Alameda County announces specific new business reopenings: Here's what's allowed to open and what's still banned

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ByAlix Martichoux KGO logo
Wednesday, August 26, 2020
New rules: What's reopening and what's not in Alameda Co.
A round of new reopenings is set for Alameda County Friday, including hair salons, nail salons and wineries. Here's what's planned.

ALAMEDA CO., Calif. (KGO) -- A round of new reopenings is set for Alameda County Friday, including hair salons, nail salons and wineries -- with a big asterisk.

Here's the deal: The county is only allowing businesses to reopen for very limited outdoor activities.

What that means is hair salons, barbershops, nail salons, waxing services, skincare services and massage shops can all offer services outside, as long as they follow the rules laid out by Gov. Newsom earlier this summer.

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But there are exceptions: Eyebrow threading and waxing, eyelash treatments and any service that would require you to take off a mask (like a facial, for example) are still banned -- even outdoors. Tattoos, piercings and electrolysis are also not allowed to operate outdoors, per state guidelines.

Another sector the county classifies as the "Non-medical Healing Arts" (whatever that means) must also remain closed.

Here's some more good news for Alameda County: wineries will be allowed to offer outdoor tastings by appointment only. But here comes another weirdly specific exception: the state has still ordered bars and breweries to remain closed, so only wineries are able to reopen at this time. (Some bars and breweries that serve food have been able to stay open outdoors because they're classified as restaurants.)

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Outdoor swimming pools are also being allowed to reopen in Alameda County Friday.

The reopening timelines around the Bay Area are patchwork and confusing. We're tracking what's open and what's not around the Bay Area. Click the map below to see the latest where you live.

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