|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
For the first time in months, San Mateo County is moving to the less restrictive orange tier on the state’s COVID-19 Blueprint for a Safer Economy, health and county officials said Tuesday. The county is the first in the Bay Area to reopen to the orange tier since last November.
The tier system, yellow, orange, red and purple, is based on a county’s COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people and its positive test rate. The orange tier designation means businesses can increase their operations since case rates have decreased. Shopping malls, restaurants and offices can reopen inside with some modifications.
County Board of Supervisors President David J. Canepa expressed excitement about the news.
“I feel like the sun is shining again on San Mateo County as moving to the orange tier marks that we are making a true comeback. It means that there is no longer a substantial risk of catching COVID in this county. Now we must minimize the risk if we want to move to yellow and then green to complete this historic comeback. That means respecting the health orders of social distancing, frequent hand washing, avoiding large crowds and most importantly wearing your damn masks, especially if you are going to enjoy a pint during St. Patrick’s Day,” he said in a statement.
The move to the orange tier allows shopping malls, places of worship, restaurants, offices, bars and breweries, movie theaters, gyms, fitness centers and indoor pools to reopen with some modifications. Places of worship and dine-in restaurants can open at 50% capacity or 200 people, whichever is fewer, for example. Offices are still encouraged to have employees work remotely, but they now have the option of having staff on-site. Indoor hot tubs, saunas and steam rooms must still stay closed.
The move to orange also allows family entertainment centers such as bowling alleys, go-kart racing, mini golf and batting cages to reopen with modifications, and smaller amusement and theme parks can reopen with limited capacity to 25% or 500 people, but only outdoor attractions can open. Reservations or advanced ticket sales are required, and access is limited to local attendees from the same county as the park’s location.
Hotels, lodging and short-term lodging rentals, museums, zoos and aquariums can open indoors with modifications, according to state guidelines.
The state has updated its guidance and framework for reopening K-12 schools for in-person learning for the 2020-21 school year. Anyone interested in the potential impact on local schools should contact local school districts, the county noted.
Youth and adult recreational sports guidelines can be found here.
Information by industry sector can be found on the state’s Industry Guidance website.
Find comprehensive coverage on the Midpeninsula’s response to the new coronavirus by Palo Alto Online, the Mountain View Voice and the Almanac here.