The new and more gradual coronavirus reopening rules established by the state shouldn’t dramatically impact most businesses in Nevada County. The county is one of only a few that never made it onto the state’s “watchlist” for fewer openings. But we’re still in the second-highest tier, or Tier 2, for what’s described as “substantial transmission activity”. But the county’s Interim Public Health Officer, Doctor Richard Johnson, says we’re just barely in that category because we still have a case ratio of four-point-one per 100-thousand people. Dropping below four will move the county to Tier 3, the “moderate” transmission category. But he says most types of businesses have already reopened here, although with different restrictions, according to the infection risk…

Johnson says perhaps the most notable change for Tier 3 for this area would be allowing indoor dining to increase from 25 to 50-percent of capacity. But the case ratio numbers are only updated by the state on Tuesdays…

And Johnson says counties must still need to sustain qualifying data for two weeks before any changes could be made. The best tier, Tier 4, requires counties to have a case ratio of less than one.