By the Daily Post staff
Santa Clara Couny today moved out of the Purple Tier, the state’s most-restrictive Covid-19 tier, and into the Red Tier, which allows indoor restaurants to reopen.
San Francisco and Napa counties also moved into the Red Tier as the pandemic eases.
The three counties moved into the Red Tier based on their coronavirus case and test positivity rates. With San Mateo and Marin counties falling out of the purple tier last week, there are now five Bay Area counties in the red tier.
Starting tomorrow:
• Restaurants can offer indoor dining at maximum of 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer;
• Stores can allow up to 50% of their capacity of shoppers;
• Gyms and fitness centers can reopen at a maximum of 10% capacity;
• Movie theaters can operate at a maximum 25% of capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer; and
• Zoos, museums and aquariums can operate at 25% of indoor capacity.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday ordered the county to allow churches to resume indoor services.
“We are pleased to see case counts declining, vaccination rates increasing, and a continued commitment by our residents to wearing masks, social distancing, and staying outdoors as much as possible when interacting with people outside their household,” said Dr. Sara Cody, County Health Officer and Public Health Director.
“This is a pivotal moment: if our community continues to be cautious and follow public health guidance, things will continue to improve,” Cody said. “If people let down their guard and begin engaging in risky activities, we will likely see another surge in cases. Just because more activities will now be allowed to resume, it does not mean they are safe.”
Although more activities are allowed under the Red Tier, Cody urges everyone to remember that indoor activities are much higher risk than outdoor activities.
To stay healthy, she is urging people to:
• Stay outdoors. Outdoor activities are far safer than indoor ones.
• Stay masked.
• 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.
• Avoid crowds. The fewer people you encounter and the fewer interactions you have, the lower the chance the virus will spread.
• Get vaccinated when it is your turn.
Don’t get used to the end of these restrictions. Any excuse they can find will snap them back in place. It’s not about “the science” it’s about power.