7 of 9 counties in red tier
San Mateo set to move to orange; S.F. could follow
Solano and Alameda counties on Tuesday were cleared to move into the red tier, the secondmostrestrictive category of California’s reopening system.
With the move out of the most restrictive purple tier, seven of the Bay Area’s nine counties are now in the red tier, meaning most of the region can enjoy at least limited indoor dining, fitness, movies and museum shows. The changes will take effect in Solano and Alameda counties on Wednesday.
Only Contra Costa and Sonoma counties remain in the purple tier, though both are expected to move to red soon.
San Francisco is optimistic it will soon move to the orange tier. On Tuesday, Mayor London Breed told the Board of Supervisors the city is “trending fast” toward advancing as soon as March 24. San Mateo County is poised to be the first Bay Area county to move to orange, as early as next week.
“If we keep it up, it looks likely that could happen,” Breed said, reporting that 26%
of San Franciscans have received a vaccine and 68% of residents over the age of 65 got at least a first dose.
Under the red tier, indoor dining may resume at 25% capacity or 100 people. Indoor activities at museums, zoos and aquariums may reopen. Indoor gyms, climbing walls and “gentle” indoor fitness — like yoga and meditation — may reopen at up to 10% capacity. Funerals also can move inside at 25% capacity.
In all, six of the state’s 58 counties will move out of the purple tier and into the red on Wednesday, including Santa Cruz County, for a total of 20. Two counties — Mariposa and Plumas — will move from red into orange and one — Alpine — will advance to the least restrictive yellow tier.
Still, about 80% of the state’s population remains in counties that are in the purple tier.
The continued reopening of the Bay Area comes as the 7day positivity rate in California, a key measure, climbed to 2.8% on Tuesday, up from 2.2% a week prior. Case numbers and hospitalizations across the state are also plateauing, with 2,614 new confirmed cases and 171 deaths reported on Tuesday. Experts remain worried about new variants of the virus.
But vaccinations continue to ramp up across the state, with more than 10.6 million doses administered out of about 15 million delivered.
California’s tier assignments are based on a county’s daily coronavirus cases per 100,000 population, as well as its positive test rate. To move to a less restrictive tier, counties must remain in their current tier for at least three weeks, plus report case and positive test rates that meet the nexttier criteria for two weeks.
Last week, California officials said they would loosen the metrics required for counties to move from tier to tier, tied to the number of lowincome residents who have received vaccines statewide. The state has immunized about 1.8 million in that group so far. The relaxed criteria kick in when the group reaches 2 million, which officials estimate could happen later this week, with another easing of the rules at 4 million people.
According to the new guidelines, Contra Costa and Sonoma counties could move to the red tier later this week, though Contra Costa County officials said Tuesday they expected to move early next week.
“If we remain on the same path, which we expect that we will, that means that there will be some changes for our community early next week, or by midnext week,” Contra Costa County health director Anna Roth told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.
While most Bay Area county health departments have previously imposed more restrictive measures than required by state guidelines, Solano and Alameda counties will align with the state’s policies with the latest tier movement.
“The declining number of cases is great news for our community as a whole, with local businesses now able to expand operations,” said Dr. Bela Matyas, Solano County’s health officer, in a statement. “However, it is still critical for everyone to continue to practice health and safety measures.”
Dr. Nicholas Moss, Alameda County’s health officer, echoed that.
“Alameda County’s case rate is on the decline, and vaccinations of vulnerable residents and our frontline workers are progressing, but the COVID19 pandemic is not over,” he said.
As word spread of an imminent move to the red tier, Oakland climbing gym owner Alex Chuong began getting texts from parents of his young students aching to get back into the facility.
The move to red means gyms, including climbing gyms like Chuong’s Oaktown Boulders, can reopen at 10% capacity indoors. Unlike other gyms, he has not been able to move his climbing walls and other large equipment outside, so the gym has been closed — except for a brief three weeks — since March 2020.
“I’m so happy and excited,” Chuong said. “I’m mostly just happy for the families and kids. They’re going to be so psyched.”
Ricky Brown, a 59yearold retired Berkeley resident, said Tuesday he had mixed feelings about indoor dining reopening with Alameda County about to move into the red tier, but will probably do it.
“Part of me says yes and part of me says no . ... I have my fears about it as everybody does,” he said. “Twentyfive percent capacity makes me feel better.”
Ken Ingersoll, owner of Gracie’s BBQ restaurant in downtown Vallejo, was thrilled to finally roll down the garage doors that he opened to create an outdoor dining service in his small eatery. The cold winds off Mare Island Strait were not ideal for customers enjoying a hot Gracie’s pulled pork sandwich.
“It’s a big deal. It’s been a tough go for restaurants,” Ingersoll said Tuesday. “We’re hit in so many different directions.”
A year ago, he employed 24 workers, but the number has dropped to nine. And he says he’s fared better than other restaurants, as his smoked barbecue fits the demand for takeout.
“You can’t do that with pancakes,” he said.
Other business owners also cheered the news.
Mostafa Hallaji, 65 and a coowner of Original Pollo’s, an international food restaurant in downtown Berkeley, reopened indoor dining at 25% on Tuesday.
He said he isn’t worried about the coronavirus, as long as people continue to do their part and wear masks.
“It’s good to be cautious and be careful,” he said, spraying down tables with disinfectant.
He said he’d lost up to 80% of business at one point, and he welcomes loosening restrictions.
“Of course it’s going to make a big difference,” he said.