These Pleasanton Businesses Can Open; County Now In Orange Tier

PLEASANTON, CA — Improving COVID-19 metrics will allow more Pleasanton businesses and establishments to reopen and operate under fewer restrictions.

The state moved Alameda County into the less-strict orange tier Tuesday, which is the second-best tier and represents moderate risk in California's four-tiered, color-coded COVID-19 risk assessment system. Changes will go into effect at midnight and the county must remain there for at least three weeks before it could be eligible to move into the least-strict yellow tier.

The county urges people to get vaccinated and remain vigilant in order to progress into the yellow tier.

“Our metrics have improved, but this pandemic is not yet in our rear-view mirror,” said Dr. Nicholas Moss, county health officer, in a news release. “Variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 are circulating in our county, case rates are rising in other parts of the country and, while nearly a quarter of Alameda County residents aged 16 and older have been fully vaccinated, we aren’t at the levels required for broad community protection or immunity.”

Here are some of the services that may resume Wednesday, with safety modifications:

• Hair salons, barbershops, personal care services.
• Indoor dining (50 percent maximum capacity indoors or 200 people; whichever is lower).
• Indoor shopping centers (no common areas, reduced capacity food courts).
• Worship houses (50 percent maximum capacity indoors).
• Fitness centers (25 percent maximum capacity indoors).
• Indoor pools, climbing walls.
• Movie theaters (50 percent maximum capacity indoors or 200 people, whichever is lower).
• Museums, zoos, aquariums (50 percent maximum capacity indoors).
• Wineries, breweries distilleries (no reservations or 90-minute time limit requirements, and must serve a maximum 25 percent capacity indoors or 100 people, whichever is lower).
• Bars without food (open outdoors only).
• Family entertainment centers (bowling alleys OK; can open indoors at maximum 25 percent capacity for distanced activities).
• Gatherings: Indoor strongly discouraged, but allowed with masks and social distancing and a maximum of three households.

See the full list here.

Alameda County was among eight counties that made the move out of the red tier and into the orange tier. Butte, Colusa, Los Angeles, Modoc, Orange, Santa Cruz and Tuolumne also made the switch.

There have been nearly 833,000 COVID-19 cases reported in Alameda County since the beginning of the pandemic, including 1,401 deaths.

Nearly 822,000 vaccine doses have been distributed here. More than 515,000 people who have at least received their first dose.

Find out if you qualify for a vaccination appointment and learn how to schedule an appointment here.