San Mateo and Marine counties on Tuesday advanced to the second-largest category of California’s reopening plan, according to the California Department of Public Health. Both went out of the purple level, the category that imposes the strictest coronavirus rules.
Currently, all but 11 counties in the state are in the purple level. But Gavin Newsom’s government said on Tuesday that as the number of coronavirus cases continues to fall in the Bay Area and across California, five counties are turning red, and he expects another eight will be allowed to loosen restrictions next week. – and “even more in two weeks.”
San Francisco, which remains at the purple level so far despite having lowercase letters and positive test rates than both San Mateo and Marine counties, may be among those advancing.
Speaking at a Washington Post Live forum on Tuesday, Mayor London Breed said she “hopes to make some announcements next week about some additional things we can reopen,” which include things like museums and personal.
She also said “restaurants will be able to expand”, but did not elaborate.
Counties that fall below the red level may allow retail stores and malls to operate with 50% indoor capacity; indoor museums, zoos, cinemas and eateries with 25% capacity and indoor gyms and gyms at 10%. Cultural ceremonies, such as weddings and funerals, are also allowed indoors with 25% capacity or with 100 people, whichever is less.
“This is good news for our small businesses and our entire community,” said David Canepa, chairman of San Mateo County.
A day after the United States topped the milestone of 500,000 COVID-19 deaths, Newsom said numbers across the state continue to move in the right direction with cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
“When we talk about light, I’m talking about bright light at the end of this tunnel,” Newsom said.
The state’s color-coded tier system has four levels: purple (widespread), red (significant), orange (moderate) and yellow (minimal). Level division is based on three factors: new cases per 100,000 people, positive test rate and a health measurement that is key to the positive test rate in disadvantaged communities.
Humboldt, Shasta and Yolo counties also moved from purple to red Tuesday; while Trinity County fell back to red from the orange level.
The state’s measurements remain confusing.
Four counties in Bay Bay – San Francisco, Napa, Santa Clara and San Mateo – reported data on red levels on Monday, but only San Mateo County moved out of the purple level. Marin County moved to the red level despite reporting adjusted case rates still at the purple level.
One explanation for the movement is the score on health capital, which is the positive test percentage for specific low-income and disadvantaged neighborhoods. The result is intended to measure how well counties handle rates and testing in communities hardest hit by the pandemic.
According to the state’s reopening plan, counties can go from purple to red if they report a health rate of 5% or less for two weeks in a row. The counties of San Mateo and Marin were the only ones in the Bay Area that met these criteria.
“We have focused on our hardest hit community and it seems to be paying off,” said Dr. Matt Willis, Marin County Public Health Officer, in a statement. “It is especially encouraging to see this progress as we move towards vaccinating key employees. Adding the protection of the vaccine helps to seal these advances for the whole community. ”
The transition to the red level also means that any Marine school that has not yet opened for some form of personal instruction is eligible to do so from March 1, county officials said.
San Mateo County officials noted that reopening decisions for public schools are made by school boards and the county education department.
Newsom also signed legislation on pandemic assistance on Tuesday, delivering direct $ 600 payments to millions of low-income Californians, making small businesses eligible for subsidies and tax deductions for billions of dollars.
The legislature on Monday overwhelmingly approved the package, which differs from the relief package pending in Washington.
“We need to recognize our responsibility to do more and do better to help these small businesses in this very difficult time,” Newsom said.
The $ 7.6 billion package. Will waive some business fees to ease their financial picture. The package will grow to $ 10 billion within a few years, Newsom said.
Chronicle staff authors Erin Allday, Michael Williams, Trisha Thadani and Kellie Hwang contributed to this report.
Aidin Vaziri is a staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: avaziri@sfchronicle.com
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