These San Ramon Businesses Can Open; CoCo Now In Orange Tier

SAN RAMON, CA — Improving COVID-19 metrics will allow more San Ramon businesses and establishments to reopen and operate under fewer restrictions.

The state moved Contra Costa 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 Wednesday 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 last time Contra Costa qualified for the orange tier was five months ago. State officials announced Tuesday plans to fully reopen the economy and eliminate the tiered system June 15, so long as vaccine supply remains steady and hospitalization numbers do not spike. The mask mandate would remain.

Read more: CA To Fully Reopen June 15; 16 Counties Move Tiers

The county urges people to get vaccinated and remain vigilant in order to progress into the yellow tier. Gov. Gavin Newsom reminded the public during a Tuesday news conference that all Californians can receive a COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of ability to pay or immigration status.

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.

Contra Costa County was among 16 counties in the state that moved into a new tier Tuesday.

Contra Costa Health Officer Dr. Chris Farnitano said Tuesday in a news release that rates have plateaued recently, which suggests a slowdown in the recovery.

"We are still in a pandemic and people should continue to act accordingly: Keep wearing masks in public and get vaccinated as soon as you can," Farnitano said. "I still strongly recommend people to avoid most indoor activities with people outside of their own household until they are fully vaccinated."

As of Tuesday morning, nearly 500,000 county residents were at least partially vaccinated.
Last week, Contra Costa extended vaccine eligibility to everyone 16 and older who lives, works or goes to school in the county. Currently, people between the ages of 16-49 must schedule appointments through Contra Costa Health Services at cchealth.org/coronavirus or by calling 833-829-2626. Other healthcare providers, including the state's MyTurn system, do not yet offer the vaccine to people below the age of 50.

Find out how to schedule an appointment here.

— Patch editor Maggie Fusek contributed to this report