Information provided by County of San Benito .
Graduation from Tier 1 leads to more reopening of business sectors
The state of California today announced good news in the local fight against the coronavirus as indoor restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, tattoo studios and places of worship may now open with restrictions in San Benito County. Based on recent local coronavirus metrics, the State of California effective immediately downgrades the risk level assigned to San Benito County from “widespread” to “substantial” which will allow more doors to open in businesses and schools.
On Aug. 28, the state introduced its Blueprint for a Safer Economy, a four-tier framework by which counties are measured for loosening and tightening restrictions on social activities and business operations. San Benito County was placed in Tier 1, or purple status to notify “widespread” risk, with the most severe restrictions.
The Red-Tier 2 also gets schools one step closer to supporting in-person learning, but it will continue to be a gradual process. Nine local schools already have Public Health Officer permission to reopen, through a special waiver. Visit the San Benito County Office of Education’s website for more reopening details.
The primary changes allowed under the state order as San Benito moves into Tier 2, or red status:
- Retail establishments (except standalone grocers) are permitted to open indoors at 50% capacity
- Indoor malls are permitted to open at 50% capacity
- Personal care services like tattoo, piercing, body waxing, and esthetician services are permitted to open indoors
- Museums are permitted to open indoors with 25% capacity
- Places of worship are permitted open with 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer
- Movie theaters are permitted to open indoors with 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer
- Gyms and Fitness Centers including Hotel Fitness Centers are permitted to open indoors with 10% capacity
- Restaurants are permitted to open indoors with 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer
There are no changes to the following sectors:
- Bars, Breweries, and Distilleries (where no meal provided)—Closed
- Family Entertainment Centers—Outdoor only
- Offices—Remote Work
- Professional Sports—Without live audiences
All open businesses must following the appropriate industry guidance to create a safer environment for workers and patrons, prepare a plan, and post the industry checklist in your workplace to show customers and employees that you’ve reduced the risk and are open for business.
Sectors of business can progressively open more operations as the county moves up the tier list, following the allowances of the state for each tier, if San Benito County continues to make progress against COVID-19. A county must spend at least 21 days in any tier before advancing to a less restrictive one. Most notably, counties will have to tighten back up if conditions worsen.
The reopening of sectors of the economy will increase travel and interaction among people. Public health officials urge everyone to continue to follow health and safety guidelines and to avoid large gatherings of any kind.
Additional information about the Blueprint:
- Find the status of activities in your county
- Understand which activities and businesses are open in the four tiers (PDF)
