SLO County is returning to red COVID tier. Here’s what you can and can’t do
San Luis Obispo County is returning to a less-restrictive tier of California’s coronavirus response plan, officials announced Tuesday — a move that means many more local businesses can move indoors or open back up again
According to the California Department of Public Health, the county will officially enter the red tier of the state’s COVID-19 plan thanks to improving case numbers and positivity rates. The change is expected to go into effect on Wednesday.
The announcement came on the same day Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to visit the county as part of a statewide tour promoting California’s efforts to vaccinate more residents.
San Luis Obispo County has been in the purple tier of California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, meaning that coronavirus spread is considered “widespread,” risk since November. Under the red tier, coronavirus spread is considered “substantial.”
“We recognize this has been a tremendous sacrifice for our businesses, especially for students and families who are waiting for their children to go back to school,” county Public Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein said during a San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, ahead of the state’s announcement.
“We want to thank you, but also very much remind you that we have some risks ongoing until we get to herd immunity,” she added. “We’ve come this far — we really need to take it home. So let’s continue to see our businesses open. Our restaurants with in-person service, our gyms with in-person service, our movie theaters — these are all wonderful things, but please continue to do these activities in ways that do not put us at risk of an additional surge.”
Why is SLO County moving to red tier?
Prior to the state’s announcement, Borenstein told county supervisors that she expects San Luis Obispo County’s adjusted case rate to be in the red tier “for the first time in a very long time.”
“And because of our test positivity, we are able to have this accelerated progression into red,” she added.
As of Tuesday, San Luis Obispo County had an adjusted case rate of 6.8 new cases per 100,000, and a county-wide weekly positivity rate of 2.7%. Its positivity rate within the areas in the 25th lowest percentage on California’s Healthiest Place Index was 3.4%.
Case rate is adjusted based off the number of tests conducted in the county — which in San Luis Obispo County is an average of 825.7 tests conducted daily per 100,000 people.
The state uses those metrics to determine when counties should be able to move into lessened coronavirus restrictions.
Across California, those numbers are slowly but surely improving.
San Luis Obispo County is one of seven California counties that moved out of the most restrictive purple tier and into the red this week.
As of Tuesday, 18 of California’s 58 counties were under or moving into lessened coronavirus restrictions. San Luis Obispo County is the only Central Coast county to be moving into the less-restrictive tier.
A move to the red tier means San Luis Obispo County residents and businesses will see less strict coronavirus restrictions in the coming days.
Here’s what you can and can’t do in San Luis Obispo County under the red tier:
Can I eat or exercise inside now?
With the move to a less restrictive tier of coronavirus restrictions, some of the businesses hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic will be able to once again resume indoor operations.
This includes gyms and fitness centers, which are allowed to move back inside at 10% capacity, and restaurants, which can once again serve diners indoors. Capacity for restaurants is capped at 25% or 100 people, whichever is fewer.
What about movie theaters?
Under the red tier, movie theaters can reopen at 25% capacity.
Museums, zoos and aquariums, which have also been prohibited from operating indoors, can also reopen at 25% capacity.
Are schools open to in-person instruction again?
While some San Luis Obispo County school districts reopened elementary schools to in-person instruction in the fall, other districts recently began bringing younger kids back to campus.
The county’s move to the red tier means that local schools, under new guidance from the California Department of Public Health, can reopen all classrooms for students in kindergarten through 12th grade within five days.
Local districts have varying plans for reopening middle and high schools.
What happens to retail stores and shopping?
Under the red tier, stores will be able to start letting in more customers, with indoor retail and mall capacity increasing to 50%.
Can I go to indoor church services?
A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling lifted California’s ban on indoor church services even in counties in the highest-risk tiers. But under the red tier, indoor church services are allowed as long as attendance is capped at 25%.
What’s still closed?
Though the red tier is less restrictive for some industries, certain businesses will still be required to remain closed.
This includes amusement parks and indoor parks; bars, breweries and distilleries; bowling alleys and saunas and steam rooms. All must wait for the county’s coronavirus numbers to improve further before they can potentially reopen.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect when the county will officially move into the red tier. It is Wednesday.
This story was originally published March 2, 2021 at 12:20 PM.
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