Happy day, San Franciscans—the moment we've all been waiting for is here. Well sorta.
Oh no, the orange guy is still president, but things are starting to look sunnier in the City as San Francisco will become, on November 3rd, the first Bay Area county to move into Tier Yellow, the least restrictive phase in California's plan to reopen post-shelter in place. Ready to bask in its glory? Here's what we know right now.
First, what does this milestone mean? The yellow tier is based upon an assessment of "minimal" risk level, defined by the State of California's Blueprint for a Safer Economy as having no more than one new case per day per 100,000 residents and a positive test rate of less than two percent over a seven-day average. In other words, all your excellent mask-wearing, hand-washing, and hanging out at home has worked! Our reward: Most indoor business operations may now open (with modifications, social distancing, and all the safety precautions, of course).
As the Chronicle reports, movie theaters, swimming pools, indoor climbing gyms, places of worship, and even skincare services that require going maskless (how much do you want a facial right now?) are on the docket to re-emerge into the light with expanded capacity.
Gyms may also increase their capacity from 10 to 25 percent (though heavy-breathing workouts are still not allowed).
This news comes on the heels of a recent announcement that the City may also resume indoor dining at restaurants. The move into Tier Yellow means that eateries may open "up to 50 percent of posted occupancy, not to exceed 200 customers on November 3rd." Allotted dining time has also been increased to three hours, according to a statement today by the Golden Gate Restaurant Association (which, incidentally, is staging a pandemic-friendly version of its popular EatDrinkSF fest starting this Friday).
Bars that don't serve food may be allowed to reopen for outdoor service mid-November.
But it's not all just fun and games. Looser restrictions mean it's also time to get back to work and class: Non-essential offices will be allowed to reopen at 25 percent capacity (or more for teams of 20 or less), and higher learning outdoor classes are also allowed to expand.
For more details on what's opening or expanding and to what extent, click over to the City's official release.
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