As Alameda County Prepares To Further Reopen, State Readies Plan

Union City CA

24 August, 2020

10:41 PM

Description

ALAMEDA COUNTY, CA — As Alameda County residents await more coronavirus openings later this week, the governor today said that a blueprint is coming for counties to reopen once they are removed from the state Watch List of counties being monitored for troubling coronavirus statistics. Alameda County has been on the Watch List for more than a month. All of the greater Bay Area was on the list for a time, but both Napa and Santa Cruz counties have recently been removed. Until now, the state has given little instruction to counties that have fallen off the list in recent weeks about how quickly they can resume indoor operations for certain businesses. >> Alameda County Pools And Outdoor Salons To Reopen Newsom said he discussed reopening guidelines over the weekend both with state and local public health officials and business leaders to ensure everyone is on the same page. Falling off the monitoring list will also have consequences for schools, as counties that have been off the monitoring list for at least 14 days will be allowed to resume in-person classes. "We look forward to advancing the opportunity for those districts that are determined on the basis of local conditions, what they believe is in the best interest for their kids and moving back to in-person learning," Newsom said of counties not on the monitoring list. "They have that option." Counties on the monitoring list, however, must continue with fully online classes indefinitely. A total of 35 counties in the state have been on the Watch List for at least three consecutive days. In Alameda County the coronavirus death toll stands at 234, while 16,733 cases have been confirmed. State public health officials have now confirmed 668,615 coronavirus cases and 12,152 deaths across California. The state's 14-day test positivity rate sits at 6.5 percent while the seven-day rate is down to 5.6 percent, Newsom said. The state continues to average over 100,000 tests per day. — Patch editor Bea Karnes and Bay City News contributed to this story