WOODLAND, CA (MPG) -  On September 29, the State of California moved Yolo County into the red or substantial tier in the State’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy (Blueprint) and as a result, restrictions eased for some local businesses. Effective Wednesday, September 30 and for the duration that Yolo County is in the red tier, the following businesses will be allowed to open at limited capacity while following the State of California guidance, the County’s face covering order, and strict social distancing protocols: 

• Retail, including standalone grocers: open indoors with 50% max occupancy
• Shopping centers, including swap meets and indoor malls: open indoors with 50% max occupancy
• Personal care services, including tattoo parlors, piercing shops, electrolysis and body waxing: open indoors with modifications
• Museums, zoos, and aquariums: open indoors with 25% max occupancy
• Places of worship: open indoors with 25% max occupancy or 100 people, whichever is fewer
• Movie theatres and family entertainment centers: open indoors with 25% max occupancy or 100 people, whichever is fewer
• Hotels and lodging with fitness centers: open indoors with 10% max occupancy
• Fitness centers and gyms open indoors with 10% max occupancy
• Restaurants open indoors with 25% max occupancy or 100 people, whichever is fewer

The max occupancy percentage is based on the California Building and Fire Code that is displayed in every business and determines the maximum number of people, including staff and the public, permitted in a room at a time and able to escape safely in case of a fire. For infographics on which businesses are allowed open in the red tier and how much, click here for English or here for Spanish. 

Yolo County was initially placed in the State’s purple or widespread tier on August 31 but has since met the red tier’s metrics for two consecutive weeks, allowing for the movement forward. The State’s Blueprint tracks two metrics: the seven-day daily case rate and the seven-day testing positivity rate. For the week ending September 21, Yolo County’s rate for daily cases was 4.7 and for testing positivity was 4.2%. For the week ending September 28, Yolo County’s rate for daily cases was 3.1 and for testing positivity was 2.5%. To move into the red or substantial tier, counties must meet a daily case rate of between 4-7 and a positivity rate of between 5-8% for two consecutive weeks while being in the purple tier for at least three weeks. 

Though Yolo County has moved into the red tier, some industries still face restrictions; wineries are still only allowed outdoors with modifications and bars and breweries that only serve alcohol are still closed. In addition, schools must wait an additional 14 days after being placed in the red tier before being allowed to reopen for in-person or hybrid learning. Yolo County Public Health will continue working with local school districts and colleges on strategies and plans for reopening for in-person learning. 

Everyone has a role to play in keeping our communities safe and healthy, including wearing a face covering, social distancing, and not gathering with others outside their household. Older adults and individuals with underlying medical conditions should continue to stay at home as much as possible. 

“As our community begins to re-open it’s important to remember that we all have a role in suppressing the spread of the virus,” said Chair of the Yolo County Board of Supervisors Gary Sandy. “By taking common sense measures to keep each other healthy and safe, we can set the stage to further re-open. Wear a mask, wash your hands, avoid large groups, and get a flu shot to help our economy get back on its feet.” 

Yolo County must wait three weeks before progressing into the orange or moderate tier and have met the orange tier’s metrics for two consecutive weeks, which are a daily case rate of between 1-3.9 and a positivity rate of between 2-4.9%. Counties can also move backward into more restrictive tiers if their metrics worsen for two consecutive weeks. Additionally, if a county’s case rate and positivity rate fall into two different tiers, the county remains in the stricter tier. 

To reflect this new change, Yolo County has updated their Roadmap to Recovery page and amended the local health order’s attachment on business and activity restrictions. For additional information about the State’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, visit: https://covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy. For additional information on the County’s dashboards and metrics, visit: www.yolocounty.org/coronavirus-dashboard. 

For more information about Yolo County’s Roadmap to Recovery and see which businesses are currently open, visit: https://www.yolocounty.org/coronavirus-roadmap.  Residents can call Yolo 2-1-1 for resource information. Follow Yolo County on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/YoloCounty/  or Twitter at: https://twitter.com/YoloCountyCA.