San Mateo County Moves Up to the Orange Tier Wednesday

San Mateo County will advance to the orange tier Wednesday in the state’s color-coded plan for navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. The move will allow offices to reopen and many businesses to operate more freely.

The county will be the first in the Bay Area to graduate to orange, which indicates “moderate” spread of COVID-19 within the community.

The reopening expansion is very good news for Robin Aning, the office manager of Bel Mateo Bowl in the city of San Mateo. She says her regulars are ready to come back.

“I think its definitely going to help the mental health of our customers,” Aning said. “It’s more than just throwing the ball down the lanes. It gets them out of the house. It gets them feeling more normal again. So we’re thrilled.”

David Canepa, president of the county Board of Supervisors, called the transition to orange an important milestone.

“However, this is not the time to grow complacent,” he said in a statement. “This is the time to remain strong as a community and to help those around us so that we can continue to open up our economy further.”

Two improving metrics preceded the move: San Mateo County’s adjusted case rate fell to 2.8 per 100,000 residents, and its test positivity rate dropped to 1.1 per 100,000.

With the move into orange, the following is allowed:

Shopping malls: Can open indoors with modifications

·      Closed common areas

·      Reduced-capacity food courts

Places of worship: Can open indoors with modifications

·      Open at 50% capacity or 200 people, whichever is fewer

Dine-in restaurants: Can open indoors with modifications

·      Capacity must be limited to 50% or 200 people, whichever is fewer

Offices (non-essential businesses): Can open indoors with modifications

·      Encourage working remotely

Bars/Breweries (where no meal provided): Can open indoors with modifications

·      Capacity must be limited to 25% or 100 people, whichever is fewer

Movie theaters:

• Capacity must be limited to 50% or 200 people, whichever is fewer

Gyms and fitness centers, including indoor pools: Can open indoors with modifications

·      Capacity must be limited to 25%

·      Indoor pools can open

·      Indoor hot tubs, saunas and steam rooms must close

·      Climbing walls can open

Family entertainment centers:

·      Can open indoors for naturally distanced activities, with modifications

·     Capacity must be limited to 25%

·     Bowling alleys and escape rooms allowed

·      Can open outdoors with modifications for activities like kart racing, mini golf, batting cages

Amusement parks and theme parks: Smaller parks can open with modifications

·      Capacity must be limited to 25% or 500 people, whichever is less

·      Outdoor attractions only can open

·      Reservations or advanced ticket sales required

·      Local attendees only (from the same county as the park’s location)

·      Additional activities will be permitted starting April 1, 2021

Hotels, lodging and short-term lodging rentals: Can open with modifications

·      Fitness centers can open to 25% capacity

·      Indoor pools can open

·      Indoor hot tubs, saunas and steam rooms must close

Museums, zoos and aquariums: Can open indoors with modifications

·      Indoor activities limited to 50% capacity

— Kevin Stark and Saul Gonzalez