Mono County has worked hard to overcome the setbacks to  businesses and its tourism industry as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic. They have been rewarded by the state with a change in status from the Red Tier-Substantial to the Orange Tier-Moderate, a much less restrictive place to be.

According to the press release issue today from Mono County, “Effective Wednesday, April 21, 2021 the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has reassigned Mono County to the less restrictive Tier 3, Moderate (Orange), 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 4 Tiers which rank a County’s current infection rate and dictates the level of allowable operations within various business sectors.

Advancement to the less restrictive Orange Tier was a result of Mono County remaining below the new modified threshold of 5.9 cases per 100,000 people per day, and reflecting a positivity rate of less than 4.9 for two consecutive weeks for the week ending April 10, 2021. Moving to the Orange Tier means that additional indoor activities will be permitted, with increased capacity.

Mono County must remain in the Orange tier for a minimum of three weeks before being eligible to advance to the least restrictive Yellow Tier.

“I am grateful that we have made such significant progress in our efforts to reduce COVID-19 community spread,” stated Bryan Wheeler, Mono County Director of Public Health. “I hope this advancement within the Blueprint to allow more indoor activities to open with less restrictions proves valuable to our business operators, our residents and many visitors. That being said, I urge everyone to recognize that COVID-19 is not gone, that it remains a risk, and in order to keep making progress we must keep vaccinating and double down on staying safe to stay open.” 

Summary Status of Mono County Business Sector Operations  (Effective April 21)
Advancement from Tier 2, Substantial (Red) to Tier 3, Moderate (Orange) maintains 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):

• Critical Infrastructure
  • Open with modifications
• 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, or 200        people, whichever is fewer.
• Wineries, Breweries and Distilleries 
  • Open indoors with modifications – Max. 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer.
• Bars 
  • Meal is provided – Open with Restaurant modifications and capacity limits.
  • No meal provided – open outdoors with modifications.
• Museums
  • Open indoors with modifications – Max. 50% of capacity
• Places of Worship
  • Open indoors with modifications – Max. 50% of capacity
• Movie Theaters 
  • Open indoors with modifications – Max. 50% of capacity, or 200 people, whichever is fewer
• Hotels and Lodging
  • Fitness Centers – Max. 25% of capacity
  • Indoor pools can open when physical distancing can be maintained for non-household groups.
  • Indoor hot tubs, saunas, and steam rooms must remain closed
  • Outdoor spas and pools open with modifications
• Gyms and Fitness Centers
  • Max 25% of capacity
  • Indoor pools can open when physical distancing can be maintained for non-household groups.
  • Indoor hot tubs, saunas, and steam rooms must remain closed
• Family Entertainment Centers (including Bowling Alleys & Climbing Walls)
  • Open indoors with modifications – Max. 25% capacity or 50% 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
  • Service of alcohol without meals must follow bar guidance (outdoor only)

The State has also provided guidance (effective April 15, 2021) for gatherings, private venues and 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 need to pre-register for vaccination using MyTurn.

The county is now vaccinating all people 16 years of age or older that live or work in Mono County.   

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”