San Francisco announced Tuesday it is moving up a notch to the orange tier of the state’s COVID risk-assessment system. In the orange category, the risk of transmission of the coronavirus is considered “moderate,” allowing more commerce and other activities to resume. The changes take effect on Wednesday at 8 a.m.
The city says it will allow nonessential offices to open at 25% capacity. Bars, breweries and some indoor family recreation centers can also resume operations at 25% capacity.
Outdoor arts, theater and music performances and festivals with audiences of up to 50 can take place starting April 1, though the city said it’s still working on guidelines so that outdoor spectator sports and large entertainment venues can operate.
Retail stores, personal services, dining, fitness, religious ceremonies, movie theaters, museums and zoos are among the businesses and activities that can operate at increased capacity. Indoor small gatherings of up to 12 people from three households will also be officially allowed.
“Weâre expanding more activities and opportunities for San Franciscans to have fun and enjoy their city, and making it easier on our businesses to operate and recover,” Mayor London Breed said in a statement.
City health officials said cases and hospitalizations are continuing to decline, with a current average of 31 new cases a day equal to the total in mid-November, before the winter surge created a health care crisis in the entire Bay Area region as well as the state.
As always, officials included a note of caution:
“Although San Franciscoâs new cases and hospitalization have been trending in a positive direction, the growing prevalence of the U.K. (B.1.1.7), West Coast (B.1.427 and B.1.428) and the South African (B.1.351)â¯variants in the Bay Area as well as the Brazilian variant (P.1), which was recently detected in California, represent a potential increased risk of contagiousness and greater community spread.”
San Francisco says nearly 40% of residents and 77% of residents over 65 have now received a first dose of vaccine.
âJon Brooks
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