SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — Many San Diego County businesses have been eager to open again after being shut down for the second time in two months. For locals that have been waiting to get back in a gym or get their nails and hair done, that all becomes possible Monday.
"That’s exciting because I’ve been wanting to go to those places," said local woman Ally Williams.
"I’m definitely excited for them to be opening again," added Brooke Williams.
Under Governor Gavin Newsom's new guidelines, some businesses will be allowed to reopen Monday with certain modifications. Newsom released a new state system Friday that sorts counties into one of four tiers based on the extent of the area's COVID-19 outbreak. San Diego remained in the "substantial" tier as of Sunday.
Restaurants, places of worship, movie theaters, and museums will be, starting Monday, to maintain up to 25% occupancy or 100 people -- whichever is less. Gyms, yoga studios, and dance centers may operate with 10% occupancy.
"It’s exciting that we can now open," said John Amato, the district manager for 24 Hour Fitness. "To get them back into the clubs and to create that happy and healthy lifestyle that I think everyone has been yearning for lately is really just great joy."
Amato said working out is essential for everyone’s health and happiness.
"I think from a mental health perspective and also physical health perspective - I think it’s absolutely paramount in today’s world to have an outlet and to have a community to go to," he said.
Other businesses getting the green light are skincare businesses, barbershops, and nail and hair salons which may operate indoors with normal capacity. News 8 spoke with Austin Campbell, managing partner of Sola Salon Studios who said closing salons down for a second time was simply not fair since the industry focuses so much of its training on sanitation.
"To not have the respect or knowledge of an industry that is trained in this is very disheartening and financially and mentally devastating," he said.
While businesses this weekend prepared to reopen, it seems San Diegans already had their to-do list ready to go.
"Getting my eyebrows done. Going to get my hair done," said Ally Williams.
"Getting my nails done again because I haven’t gotten them done in a while," said Brooke Williams.
"Definitely getting my hair done," said Kaitlin Kelly.
Dr. Wilma Wooten, the county's public health officer, said the county would follow state guidelines that indicate retail businesses are to be restricted to 50% occupancy.
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.
Wooten said San Diego County had made it to "tier 2," the only county in Southern California to earn that designation. The county still has a "substantial" COVID-19 presence, but unlike Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles and Imperial counties it is not considered "widespread."
The two metrics the state was monitoring in that tier list include an old one -- the percentage of positive tests -- and a new one -- the number of daily new cases per 100,000 people. San Diego County is at 3.8% and 5.8 per 100,000 respectively. To make it to the next tier, the county must show rates of between 2% and 4.9% positive tests and between 1 and 3.9 new daily cases per 100,000 population.
Because the county currently exceeds one of those numbers, it cannot start its path to the next tier.
San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher said he felt the county was moving too quickly to reopen and should take a more measured response.
"My concerns are with the size, scope and speed of what is being reopened on Monday," he said. "While there are some lower risk entities that could safely reopen at this point, what we are doing is very similar to what we did in June with a large segment of indoor operations all opening at the same time. This led to a large increase in cases and required new restrictions.
"But even though I prefer a different path, the decision has been made and I will continue to work tirelessly to help us find a way to slow the spread, support our schools, and continue to help our community through this difficult time," Fletcher said.
According to Wooten, there is a 21-day mandatory wait time before any county can move between tiers, and a county must meet the metrics for the next tier for two straight weeks. Also, a county may only move one tier at a time.