Retail, Indoor Malls, Hair Salons, Swap Meets and “Destination Centers” Can Reopen Countywide Starting Monday

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Good news for Riverside County Friday from the state regarding approval for additional business sectors to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic, but local health officials reminded residents to take safety precautions.

Taking simple actions like wearing a face covering, keeping distance from others and washing hands frequently will slow virus spread and provide up to 95 percent protection, according to health officials.

As of August 31, 2020, counties in the Widespread (purple) tier may open some businesses and activities with modifications, including all retail, shopping centers at maximum 25% capacity, and hair salons and barbershops indoors.

Under a revised COVID-19 framework released Friday by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Riverside County must continue reducing its positivity rate in order to reopen more business sectors.

To reopen other business sectors, the county’s positivity rate must drop below 8 percent and the case rate should not increase, according to the framework.

The “four-tiered system” requires counties to meet thresholds for positivity and case rates over a course of at least 21 days before progressing to the next tier level. Once a county advances to the next tier, more business sectors can reopen.

What are the tiers?

• Tier 1, widespread transmission: Most nonessential businesses must be closed. Counties in this tier have more than seven new coronavirus cases per 100,000 people per day and a test positivity rate of 8% and above.
• Tier 2, substantial transmission: Some nonessential indoor businesses remain closed. Counties in this tier have four to seven cases per 100,000 people per day and a test positivity rate of 5% to 8%.
• Tier 3, moderate transmission: Some businesses can open with modifications. Counties in this tier have 1-3.9 new cases per 100,000 people per day and a positivity rate of 2% to 4.9%.
• Tier 4, minimal transmission: Most businesses can reopen, with modifications. Counties in this tier have less than one new case per 100,000 people per day and a positivity rate of less than 2%.

The criteria for each tier will be uniform for all 58 counties in California, and the vast majority of counties — including all Southern California counties except San Diego — will begin in the first tier.

Riverside County, along with most of the rest of the state, is currently in the purple tier:

Once the county progresses to the red tier, it can reopen malls, swap meets and “destination centers” to 50 percent capacity. It can also reopen all additional indoor personal care services; indoor places of worship to 25 percent capacity; indoor movie theaters to 25 percent capacity; indoor gyms and fitness centers to 10 percent capacity; and indoor dining to 25 percent capacity.

See the list here, including the businesses that can reopen under the orange and yellow tiers.

Riverside County’s numbers are trending in the right direction, RUHS officials said.

“Some of our businesses can now return to indoor operations, with safeguards in place,” said Vice Chair Karen Spiegel, Second District Supervisor. “Businesses must continue to invest in protecting their employees and customers, as these measures help slow the spread and support economic recovery.”

The state’s new website www.COVID19.ca.gov is tracking the metrics, with an interactive map and list of business sectors open by each county.

The Riverside County school waiver process that’s underway is not impacted by the governor’s new framework.

Schools can reopen on a widespread basis (without a waiver) once a county is in the red tier for at least two weeks.

PALM VALLEY IS FIRST SCHOOL IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY ALLOWED TO REOPEN

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