San Luis Obispo County is moving into the orange tier of the state's COVID-19 blueprint.
This means some businesses will be able to open for the first time and others may be able to welcome more guests indoors.
The new orange tier restrictions go into effect at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, April 28.
According to health officials, San Luis Obispo County's COVID-19 case rates are not declining as quickly as other surrounding counties, and SLO County's metrics as of last week would have kept us in the red tier. However, County Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein submitted a request to the state to review data discrepancies and include a portion of Cal Poly tests in the overall testing volume. As a result, the state found that SLO County is now meeting orange tier requirements and can move to that less restrictive tier.
"We are grateful to see things moving in the right direction," Dr. Borenstein said. "We cannot lose sight of the end goal. To fully restore health to our community, we must remain vigilant: get vaccinated against COVID-19, maintain personal safety measures, and get tested if you have symptoms so we can beat this thing."
Business activities now allowed under the orange tier:
- Restaurants - Indoor seating increases to 50% capacity or 200 people maximum
- Gyms and fitness centers - 25% capacity indoors; indoor pools can open
- Wineries and breweries - 25% or 100 people indoors maximum
- Movie theaters - 50% or 200 people maximum
- Museums, zoos and aquariums - 50% capacity for indoor activities
- Places of worship - 50% capacity indoor activities
- Bars with no food service - Open outdoors with modifications
- Gatherings and events - View the county's checklists for capacity limits and restrictions
Santa Barbara County moved into the orange tier last week.