Beginning Sunday, March 14, Contra Costa County will advance to the less-restrictive red tier of California's Blueprint for a Safer Economy.
Contra Costa was expected to the enter red tier on Wednesday next week, but will transition a few days earlier after the state met a goal of administering 2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in high-risk, economically disadvantaged communities on Friday.
This will allow for reduced state health order restrictions, including:
- Restaurants, gyms, dance studios and museums may resume indoor operation, following state health guidelines
- Indoor retail stores and shopping malls may increase their maximum occupancy and grocery stores may operate at full capacity
- Small private gatherings may be held indoors, following state health guidance
- Colleges and other higher education institutions may reopen indoor lectures, following state health guidance
- Elementary and secondary schools can reopen for in-person learning without submitting a safety plan to Contra Costa Health Services.
Contra Costa has more tools to protect against COVID-19 than it did last fall, including safe, effective vaccines. So far more than 250,000 county residents have received a dose – about one quarter of the population.
More groups of Californians will become eligible for vaccine on Monday, March 15, including public transit workers, people in congregate living situations and people who have health conditions that put them at high risk of serious illness from a COVID-19 infection.
View the County's full press release here.