Mono County Finally Gets a Taste of the Covid-19 Yellow Tier! And how does it taste? Pretty Mellowly Yellowy!!

Effective Wednesday, May 12 the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has reassigned Mono County to the least restrictive Tier 4, Minimal (Yellow), of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy (Blueprint), the State’s “stringent and slow plan for living with COVID-19 (Coronavirus).”

The Blueprint consists of four Tiers which rank a County’s current infection rate and dictate the level of allowable operations within various business sectors. Tier 4, Minimal (Yellow) is the least restrictive Tier within the Blueprint, which is planned to expire on June 15 as the State moves to its “Beyond the Blueprint” plan.

Advancement to the less restrictive Yellow Tier was a result of Mono County remaining below the new Small County Framework (less than 35,000 population) modified threshold of 7.0 cases per 100,000 people per day, and a positivity rate of less than 2.0 for two consecutive weeks, for the week ending May 1, 2021.

Moving to the Yellow Tier means increased capacity for indoor activities and businesses, along with increased outdoor capacity limits for gatherings, private events and community sporting events. 

“I continue to be grateful for the significant progress we’re experiencing in our efforts to reduce COVID-19 community spread,” stated Bryan Wheeler, Mono County Director of Public Health. “That being said, we’re seeing concerning resurgences of variants in other states, reminding us that COVID-19 is not gone. The only way we will continue to make progress in Mono County is through vaccination.” 

Status of Mono County Business Sector Operations  (Effective May 12)

Advancement from Tier 3, Moderate (Orange) to Tier 4, Minimal (Yellow) loosens capacity limits to several Activity and Business Tiers. To view tier level descriptions, statewide county rankings, and what activities are allowable in Mono County, please visit covid19.ca.gov, view the sector business summary status below or visit the updated Activity and Business Tier Framework.

Summary of Activity and Business Tiers (Industry Guidance found at https://covid19.ca.gov/industry-guidance/):

Critical Infrastructure

• Open with modifications

Gatherings

• Outdoor – Max. 100 people.
• Open indoors (strongly discouraged) with modifications – no food/drink except when following the standards in guidance; Max. 50% of capacity in settings where capacity limits exist, or 50 people, whichever is fewer.

Private Events

• Outdoor – Max. 200 people; Max. 400 people if all guests are tested or show proof of full vaccination.
• Open indoors with modifications – Max. 200 people if all guests are tested or show proof of full vaccination.

Indoor Seated Live Events and Performances

• Guidance can be found at www.covid19.ca.gov.

Community Sporting Events (Effective May 1, 2021) 

• Events are limited to 500 participants per hour and 1,500 total participants
• If all participants are tested or fully vaccinated, events may have a maximum of 3,000 participants. Additional Guidance at www.covid19.ca.gov.

Hair Salons and Barbershops

• Open indoors with modifications

Personal Care Services

• Open indoors with modifications

All Retail

• Open indoors with modifications

Restaurants

• Open indoors with modifications – Max. 50% of capacity.

Wineries, Breweries and Distilleries 

• Open indoors with modifications – Max. 50% capacity or 200 people, whichever is fewer.

Bars 

• Meal is provided – Open with Restaurant modifications and capacity limits.
• No meal provided – open indoors with modifications – Max. 25% capacity, or 100 people, whichever is fewer.

Museums

• Open indoors with modifications.

Places of Worship

• Open indoors with modifications – Max. 50% of capacity

Movie Theaters 

• Open indoors with modifications – Max. 50% of capacity.

Hotels and Lodging

• Fitness Centers – Max. 50% of capacity
• Indoor pools can open when physical distancing can be maintained for non-household groups.
• Outdoor spas and pools open with modifications.
• Indoor hot tubs, saunas, and steam rooms open with modifications.

Gyms and Fitness Centers

• Max. 50% of capacity
• Indoor pools can open when physical distancing can be maintained for non-household groups.
• Indoor hot tubs, saunas, and steam rooms open with modifications.

Family Entertainment Centers (including Bowling Alleys & Climbing Walls)

• Open indoors with modifications – Max. 50% capacity or 75% if all guests are tested or show proof of full vaccination.
• With modifications – 100% masking except for food and beverage service.
• Food/beverage consumption must be restricted to designated areas separated from activity area.

The State has provided additional guidance for gatherings, private venues and events, community sporting events, indoor seated live events and performances and outdoor live events with assigned seating. This guidance can be found online at: www.covid19.ca.gov.

All Mono County residents and visitors are asked to do their part to #StaySafeToStayOpen.

To do this, the COVID-19 Unified Command Emergency Operations Center continues to emphasize the value and importance of continued weekly surveillance testing for asymptomatic individuals. In addition, all Mono County residents who want to be immunized are encouraged to attend an upcoming walk-in clinic in Mono County.

Registration on MyTurn.ca.gov is requested, but not required. The clinic schedule can be accessed online.

Additional information regarding the Blueprint for a Safer Economy is available online or by visiting the Mono County COVID-19 Portal in English or Spanish.

Cover. Distance. Wash and #StaySafeToStayOpen #VaccinateMono