Updated April 5, 2021
California uses a four-tier, color-coded system that classifies each county’s coronavirus transmission risk and governs which businesses and activities are allowed in each county. Counties may adopt rules that are more, but not less, restrictive than those prescribed by the state.
The colors are purple, red, orange and yellow, in descending order of risk level. The system calibrates the levels based on new cases and the percentage of positive coronavirus tests, as well as a health equity metric that is intended to eliminate disparities in levels of transmission between different ethnic and socioeconomic communities. The state reviews data and updates the status of the counties every Tuesday. Counties must remain in a colored tier for a minimum of three weeks.
Use the following link to find which categories of businesses and activities are allowed to open under the state’s blueprint:
Keep in mind that the site notes which categories of businesses and activities are allowed to open, but not if the counties themselves have followed that plan or if they have opted to enact more restrictive rules.
To find the specifics of what each county is allowing or prohibiting, use the links below.
Risk level: Orage, or moderate, second-safest level
- Alameda County COVID-19 website – public health orders, openings at a glance, data, testing sites and other information
Risk level: Red, or substantial, second-riskiest level
- Contra Costa Health Services coronavirus website – health orders, data dashboards and other information
Risk level: Orange, or moderate, second-safest level
- Marin County COVID-19 website – data, guidance, FAQ and other information
Risk level: Red, or substantial, second-riskiest level
- Napa County coronavirus website – public health orders, guidelines, resilience road map and data dashboards
Risk level: Orange, or moderate, second-safest level
- San Francisco COVID-19 website
- Department of Public Health: COVID-19 – health directives, data dashboards, guidance and other information
Risk level: Orange, or moderate, second-safest level
- San Mateo County coronavirus website – updates, FAQ, data and other information
Risk level: Orange, or moderate, second-safest level
- Santa Clara County COVID-19 website – public health orders, resources, testing sites, data dashboards and more
Risk level: Red, or substantial, second-riskiest level
- Solano County COVID-19 website – updates, guidance, equity data, dashboards and other information
Risk level: Red, or substantial, second-riskiest level
- Sonoma County coronavirus website – health orders, guidance, data dashboard and other information