Moving Into Tier Two – The Red Tier: What Restrictions Have Been Lifted
As of Tuesday, October 6, 2020, COVID-19 stats continue to improve in Ventura County which has allowed our county, and other counties in California, to move into the less-restrictive Red Tier/Tier Two, under the restrictions set in the Blueprint for a Safer Economy.
What does this mean as far as who can begin to reopen and what restrictions are still in place?
The move to the red tier means businesses can expand their operations as soon as they meet modification requirements for social distancing, masks, sanitation and other areas. Local officials say businesses also need to register at www.vcreopens.com unless they’ve already done so.
The main sectors of business and activities that are given the green light to reopen and/or resume are:
Restaurants, movie theaters, gyms, personal care services, places of worship, and museums. Schools could also opt for in-person classes after a 14-day waiting period.
The rules for the Red Tier include:
- Hair salons: open indoors with modifications
- Retail: open indoors at 50% capacity
- Malls: open indoors at 50% capacity and limited food courts
- Personal care services (nail salons, body waxing, facials, etc.): open indoors with modifications
- Museums, zoos and aquariums: open indoors at 25% capacity
- Places of worship: open indoors at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer
- Movie theaters: open indoors at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer
- Hotels: open with modifications, plus fitness centers can open at 10% capacity
- Gyms: open indoors at 10% capacity
- Restaurants: open indoors at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer
- Wineries: outdoor only
- Bars and breweries: closed
- Family entertainment centers: outdoor only, like mini golf, batting cages and go-kart racing
- Cardrooms: outdoor only
- Non-essential offices: remote work only
- Professional sports: no live audiences
- Schools: can reopen for in-person instruction after two weeks out of the purple tier
In addition to the above, there are a few other local health department restrictions that have been lifted as well:
- Swap Meets can operate under the same guidance as Shopping Malls (50% capacity). Must submit a Covid-compliance plan for approval.
- Restaurants no longer have a 90-minute seating limit.
- Customers receiving skin care treatments no longer need to wear a mask during facial treatments. However, the person providing the treatment must wear a mask and a facial shield.
- Outdoor playgrounds can reopen with modifications.
- Personal care and massage services no longer limited to just 30 minutes.
To learn more about what each tier means, please visit Blueprint for a Safer Economy.
Being given the greenlight to reopen is wonderful news for our community. However, it is important to note, CalOSHA requires every business to have a COVID-specific Illness and Injury Prevention Program in place.
This can be a daunting task for employers to figure out. Don’t worry, we have dedicated the past several weeks to creating our COVID Compliance Checklist that will take this worry off your plate. Your Barkley Advisor will walk you through this process, taking just about an hour of your time to learn about what steps you have implemented, and then we will provide you with a comprehensive, personal COVID Preparedness Plan that you can use to:
- Supply your plan to CalOSHA and other local inspectors
- Use to implement new policies and procedures
- Train your staff
- Help you prevent costly claims, lawsuits, and citations
- Prevent the spread of the virus within your business
- Avoid outbreaks that can cause your business to shut down
Contact us today to get access to this complimentary service.
