San Mateo County Moves To Less Restrictive Orange Tier Following Decreases In Coronavirus Cases

Press release from the City of Millbrae:

March 16, 2021

The State of California announced today (Tuesday, March 16, 2021) that San Mateo County has moved into the less restrictive Orange Tier (moderate risks) on the State’s COVID-19 reopening plan following a decrease in coronavirus cases.

San Mateo County’s shift from the red tier to the orange tier is due to two metrics, calculated by the state: 1) case rate, which has fallen to 5.5 cases per 100,000 people, and 2) the testing positivity rate, which has fallen to 1.8%.

This risk level is considered “Moderate” under the State’s monitoring system and officials caution that businesses and individuals must continue to follow health and safety guidelines. San Mateo County’s health order still requires face coverings, social distancing, and limits gathering sizes.

Moving to Orange Tier allows:

• Restaurants indoors (max 50% capacity or 200 people, whichever is fewer)

• Wineries, bars, breweries, and distilleries (open indoors with modifications)

• All retail indoors (open indoors with modifications)

• Shopping centers, indoor malls (open indoors with modifications, closed common areas, reduced capacity food courts)

• Personal care services – hair and nail salons, barbershops (open indoors with modifications)

• Museums, zoos and aquariums (open indoors with modifications, indoor activities max 50% capacity)

• Places of worship (open indoors with modifications, max 50% capacity or 200 people, whichever is fewer)

• Movie theaters (open indoors with modifications, max 50% capacity or 200 people, whichever is fewer)

• Gyms and fitness centers indoors (open indoors with modifications, max 25% capacity, indoor pools allowed to open at max 25% capacity)

• Family entertainment centers (open indoors with modifications, max 25% capacity)

Businesses allowed operations must follow industry-specific guidelines for health and safety, face covering requirements and social distancing.

Learn more about operational guidelines at https://covid19.ca.gov/industry-guidance/.

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