The state has moved San Mateo County to the most restrictive “purple tier” in its four-tier, color-coded COVID-19 reopening plan, effective Sunday, which means restaurants, places of worship, movie theaters and museums must operate outdoors only. Also, a curfew will go into effect starting Monday, Nov. 30 prohibiting residents from leaving their homes to gather with members of other households from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
In addition to San Mateo County, the state today also moved San Francisco to purple tier restrictions.
Under purple tier restrictions, shopping malls and all retail must operate at no more than 25 percent capacity, and non-essential offices must conduct remote working.
The new 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew, only in place for counties within the purple tier, will remain in effect until Dec. 21. Residents can still go to work at essential jobs and can go outside alone or with members of their own household, but they cannot meet up with members of other households during curfew hours.
Outside of curfew hours, outdoor gatherings can include people from a maximum of three households.
The county’s move to the purple tier will have no impact on schools that have already resumed modified in-person instruction, and outdoor playgrounds can remain open with modifications.
The state-imposed restrictions follow an 85 percent spike in new COVID-19 cases from October to November in the County.
“The rollback to purple is due to the county’s new adjusted case rate of 7.6 per 100,000 population,” County officials said.
“We have not seen numbers like this in quite a while and we really need to reverse this incredibly troubling trend,” County Manager Mike Callagy said. “What’s important to remember is that we can reverse the trend as long as we follow common-sense health and safety practices.”
Look at each county’s tier status here.
