Following Contra Costa’s lead, Alameda County is hitting the pause button on its reopening, all because of a surge in COVID-19 cases.
That means restaurant owners who were getting ready for indoor dining have to wait along with bars, barbers and hair salons.
Residents weren’t that surprised that the two East Bay counties are waiting to move into the next phase. Many are happy that health officers are being careful during this surge.
“It is frustrating but it also we have to obey by the guidelines,” said Octavio Diaz, owner of Agave Uptown in downtown Oakland. “I don’t want to rush anything to open a restaurant.”
Not only restaurants, but gym owners were hoping to take their workouts indoors.
“We’re definitely itching to get in there because there’s equipment like the rig and things like that we don’t have access to outside,” said Kris Bates from Grassroots Crossfit.
Contra Costa County was planning to let bars and gyms open on Wednesday, but says it’s also going to follow the advice of Governor Gavin Newsom, and wait, because of a surge in hospitalizations.
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Restaurants like Postino in Lafayette will have to keep serving customers outside. Outdoor dining has helped keep the doors open for owner Parry Tong but it’s not enough.
“If we get to the point where we have to think if we’re going to stay open or not cause take out doesn’t make it for us that’s where my struggles are,” said Tong.
