Hair Salons, Barbershops, Malls May Reopen In Alameda County

ALAMEDA COUNTY, CA — Indoor malls, hair salons and barbershops may reopen Friday in Alameda County.

Mall stores, food courts and other gathering areas at must be limited to 25 percent capacity, the county said Wednesday in a news release.

The county also announced that retail was limited to 25 percent capacity and grocery stores were limited to 50 percent capacity, in accordance with new state guidelines.

Last week the state announced it was moving from its monitoring list system to a four-tiered, color-coded county risk level system, which dictates which businesses may start to reopen — though counties may be more restrictive if they wish. Counties are ranked purple (widespread risk), red (substantial risk), orange (moderate risk) or yellow (minimal risk).

Alameda County is currently in the purple tier, which allowed it to reopen indoor malls, hair salons and barbershops. But until Wednesday, the county had not made any modifications to its restrictions. Hair salons and barbershops were allowed to operate outdoors, but some stylists called this practice unsanitary and impractical.

Alameda County's Office of Education also announced Wednesday that it would begin accepting waivers from elementary schools that wish to reopen for in-person instruction.

Read more: Elementary School Classroom Openings: Alameda County Waivers

Unsure if a business is allowed to reopen in Alameda County? Check this list.