News & Announcements

On October 13, 2020, the State announced that Alameda County entered the Orange Tier of the color-coded four-tier Blueprint for a Safer Economy. The decreased case and positivity rates required to move tiers is the direct result of Alameda County's residents and businesses following the Health Officer Orders and safety guidance.

To make further progress through the tiers, we all must continue to take actions to limit the spread of COVID-19: wear face coverings when you leave home, limit mixing with people outside of your household and stay six feet away from each other when you do, wash hands frequently, and stay home when sick.

Case rates, testing positivity and hospitalizations are stable, allowing Alameda County to continue moving at a measured pace to open or expand activities permitted under the Red Tier and some activities that are permitted under the Orange Tier. The following activities may start as soon as Friday, October 23:

• Indoor family entertainment centers may open activities that are naturally socially distanced, like bowling alleys and climbing walls, up to 25% capacity
• Indoor dining up to 25% capacity or less than 100 people, whichever is less
• Indoor worship services up to 25% capacity or less than 100 people, whichever is less
• Indoor movie theaters up to 25% capacity or less than 100 people per screen, whichever is less
• Expansion of indoor retail and malls up to 50% of capacity and permitting limited food courts
• Expansion of indoor gyms and fitness centers up to 25% of capacity, but indoor pools are not permitted to open
• Expansion of outdoor non-contact fitness classes up to 20 people including the instructor
• Expansion of wedding and funeral services up to 25% of venue capacity or 100 people, whichever is less

Businesses must implement and residents must comply with important COVID-19 safety measures. COVID-19 protocols and guidance are available at https://covid-19.acgov.org/recovery.page. For technical assistance, please contact COVIDRecovery@acgov.org.

For the full list of activities that are currently open and not open in Alameda County, visit https://covid-19.acgov.org/sip.page.

Alameda County will also align with the State's recently released guidance on gatherings. Gatherings of a stable group of no more than three households replaces the County’s Social Bubble and includes a limit of no more than 20 people. Face coverings must be worn except when eating or drinking, gatherings should occur outdoors, and people who do not live in the same home should keep at least 6 feet of distance from each other. While singing or playing instruments is permitted, the singer or musician must be a member of one of the three households.

As more activities are permitted locally, there may be added risk of increased COVID-19 transmission.

Alameda County moves at a more measured pace than the State in order to avoid a sharp rise in cases. Case rates are rising across the country and we continue to monitor the impact of activities that were previously permitted locally. With flu season nearly here, we must be vigilant and not move so quickly as to initiate a surge in cases that could result in hospitalizations and deaths.

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Please check back on the Alameda County Public Health Department's dedicated COVID-10 website for updates and clarifications: acphd.org/2019-ncov.aspx

For general inquiries, please email ncov@acgov.org or call (510) 268-2101.

If you would like to report a "non-essential" business operating during the Shelter-in-Place Order, please email COVID19compliance@acgov.org.

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