We have wonderful news about the end of the end of the Governor's Stay-at-Home order... or maybe it's terrible. Whatever it is, most people are confused and many are angry about its abrupt end. Let's all take a deep breath and unpack why the order was ended and what it means.
The recently terminated Stay-at-Home order was a blunt instrument deployed at a moment of great urgency and was at least in part designed to fight the effects of holiday travel and gatherings exacerbating an already rising infection surge. The system of colored tiers that is formally known as the Blueprint for a Safer Economy was devised as a much more nuanced set of everyday measures designed to best balance the needs of public health with the needs of a functioning economy so that we can have a functioning society.
That we are no longer under a stay-at-home order should not be seen as an all clear signal nor any indication that things are fine. It merely means that without the looming threat of a surge upon a surge from holiday gatherings, our public health officers believe that our regular "Blueprint" colored tiers framework for regulating allowable activities should be sufficient to navigate our way back down.
We're on the right track, but we have a long way to go so we need everyone to be their most responsible selves for at least another two months. Our infection rate trajectory (the R number) is encouraging, but the total number of active infections is still very high so we are still in a very uncertain situation that's about the same as when the stay-at-home order was issued.
Now that we're back in the Purple Tier, it means that restaurants will start opening for outdoor dining and you can get salon, beauty, and wellness appointments with restrictions. If you choose to come see us, more than ever follow the rules to the letter or don't come. You'll just land us right back in another shutdown. Keep your mask on, maintain distance, and do not gather with people outside of your household.
What's Open in the Purple Tier
Most businesses are allowed to be open in at least some capacity in the purple tier, but call ahead to make sure they're open and have availability for you. Some businesses have not re-opened yet and even when they do re-open, they may be operating under erratic hours so please be patient and understand the great difficulty that they're working under.
Masks must be worn at all times except when it's physically not possible to wear one.
- All retail stores limited to 25% capacity.
- Restaurants open for outdoor dining and takeout only.
- Bars can operate as restaurants. You have to order food if you want a beer.
- Fitness studios can operate outdoors.
- Salons, Skin Care, Massage are open.
- Entertainment centers can operate outdoors.
For salons...Read More
