Nine CA Counties Allowed To Reopen And Expand Businesses

CALIFORNIA —The state downgraded nine counties into lower tier of the state's four-tiered COVID-19 risk blueprint Tuesday, California Department of Public Health Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly announced in an afternoon news conference.

The state also reported a record low 3 percent positivity rate over a 14 day period, and reported that test results are being processed faster with most receiving results in just over 24 hours.

Five counties, Alameda, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo and Solano counties, were moved into the red tier or substantial tier, below the widespread purple tier.

This means that the state will allow these counties to expand and open more businesses, should the county health department approve.

Most notably, counties that remain in the red tier for two weeks may consider reopening schools for in-person instruction, pending approval from the region's health department.

Restaurants will be allowed to resume indoor dining at 25 percent capacity and so will personal services such as nail salons and aestheticians, museums, zoos and movie theaters. Gyms and fitness centers will reopen indoors at 10 percent of their capacity.

Indoor shopping centers and libraries can expand their indoor capacity to 50 percent. Places of worship will also be allowed to resume indoor services at 25 percent capacity.

Hair salons and barbershops were allowed to reopen previously with some restrictions in place.

El Dorado, Lassen and Nevada counties have moved into the orange tier, which allows schools to reopen fully for in-person instruction and restaurants may open indoors at 50 percent capacity or host 200 people — whichever is fewer.

Mariposa county has moved to the yellow tier, minimal risk and is one of just three counties in the minimal tier. Within this tier, restaurants bars can open indoors at 50 percent capacity, schools may fully reopen and fitness centers may reopen at 50 percent capacity.

Ghaly repeatedly emphasized that the "slow and stringent approach," was necessary to keep the state on a steady downward trajectory.

"Our whole approach with slow and stringent comes from the lessons we learned in early spring and summer when businesses had just reopened, but were forced to close their doors..." he said.

As for businesses struggling to keep their doors open amid 25-50 percent capacity restrictions, Ghaly empathized but maintained that the tiered system was to prevent a spike from reoccurring.

"A number of our state agencies have had ongoing interactions with businesses," Ghaly said. "We're of course very sensitive and interested to support our economic sectors across the state."

Ghaly also warned of the upcoming flu season and a second wave of COVID-19 cases that have taken Europe by storm over the last few weeks.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the Bay Area was already seeing influenza cases. Health officials are urging Californians to get a flu shot and continue to wear a mask in public.