Wider reopening again eludes Marin County as coronavirus cases rise

CHERYL SARFATY

THE NORTH BAY BUSINESS JOURNAL

May 4, 2021

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What businesses can do in each tier

Offices (nonessential businesses)

• Red tier: Remote work

• Orange and yellow tiers: Indoor with modifications. Encourage telework.

Outdoor concert venues (maximum capacity)

• Red tier: 20%

• Orange tier: 33%

• Yellow tier: 67%

Restaurants (indoor maximum capacity)

• Red tier: 25% or 100 people, whichever is fewer

• Orange tier: 50% or 200 people, whichever is fewer

• Yellow tier: 50%

Wineries, breweries and distilleries (where meals are not served)

• Red tier: Outdoors only, with modifications

• Orange tier: 25% maximum capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer

• Yellow tier: 50% maximum capacity or 200 people, whichever fewer

Source: California Department of Public Health

Marin County on Tuesday was again held back from further reopening, remaining in the orange tier (“moderate” risk of infections) in California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, according to state officials.

Marin County officials on April 21 said they anticipated graduating to the yellow tier (“minimal” risk) on May 4.

But the county’s hopes to advance were dashed because of higher daily coronavirus infection rates, particularly among younger white people, Dr. Matt Willis, Marin County’s public health officer, told the Board of Supervisors in a Tuesday morning meeting. A drop in testing rates also factored into the state’s decision to keep the county in the orange tier, he said.

Willis’ announcement was first reported by the Marin Independent Journal.

Marin County this week reported a new daily COVID-19 case rate of 2.8 per 100,000 residents, and a test positivity rate of 0.9%. In order to advance to the yellow tier, a county’s new daily case rate must be less than 2 per 100,000 residents for two consecutive weeks.

Napa, Sonoma, and Lake counties remain in the orange tier, while Solano County continues to hold in the red tier, the second lowest. Mendocino County last week graduated from orange to yellow.

Sonoma County is on the verge of moving to the yellow tier as soon as May 12, according to The Press Democrat.

The county qualified Tuesday with an adjusted daily COVID-19 case rate of 1.9 per 100,000 residents and a test positivity rate of 0.9%, according to state public health data.

If Sonoma County can stay in yellow tier-territory for another week, it will officially advance.

“I’m waiting with bated breath,” Dr. Sundari Mase, Sonoma County’s public health officer, told The Press Democrat. “... We’re right on the cusp.”

The state’s biggest county — Los Angeles — also will advance from orange to yellow this week, along with San Francisco, according to the state.

There are no longer any counties in the purple tier, the state’s most-restrictive status.

California officials last month said many restrictions statewide would lift June 15, if current case trends hold.

This story has been updated to include reporting from The Press Democrat about Sonoma County’s standing among tiers.