Marin Moves to Tier 2 of Economic Reopening

Marin Moves to Tier 2 - More Businesses Allowed to Open

Last week, Marin Public Health appealed the California Department of Public Health’s September 8 decision to hold Marin County in Tier 1 status on the State’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy monitoring framework.

I’m pleased to share that we’ve heard back from the state and as of today, September 15, Marin County has been moved from Tier 1 (purple) to a less restrictive Tier 2 (red) as part of the State’s Blueprint for A Safer Economy. I would like to thank the remarkable work of our Public Health Director, Health & Human Services Department and our entire Emergency Operations Team, who have been steadfast with their efforts to address COVID-19. I would also like to thank the community for its diligence to flatten the curve and give a special shout out to our Senator, Mike McGuire for his collaboration and support as we worked with the state on our appeal process.

What does this mean? The primary changes allowed by the state in Tier 2 (red) are as follows:

• Retail establishments are allowed to open indoors at 50% capacity
• Indoor malls are allowed to open at 50% capacity
• Personal care services are allowed to open indoors (personal care services are defined as esthetics, skin care, cosmetology, electrology, nail services, body art professionals, tattoo parlors, piercing shops, and massage)
• Museums are allowed to open indoors with 25% capacity
• Places of worship are allowed to open with 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer
• Movie theaters are allowed to open indoors with 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer
• Gyms are allowed to open indoors with 10% capacity
• Restaurants are allowed to open indoors with 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer

Per state regulations, Tier 2 counties that maintain Tier 2 data for at least two consecutive weeks may reopen schools to classroom-based learning, with modification. For Marin, that could be as early as September 29.

Marin Recovers has more information and specific industry guidelines. All open businesses must complete a COVID-19 Site-Specific Protection Plan prior to reopening.

While we are very encouraged by our declining case rate and positivity rate, our numbers are closer to Tier 1 (purple) than Tier 3 (orange). A county must spend at least 21 days in any tier before advancing to a less restrictive one. Most notably, counties will have to tighten back up if conditions worsen.

Businesses will be allowed to reopen as Marin County progresses through the Blueprint for a Safer Economy tier system.

As we open up businesses, it is more important than ever that we remain diligent with our personal responsibility to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and allow us to continue to move forward: wear face coverings, practice social distancing and continue to wash our hands.