Santa Cruz County Looks To Reopen More Businesses Next Week

WATSONVILLE, CA — Santa Cruz County appears to be on track to further reopen its economy next week, including in Watsonville.

The county is currently in the orange tier — the second-best level of the state's four-tiered, color-coded COVID-19 risk assessment system — and is eyeing a move into the least-strict yellow tier.

Santa Cruz County hit a couple of snags in recent weeks as it sought to move into the yellow tier, including an outbreak among youth sports players.

But on Tuesday, the county announced that it will finally be able to make the transition so long as its COVID-19 statistics remain positive.

Just 91 COVID-19 cases were reported in Santa Cruz County as of Tuesday, the most recent information available Wednesday. No COVID-19 patients are currently hospitalized in Santa Cruz County.

A total of 16,249 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Santa Cruz County, including 8,222 in the city of Watsonville. That's slightly more than half of all cases in the county.

Here are some of the services that may resume or further expand in Santa Cruz County if it advances into the yellow tier:

• Bars at 25 percent capacity or 50 percent capacity if customers show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test.
• Indoor music venues at 50 percent capacity.
• Outdoor performance venues at two-thirds capacity.
• Saunas and steam rooms at 50 percent capacity.
• Bowling alleys, arcades and other family entertainment centers at 50 percent capacity or 75 percent capacity with proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test.
• Amusement parks at 35 percent capacity.
• Gyms at 50 percent capacity.

See the full list of permitted yellow tier activities here.