Santa Clara County Gets Green Light for COVID-19 Reopenings

Nail salons, gyms and museums are allowed to reopen indoor service in Santa Clara County, after announcements from state and county officials Tuesday that the spread of COVID-19 is declining in the South Bay.

The development comes amid good news about the spread of the virus statewide. At a midday press conference Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom pointed to continued declines in COVID-19 hospitalizations and a test positivity rate below 5% over the last two weeks.

"If those appear to be more promising numbers, it's because they are," Newsom said.

The steady slowing of the virus' spread has led to coronavirus patients filling just 4% of California hospital beds.

In Santa Clara County, a declining case count and test positivity rate means the county is moving from the state's purple tier, signifying "widespread" virus risk to a red tier, signaling a "substantial," but less severe community spread.

The color-coding system — which goes down to orange for “moderate transmission” and yellow for “minimal transmission” — is based on two metrics: the number of COVID-19 cases and the level of testing in a county.

So far, San Francisco and Napa counties are the only others in the red tier.

A variety of Santa Clara County businesses are now allowed to operate indoors, and if the trends hold for 14 days, K-12 schools can also open their classrooms, a development County Counsel James Williams called the "most significant of all."

"The county has done a lot of work and preparation for potential school opening," Williams added.

However, a few sectors that are allowed by the state to reopen will nonetheless remain shuttered, as the county’s risk reduction measures are stricter than state policy. These activities remain closed:

• Indoor dining
• Indoor movie theaters
• Indoor gatherings, including religious services

“COVID-19 is still here. It hasn't gone away,” said Dr. Marty Fenstersheib, the county’s COVID-19 testing officer. “The fact that we've moved into the red tier at this point doesn't change the fact that we still have to be vigilant.”

Wondering what’s allowed in your county? Check out the state’s website.

— Guy Marzorati (@GuyMarzorati), Monica Lam (@monicazlam)