Alameda County is expected to move from purple to the less restricted red level, or Tier 2, on Tuesday next week if COVID-19 cases and positivity rates remain low. As a result, Berkeley will be able to lift certain state restrictions on in-house business operations.
The last time Berkeley moved into the red plane with Alameda County was September 2020, three months before ICU capacity declined across the state and the city underwent a strict local shelter-in-place order.
Positivity rates in the city are lower than in September 2020 and a vaccination campaign is underway with thousands of essential workers, senior citizens, workers in the food industry and teachers being vaccinated against the virus. According to the city, more than 13,000 people received the COVID-19 vaccine in Berkeley last week.
The red level, or Tier 2, means that there is a “significant” COVID-19 risk in a given province, with four to seven daily new cases per 100,000 inhabitants, and between 5-8% of tests are positive . Berkeley can only move into the red level if Alameda County as a whole meets these requirements, but the Berkeley Department of Public Health makes its own decisions on whether to impose additional restrictions on state rules.
City spokesman Matthai Chakko said Wednesday the city will agree with the state on reopening business when Alameda County moves into a red level. Berkeley currently has a positive rate of 0.47% compared to Alameda County’s 2.40% positivity rate, and the province’s seven-day adjusted case per 100,000 residents is currently at 6.30 cases. These figures make the province eligible to switch to the red level if it can retain another week.
The following activities are then allowed indoors with 25% capacity or 100 people (whichever is the least):
- Dining room
- Museums and aquariums
- Movie Theaters
- Cultural ceremonies
- Gymnasiums and dance studios (at 10% capacity)
- Retail (at 50% capacity)
Businesses without a mandatory capacity limitation in red levels, such as grocery stores (which currently operate at 50% in press level), must still follow the guidelines of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to allow for social distance between customers.
Schools at each grade level may be admitted, but are still subject to health and safety guidance from the Alameda County Office of Education, which limits campus capacity and negotiations between Berkeley Unified School District and the Berkeley Federation of Teachers.
The provinces of Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, Marin and Napa are currently in the red level and have opened additional indoor activities according to state rules. Level assignments for each province in the state are available on the state website on an interactive map.
Series assignments on March 2 show most of the state in the press level, with some Bay Area counties such as San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara in the red level. Photo: State blueprint for reopening