San Bernardino County businesses could move closer to normal from Wednesday, April 7, as the province moves into the orange level of the state’s coronavirus reopening plan.
The transition from the red level – which entered the country on March 14, after months in the most restrictive purple level – comes thanks to a change in the way the state calculates the levels.
The consequences are the same. Among other changes, pubs that do not serve food can open outside, bowling alleys can open 25%, breweries and wineries can open indoors with changes, and other businesses can increase their capacity.
Because 4 million people have now been vaccinated in the country in the most socio-economic areas, the state has created new – easier – requirements for a new level. San Bernardino County has been at the new rate for more than the required two weeks – less than six new cases of coronavirus per 100,000 inhabitants.
The province is making good progress, Curt Hagman, chairman of the provincial board of supervisors, said during the meeting on Tuesday before announcing the change slightly earlier than government officials wanted.
“We are not supposed to announce it for another hour, so sorry, Sacramento: tomorrow we will be orange,” he said.
Riverside County will also enter the orange level on Wednesday.
Also on Tuesday, government officials said the entire state should be able to resume pre-pandemic levels from June 15, as long as cases and hospitalizations remain stable until then.
For Erin Rivera, owner of the Frugal Frigate children’s bookstore in Redlands, the move to the orange level for her business will not change much, but the further reopening in June has given her hope for personal story times.
“I do not want to reopen (story time) and make children sick because they cannot be vaccinated,” she said by telephone on Tuesday. “I could not live with myself.”
Storytelling moved online in March 2020, when Rivera suspended phone ordering and uploading. The store reopened in May with limited capacity.
“I’m so excited for the summer because I think we’re going in the right direction, at least I hope we are,” Rivera said.
According to her, the community of Redlands has gathered around local small businesses, leading to a wonderful holiday season that ‘helped to end the year on a good note after a few months of worry.
As things open up and more people are vaccinated, Rivera said she sees an increase in foot traffic.
“Our days are a little busier now,” she said. ‘It was nice. It had been really nice. ”
She said the store has found creative ways to make it work during the pandemic with the virtual story times and in-store and online book fairs for local schools.
“Looking ahead, I can not wait to have story time back in store, hopefully this summer, and maybe some writing opportunities as well,” she said.
Lars Bennett, owner of Rök House Brewing Co. in Upland, set aside a Quadruple India Pale Ale called Sledge Hammer for a special occasion. He will announce it on Saturday.
“It’s appropriate because it’s orange,” he said in a telephone interview.
Rök House offers indoor and outdoor seating.
“This is a big problem,” he said of the province of San Bernardino in the orange level. “We can finally get a little more space inside.”
He called the announcement by Governor Gavin Newsom about the full reopening of the state on June 15 interesting.
“We’ll see if that really happens.”
Bowling alleys, which are allowed in the orange level, have a hunger for indoor entertainment, said Eugene Moyer, manager of Big Al’s in Ontario.
Big Al’s also has a sports bar and restaurant that can increase capacity from 25% to 50%.
“I think it’s going to be a slow climb,” Moyer said. “We were waiting for entertainment to come back, and I think that’s where we’ll see the profit.”
The bowling experience will be a little different, with buffer courts between groups, but people can still rent equipment, including bowling shoes. Moyer said they are disinfected inside and out after each use.
Staff writers Jennifer Iyer and Fielding Buck contributed to this report.