Sonoma County’s Covid numbers earn worst grade in state’s new re-opening plan

California Gov. Gavin Newsom rolled out Friday a “simple, slow, stringent” system, based on new cases and infection rates within each County, to determine what businesses can reopen.

The four-tier system goes into effect on Monday. Sonoma County is one of 38 counties in the “widespread” category (color-coded purple) — the most restricted of the four levels. 

Sonoma County will remain in the new widespread/purple tier for a minimum of three weeks. That tier does allow some businesses and activities with modifications, including all retail, shopping centers at maximum 25 percent capacity, and hair salons and barbershops indoors.

State health officials will continue to monitor the numbers. If a county’s metrics improve, it moves into a less restrictive category. If they worsen, the county is downgraded. Activities and businesses that have a lower risk of spreading COVID-19 are allowed to open sooner. 

The new “Blueprint for a Safer Economy” replaces the County Data Monitoring List.

An activity or business’s tier depends on whether it can:

• Accommodate mask-wearing at all times (for example, eating and drinking requires removing masks)
• Allow physical distance between individuals from different households
• Limit the number of people per square foot
• Limit time that an individual is at the business or activity
• Limit time of exposure
• Limit mixing of people from different households
• Limit amount of physical interactions of visitors/patrons
• Increase airflow (such as operating outdoors or opening windows and doors) 
• Limit activities that are known to increase virus spread (like singing, shouting and heavy breathing)

Read the full California Department of Public Health announcement here. 

To learn more about our county’s status, and to find the status of an industry (starting Aug. 31) visit the “Blueprint for a Safer Economy” on the state COVID-19 website here.