Coronavirus California

3 more Bay Area counties could move into less restrictive orange tier

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

3 more Bay Area counties could move into orange tier

On Tuesday, California's public health department will release its new COVID-19 reopening guidelines. Napa, Sonoma, and Alameda counties could move into the state's less-restrictive orange tier.

An announcement is expected Tuesday regarding three Bay Area counties that are likely to go from being in the red tier to the orange tier. This would be an improvement for all three and would allow for more people indoors during certain activities. We're likely to see the changes in Napa, Sonoma, and Alameda counties.

"You have to wear a mask and it makes lots of people sick!"

That from 5-year-old John Henry Dundon as he talked to us about COVID-19. The youngster was eating outside with his mom on Monday in the city of Alameda just 24 hours before the county of Alameda learns if they'll move into the orange tier.

"I heard that it might be happening at some point but I didn't know it was this week," says Heather Dundon.

Improving COVID-19 numbers mean Napa, Sonoma, and Alameda Counties are likely to go into the orange tier this week. Indoor gym capacity goes from 10 to 25 percent. Indoor dining capacity goes from 25 to 50 percent. But will more people go inside?

"It seems now more and more that people are more willing to sit inside," says Jesus Wence who is General Manager of Linguini's Pasta and Vino.

Good news for his staff who was cooking up a seafood pasta meal when we met with them.

We asked Heather Dundon, who had been eating outside, if she's ready to go back inside, "That's a good question, I would not go to a gym indoors right now, I would go to certain restaurants right now, probably not every restaurant," says Dundon.

Movie theaters will go from 25 to 50 percent capacity in theaters and those at the Alameda Theater and Cineplex say they plan on reopening.

"Right now our goal date is April 9th," says Cesar Gamero who is General Manager of Cinema Grill which has been open next door. "It's been a roller coaster ride because a lot of times we've actually brought staff on and called staff off," says Gamero.

The state will announce if these counties go into the orange tier on Tuesday, they'd then be able to make changes on Wednesday.

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