Alameda County To Allow Outdoor Gatherings Of 12 People

ALAMEDA COUNTY, CA — As the death toll for coronavirus in Alameda County climbed to 101 on Friday, the county announced a further easing of shelter-in-place rules.

Beginning Monday, Alameda County will allow outdoor gatherings of up to 12 people between members of a "social bubble" and loosen restrictions pertaining to businesses, child care and more.

The county has defined "social bubbles" as groups of up to 12 people that may attend outdoor events together, according to a new county order released Friday. Different households may comprise a social bubble, but no person can participate in more than one social bubble, unless that person is a child who is subject to a shared custody agreement. Social bubbles should be maintained for a minimum of three weeks.

Similarly, kids may now join child care or youth extracurricular groups of up to 12 children. Groups are to be kept in separate rooms if they are part of the same facility, according to the order. Kids can't be members of more than one child care or extracurricular group during any three-week period, but they may simultaneously be part of a social bubble.

Social bubbles or groups of kids are strongly encouraged to respect social distancing requirements and wear face coverings, according to the order.

The new Alameda County order also allows: child care providers to serve all children, not just those of essential workers; schools to resume career internship and pathway programs; businesses such as pet grooming and appliance repair shops to reopen with limited person-to-person contact; and libraries to reopen for curbside pickup.

Looking forward, Alameda County said that outdoor museums, outdoor dining, religious services and other outdoor activities such as fitness classes may resume in upcoming iterations of the shelter-in-place order.

Read the order below: