Coronavirus case rate in Sonoma County unparalleled in the Bay Area

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Thursday, September 17, 2020
Sonoma Co. COVID-19 numbers unparalleled in the Bay Area
Sonoma County continues to be in the most restrictive tier of reopening because the county is experiencing the worst transmission per capita in the Bay Area.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Despite a decline in coronavirus cases statewide, Sonoma County is still struggling.

The county has a transmission rate of about 11% per 100,000 people.

That's roughly 3% worse than anywhere else in the Bay Area.

Sonoma County remains in the purple or "widespread" tier of the state's reopening plan right now. This means that nearly all businesses can not operate indoors or have to do so severely limited.

See the map below to find out where your county stands and keep reading to learn what can and can't open in each color-coded category.

App users: For a better experience, click here to view the full map in a new window

A widespread county constitutes more than seven daily new cases per 100,000 residents or higher than 8% positivity rate, which Sonoma County falls within. To reach the next tier, red or "substantial," the county would have to fall below that to four to seven daily new cases per 100,000 residents, or 5-8% positivity.

We talked to gym owner Adam Kovacs, whose patience is running out. He was recently able to reopen one of his gyms in Marin County and he says he may decide to do the same in Sonoma County in spite of the rules.

"I will risk it... 100% risk it," Kovacs said. "None of it works for me because it is all politics."

Sonoma County officials say they hope to reach the red tier by the end of September.

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