Orange County reached the Red benchmark on the state of California’s blueprint for reducing COVID-19 in the state with revised criteria for loosening and tightening restrictions on activities.
Restaurants, and movie theaters are now allowed to entertain up to 25% occupancy or 100 people — whichever is less in addition to their outdoor guests. Wineries may operate outdoors only. Bars, breweries, brewpubs, and distilleries where no food is provided must stay closed.
All indoor businesses must still abide by social distancing- and face- covering mandates, as well as having a detailed safe reopening plan on file with the county.
In order to reach the Orange tier, which allows restaurants to operate at 50 percent of capacity or with 200 guests, whichever amount is smaller, new benchmarks, for the last two weeks in the time period of a minimum of 21 days must be met and maintained. Counties can only progress one tier at a time, even if they may qualify for a more advanced tier.
