With SF officially entering the state’s “Red Tier” many reopenings can begin on March 3rd.
The state of California has officially moved San Francisco, Napa and Santa Clara County into the red tier which means that indoor dining, movie theaters and indoor museums can all reopen.
These counties join San Mateo and Marin counties that moved into the red tier last week.
Mayor London Breed says that businesses can reopen starting 8am on Wednesday, March 3rd
She also mentioned that trends indicate that in a few weeks we will ‘most likely’ be in the orange tier.
Please note the state of California has not yet updated its covid dashboard and data pages, but every major news organizations is reporting the move to the red tier
This is an evolving news story with more details and updates coming soon.
Major Red Tier Updates – Starting March 3, 2021
Indoor Dining – 10pm curfew / limited to 4 people + one household per table
Outdoor Dining – No more 10pm curfew
Indoor Museums – 25% capacity
Movie Theaters – 25% capacity
Other updates from Mayor Breed
F Line streetcar service will resume in May serving
Cable Cars are returning “this year” at a date to be determined
Complete Red Tier Updates
Hair salons: open indoors with modifications
Retail: open indoors at 50% capacity
Malls: open indoors at 50% capacity and limited food courts
Nail salons: open indoors with modifications
Personal care services (body waxing, etc.): open indoor with modifications
Tattooing and piercing: 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 unless they have a bonafide food program
Family entertainment centers: outdoor only, like mini golf, batting cages and go-kart racing
Professional sports: no live audiences
Schools: can reopen for in-person instruction after two weeks out of the purple tier
Theme parks: must stay closed
What Happens When SF Enters Orange Tier? San Francisco is also very close to the “orange” tier which would allow further reopenings. When SF enters the Orange tier,
the state will allow bars (who don’t provide meals) to open outdoors, major sports allowed outdoors with 20% capacity restriction and indoor museums, indoor dining and movie theaters will be allowed to expand to 50% capacity. See guidance by “tier”
In order to “advance” a tier, a county must have been in the current tier for a minimum of three weeks. And counties can always opt to be more restrictive than the state allows as happened multiple times with San Francisco during the past year.
San Francisco’s outdoor dining will hopefully be a little less chilly now thanks to The City’s new policy to waive the permit fee for outdoor heaters through June 30, 2021.
The $375 application fee will be waived, but an onsite inspection will still be required.
The San Francisco Fire Department, in conjunction with the Mayor’s Office, is now offering a fire permit application fee waiver for Operational Fire Permits required for the use of LPG (propane) heaters as part of the Shared Spaces program through June 30, 2021.
