More businesses now open in orange tier

The county is beginning to reopen as it enters the orange tier.

Retail no longer has capacity restrictions and museums, zoos and aquariums are now able to increase capacity to 50%. Places of worship are able to increase indoor capacity to 50%. Movie theaters can now increase indoor capacity 50% or 200 people, whichever is fewer.

Hotels and lodging can open indoor pools and gyms and fitness centers will be able to increase indoor capacity to 25% or 100 people, whichever is fewer. Indoor pools can now be opened and restaurants are now able to increase indoor dining capacity to 50% or 100 people, whichever is fewer.

Wineries, breweries and distilleries can also open indoors at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer and bars can open outdoors only with modifications. Family entertainment centers can open at 25% capacity or 50% capacity with all guests showing proof of testing or full vaccination.

Director of Kern County Public Health Michelle Corson said that cardrooms can be open indoors. Offices can be open indoors, Corson said, with modifications, but still encouraging teleworking. Outdoor live events with assigned seating capacity increases from 20 to 30% or 67% of all guests show proof of testing or full vaccination.

Corson advised all residents that Kern County must remain in the orange tier for at least three weeks before moving into the next, less restrictive yellow tier.

Wasco’s numbers for April 13 were 5,367 infected, 2,190 recovered compared to the numbers on April 8 when 5,350 were infected, 2,175 recovered and 2,699 presumed recovered.

Shafter’s numbers for April 13, were 3,520 infected, 3,520 recovered and 2,028 presumed recovered while the numbers for April 8 were 3,506 infected, 1,372 recovered and 2,015 presumed recovered.

The number of infected increased by 17 for Wasco in the past week and the number of recovered increased by 15 as well as an increase of 307 presumed recovered in a week’s time.

Shafter’s infected rose by 14 people in the past week while the number of recovered increased by 9 and the number of presumed recovered in the week increased by 13.