San Francisco Moves Into The Least Restrictive COVID-19 Tier

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — San Francisco became the first major city in California to move into the least restrictive tier on the state's COVID-19 risk-assessing blueprint Tuesday. Entering the last tier on the blueprint, the county will be able to expand and reopen businesses to the fullest extent under the state's guidelines.

In a Tuesday statement, Mayor London Breed said capacity at many businesses would expand to 50 percent beginning Nov. 3.

Non-essential offices will be able to reopen at 25 percent capacity beginning Oct. 27, Breed said, and indoors gyms could expand to that capacity, as well. Climbing gyms and other personal services will also be allowed to reopen.

“San Franciscans have done a good job following public health guidance and making smart decisions to keep our community safe, and we’re now assigned to the State’s Yellow tier,” Breed said in a Tuesday statement. “This means we can continue making progress on reopening, but we must remain vigilant.”

San Francisco was also aided by the state's new equity metric, meaning the county was able to lower case rates in its low income and marginalized communities.

San Francisco is the only county in the Bay Area that currently resides in the Yellow tier.

“Working together, we have slowed the spread of COVID-19 in San Francisco. Our residents have been tremendous partners and have taken the necessary precautions," said Dr. Grant Colfax, the county's director of health.

The yellow tier is the last tier on the blueprint and Ghaly noted that he and Gov. Gavin Newsom have yet to release guidance on what happens after the yellow tier.

Within this tier, restaurants bars can open indoors at 50 percent capacity, schools may fully reopen and fitness centers may reopen at 50 percent capacity.

The Golden State also introduced long-awaited guidelines for theme parks and sporting events Tuesday, along with some modifications to existing guidelines for personal services. The state health secretary also announced that three new counties had moved into lower tiers on the state's COVID-19 risk-assessing blueprint.

READ MORE: Riverside County Moves Back To Purple Tier, Coronavirus Uptick

Highly anticipated guidelines on theme parks were released, revealing that Disneyland would remain shut until Orange County moved into the minimal or yellow tier, and even then the park would only be able to open at 25 percent capacity.

Smaller theme parks however, will be able to reopen in the orange or moderate tier with limited capacity of 25 percent or 500, whichever is fewer.

Disneyland and any other large theme parks won't be open in the orange tier because they tend to draw tourists from outside communities, said California Health Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly.

"They're really local activities they don't draw people from other communities," Ghaly said.

READ MORE: Disneyland Reopening Schedule, Restrictions Announced

Ghaly further announced guidelines on sporting events at outdoor stadiums. These events may resume in the orange tier at 20 percent capacity and the yellow tier at 25 percent capacity. Ticket sales are also restricted to customers within a 120 mile radius to avoid mixing different communities.

No day of ticket sales are allowed and all seats will be assigned. Face coverings will also be required throughout the stadium unless eating or drinking.

Ghaly also announced a big change for the state's tiering system: After months of closure, tattoo, massage parlors and all personal care services may resume operations indoors with modification in the purple or widespread tier.

The state also remained at a 2.6 percent positivity rate over a two week period Tuesday. The 7 day average was up slightly this week, topping 3,096 cases.

The state had also previously predicted an 89 percent increase in hospitalizations in October, and Ghaly confirmed Tuesday that that prediction did not materialize as hospitalizations have remained down.

"Thankfully through our hard work...we have avoided those high projected numbers," Ghaly said. "But we do show even today with our cases and our hospital trends that we predict a 46 percent increase a month from now."

Earlier in October, Ghaly introduced the state's new equity metric, which was added as a benchmark for the state's largest counties to meet before advancing through the blueprint's tiers. Counties will not be able to reopen further unless they reduce transmissions in marginalized communities.

READ MORE: CA's Coronavirus 'Equity Metric' Could Impact Reopening Timeline

This measure could potentially slow reopenings or help push counties through the tier system depending on how widespread cases are in that particular county's most "disadvantaged" neighborhoods.

This week, the metric aided San Francisco in its progression into the lowest and minimal yellow tier.

Other counties that advanced to lower tiers on California's blueprint Tuesday:

Two new counties, Butte and Napa moved into the orange or moderate tier.

This tier allows bars to serve drinks without meals outdoors, schools to reopen fully for in-person classes and movie theaters to reopen at limited capacity. Restaurants may open indoors at 50 percent capacity or host 200 people — whichever is fewer.