Santa Clara County Moving Into Red Tier Of State’s Blueprint For A Safer Economy

Press release from the City of Palo Alto:

March 2, 2021

Santa Clara County announced today that it will be moving into California's Blueprint for a Safer Economy Red Tier effective Wednesday, March 3. The red "substantial risk" tier is less restrictive than the purple "widespread risk" tier and allows for additional activities.

The following changes are effective, Wednesday, March 3:

• All activities authorized under the State’s Red Tier, including indoor dining, can resume in accordance with State capacity limits and safety protocols, including:
  • Indoor dining at maximum 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer;
  • Retail stores at maximum 50% capacity;
  • Gyms and fitness centers at maximum 10% capacity;
  • Movie theaters at maximum 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer; and
  • Zoos, museums, and aquariums at 25% maximum indoor capacity.
• Sector and activity-specific local directives will no longer be in effect.
• The Mandatory Directive on Travel will no longer be in effect.

The City will be evaluating how this impacts City Services in the coming days.

Although more activities are allowed under the Red Tier, the County Health Officer urges everyone to remember that indoor activities are much higher risk than outdoor activities and to take every step to reduce your risk as much as possible. To keep yourself, your family, your friends and neighbors, and our broader community safe, follow these core principles:

1. Stay outdoors. Outdoor activities are far safer than indoor ones.
2. Stay masked. Consistent use of face coverings both indoors and outdoors, especially double-masking, is very effective at preventing spread of the coronavirus.
3. Maintain at least 6-foot distance from others. Social distancing from those who do not live with you is effective at keeping the coronavirus away.
4. Avoid crowds. The fewer people you encounter and the fewer interactions you have, the lower the chance the virus will spread.
5. Get vaccinated when it is your turn. All federally approved vaccines work well and will help keep you, your family, and your friends safe.

For more information on this announcement, read the full Santa Clara County press release.

For more City-related information, including outdoor dining and retail, services, and more, please visit cityofpaloalto.org/Coronavirus.

For more information on what the State allows in the Red Tier, please visit covid19.ca.gov.

This press release was produced by the City of Palo Alto. The views expressed here are the author’s own.