Sonoma on lockdown: The ghosts are all shopping

Other than sparse traffic around Sonoma Plaza — except for a to-go coffee queue at the Basque Boulangerie — Sonoma looked in a business-as-usual mode on the first day of a County-mandated lockdown that went into effect at midnight.

Street traffic is light, but not noticeably so. Though schools, restaurants and many shops are closed, grocery store parking lots are weekend busy, with  Sonoma Market and Safeway doing big business. (Or crammed with folks waiting for the Purell truck to arrive.)

If you expected a ghost town, turns out the ghosts are all at the store buying toilet paper.

The Health Order directs residents to shelter in place until April 7, limiting activity, travel and business functions to “only the most basic and essential needs.” Espresso and Chai Tea included — to go, of course.

The lockdown order, in place at least until April 7, also mandates that people in public, “must at all times as reasonably possible maintain social distancing of at least six feet from any other person.” So not only are the lines long, the lines are really long.

Violators — the crowders and close-talkers — are subject to as yet unspecified action by law enforcement. A slap on the gloved wrist? Fines? Let’s hope it doesn’t come to arrests, God forbid, although solitary confinement might be the only way to beat this thing.