Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom released a new framework for COVID-19 economic restrictions that will allow hair salons, barbershops and malls to open indoors beginning Aug. 31.
The new setup brought criticism from the California Fitness Alliance, which contends there have been no outbreaks at fitness centers and data from nearly 3,000 gyms shows a .002 percent case rate, one per 42,731 visits.
The four-tier system has four colors, with the Purple Tier 1 representing the highest level of restrictions. Counties move through Red Tier 2, Orange Tier 3 and Yellow Tier 4 based on case and positivity rates, as well as equity metrics assessing data collection, testing access and contact tracing for communities most impacted by the virus.
Santa Cruz County, the first Bay Area County to be removed from the state COVID-19 monitoring list, is in the Purple Tier along with 37 other counties.
On Sept. 8, Santa Cruz County expects to move to Red Tier unless there is an increase in case rates.
As of Monday, Aug. 31, Santa Cruz County had 1,744 cases, with 220 active, and 38,783 negative lab test results.
Other personal care services such as nails and waxing are not permitted to operate indoors at this time.
New assessments of the data begin Sept. 8 and will be released each Tuesday. There is a 21-day mandatory waiting period before a county can move between tiers and a county can only move forward one tier at a time.
School openings for in-person instruction can only be considered once a county has been in the Red Tier for 14 days and are subject to decisions by local school boards and administrators. No County schools may open for in-person instruction at this time.
For more information, visit covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy/.
For local information on COVID-19, go to www.santacruzhealth.org/coronavirus, call 211 or text “COVID19” to 211211. Or call (831) 454-4242 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
COVID-19 Cases
- Aptos 82 • Ben Lomond 14
- Boulder Creek 11• Capitola 43 • Felton 15
- Freedom 96 • Santa Cruz 302
- Scotts Valley 41 • Soquel 55
- Unincorporated 18 • Watsonville 957
- Under investigation 110
- Total 1,744
Source: santacruzhealth.org