between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.

In response to a CNBC inquiry about how the curfew would influence Tesla’s staff, the CPHD wrote:

“The Restricted Keep at Residence Order doesn’t apply to those staff as they’re deemed important staff – manufacturing is listed as an important workforce. You can find more here. The Important Manufacturing Sector identifies a number of industries to function the core of the sector together with Transportation Gear Manufacturing Merchandise. Whereas working, this sector should observe industry guidance for manufacturing.”

Native authorities in Alameda County, the place Fremont is positioned, may place further restrictions on high of state steering sooner or later, however they haven’t executed so but.

A spokesperson for the Alameda County Public Well being Division declined to reply any questions on Tesla, however despatched a press assertion to CNBC from November 16.

The assertion notes, amongst different issues, that Alameda County is going through a surge of Covid-19 circumstances and hospitalizations. The county is now in California’s “purple tier,” essentially the most restrictive stage within the state’s “reopening framework.” Subsequently, as of midnight November 18, “all actions and sectors should conform to the state’s necessities for counties within the Purple Tier.”

The Alameda County Public Well being division assertion additionally says: “Because the state of affairs develops, we might have to additional limit actions to gradual the unfold of the virus.”

In the meantime, the California Division of Public Well being emphasised that it issued guidance again in July, for manufacturing industries “to assist a safer decrease danger setting for staff.” That steering has not been up to date with any new necessities or precautions for staff in a manufacturing unit setting.

When the Covid-19 virus emerged in California earlier this 12 months, Alameda County’s well being authority required Tesla to wind right down to minimal primary operations in Fremont, whereas hammering out an appropriate office security plan that might shield manufacturing unit staff from the novel coronavirus.

Tesla and CEO Elon Musk defied the well being orders, and seemingly confronted no repercussions.

Nonetheless, Musk has since insulted California’s enterprise setting.

For instance, he tweeted on October 30, 2020: “I’ve spent greater than half my life in California & love the state. However, frankly, I feel CA has the winning-for-too-long downside. Like a sports activities group with many championships, it’s more and more troublesome to keep away from complacency & a way of entitlement.”

On November 14, Musk disclosed that he “doubtless” had a “average” case of Covid-19, and was experiencing signs.

The information that Tesla’s manufacturing unit can proceed working below the security plans beforehand agreed upon by the county and state well being authorities will come as a reduction to some Tesla shareholders.

CFO Zachary Kirkhorn mentioned throughout a third-quarter earnings name that Tesla remains to be aiming for deliveries of 500,000 electrical automobiles in 2020. Even with a brand new, Shanghai manufacturing unit on-line this 12 months, that quantity nonetheless proves a problem to Musk’s automotive firm. In 2019, Tesla delivered roughly 367,500 automobiles.

Tesla didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.