Solano County Moves To Purple Tier: What To Know

SOLANO COUNTY, CA — Solano County is back in the Purple Tier, the California Department of Public Health announced Monday. The tier, which means coronavirus is widespread in the county, is the state's most restrictive.

The move was effective immediately for Solano and 27 other California counties because of a recent, unprecedented surge in cases — the fastest the state has seen since the beginning of the pandemic.

In response to the surge, the state made several changes to the tier assignment of the "Blueprint for a Safer Economy" framework to expedite movement of counties into more restrictive tiers. The state’s decision to move Solano County into the Purple Tier means that some indoor business operations and activities must close or reduce capacity.

The return to the Purple Tier adversely impacts small businesses throughout Solano County, including those who have been able to provide indoor services in the Red Tier for the past several weeks after having their operations restricted over the course of the pandemic, county officials said in a news release.

Effective Tuesday, county officials said the following businesses and activities in Solano County will have these restrictions:

• Gatherings: Maximum of three households
• Gyms and fitness centers: Outdoors only with modifications
• Movie theaters: Outdoors only with modifications
• Museums, zoos and aquariums: Outdoors only with modifications
• Places of worship: Outdoors only with modifications
• Restaurants: Outdoors only with modifications
• Family entertainment centers: Outdoors only with modifications
• Retail: Open indoors with a maximum of 25% occupancy
• Shopping centers: Open indoors with a maximum of 25% occupancy

As for schools, county officials said those that opened while Solano County was in the Red Tier can remain open but any schools that have not yet opened are no longer able to open except under the elementary school waiver.

"We urge residents to continue to be very careful about getting or spreading COVID-19, especially coming into the holidays," said Solano County Public Health Officer, Dr. Bela Matyas. "Maintain 6-feet distance, wear a mask, wash hands frequently, and stay home if you are sick."

California public health officials also encourage everyone to consider these practices:

• Stay home if you have symptoms of illness or are high-risk
• Maintain six feet of distance or more from those not in your household
• Wear face coverings
• Practice healthy hygiene habits
• Organize small gatherings outdoors with limited number of guests
• Stay local as much as possible
• Get tested through your healthcare provider or at community testing sites if you were exposed to someone with COVID-19 or have COVID-19-like symptoms

Since the pandemic began, there have been 8,959 total coronavirus cases in Solano County. As of Monday, the county had 612 active cases and 36 people hospitalized.

The virus is responsible for 79 deaths in Solano County.

The nearby counties of Napa and Contra Costa were also moved Monday to the Purple Tier. Sonoma County remains in the Purple Tier, while Marin County was reassigned to the Red Tier.

According to a news release Monday from the Office of Gov. Gavin Newsom, there are now 41 counties in Tier 1 (Purple/Widespread) with the addition Monday of the 28 counties below:

• Alameda
• Napa
• Santa Cruz
• Butte
• Nevada
• Siskiyou
• Contra Costa
• Orange
• Solano
• El Dorado
• Placer
• Sutter
• Fresno
• San Benito
• Trinity
• Glenn
• San Joaquin
• Tuolumne
• Kern
• San Luis Obispo
• Ventura
• Kings
• Mendocino
• Merced
• Santa Barbara
• Santa Clara
• Yolo
• Yuba

Nine counties moved back into Tier 2 (Red/Substantial):

• Colusa
• Marin
• Plumas
• Del Norte
• Modoc
• San Francisco
• Humboldt
• Mono
• San Mateo

Two counties moved back into Tier 3 (Orange/Moderate):

• Calaveras
• Sierra