Reopenings: 4 Bay Area counties remain in state’s most restrictive category
With California continuing to move toward a reopening of its economy, four Bay Area counties — Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano and Sonoma — remain in the purple, the most restrictive tier of the state’s blueprint.
While two of those counties, Alameda and Solano, could move into the red tier as soon as next week, the future is more murky for the other two.
Two main metrics are used to determine which tier a county can be in: a sevenday average of daily COVID19 cases per 100,000 people, and a
sevenday average of all positive coronavirus tests in each county. Counties also must meet certain metrics that determine whether test positivity rates in disadvantaged neighborhoods are on par with overall positivity rates.
There are four tiers in California’s reopening blueprint — purple, orange, red and yellow — from most restrictive to least restrictive. Moving to the red tier allows activities like indoor dining and museum attendance, with restrictions. Moving to the orange tier allows counties to host outdoor sports events with live audiences, and for amusement parks to open. Individual counties may adopt more stringent rules tierbytier than the state allows.
California on Wednesday announced it would loosen the metrics required for counties to move from tier to tier, tied to the number of lowincome residents who have received vaccines in the state. The state has immunized about 1.6 million in that group so far and the relaxed criteria kick in when it reaches 2 million, which officials estimate could happen in a week or two, with another easing of the rules at 4 million.
That could accelerate how quickly some Bay Area counties move to the next tier. But each county’s progression could also be jeopardized if case and positivity rates start climbing back up.
Each county has to remain in its tier for three weeks. Counties must report the next tier’s metrics for two consecutive weeks to advance, and they cannot skip a tier.
Here’s where each Bay Area county stands, and the soonest that each county could graduate into a less restrictive tier. Alameda County: Currently in the purple tier. But the county has been reporting red tier metrics for one week already. Its case rate per 100,000 people is 6.3, according to data released by the state this week. The sevenday test positivity average in Alameda County is 2.4%. Since Alameda County has been reporting metrics that would qualify it for the red tier for one week, it could move into that tier as soon as next week. Contra Costa County: Currently in the purple tier. Under California’s old tiered system, Contra Costa would still be reporting purple tier metrics.
Its case rate per 100,000 is 9.5, according to data released by the state this week. The county’s positivity rate is 3.5%. The soonest Contra Costa could graduate into the red tier is the week of March 21. But that’s only if its case rate per 100,000 people doesn’t climb above 10. Marin County: Marin was among the first Bay Area counties to begin reopening. It has been in the red tier since the week of Feb. 22. Its case rate is 5.5, and its positivity rate is 1.9%. The earliest Marin County could expect to be in the orange tier is the week of March 14. It will have to report a case rate below 3.9 beginning next week to qualify for the next tier. Napa County: Moved to the red tier this week. Its case rate is 5.9, and the positivity rate is 2.3%, according to data released by the state this week. Napa’s
case rate leaves it in the red tier. The soonest Napa could graduate into the orange tier would be the week of March 21 — but that’s only if its case rate drops below 3.9 beginning next week. San Francisco County: Entered the red tier this week. Its case rate is 3.5%, while its positivity rate is 1.5%, according to data released by the state this week. Since San Francisco only started in the red tier beginning this week, the earliest it could graduate into the orange tier would be the week of March 21. San Mateo County: Rose to the red tier the week of Feb. 22. Its case rate is 4, and its positivity rate is 1.7%, according to data released by the state this week. San Mateo’s case rate still places it in the red tier — but very close to the orange tier. The earliest San Mateo could be placed in the orange tier would be the week of March 21.
Santa Clara County: Moved to the red tier this week. Its case rate is 5.8, and its positivity rate is 2.1%, according to data released by the state earlier this week. Since Santa Clara was placed in the red tier this week, the earliest it could graduate to the orange tier would be the week of March 21.
Solano County: Currently in the purple tier. While the county’s case rate is 7.7, its health officer, Dr. Bela Matyas, said during a county Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday that Solano’s positivity rates in its census tracts most affected by the pandemic have dipped low enough for it to qualify for the red tier. Its total test positivity rate is 2.6%, according to data released by the state this week. Since Solano has met the health equity metric for one week already, it could advance to the red tier as early as next week, Matyas said.
Sonoma County: Currently in the purple tier. While its positivity rate qualifies it for a less restrictive tier, its case rate does not. The county’s positivity rate is 3.5%, according to data released by the state this week, while its case rate is 10 per 100,000. The earliest Sonoma County could move into a new tier is the week of March 21.