Safe Reopening

In general, the County will follow the state's Resilience Roadmap.

Because of the recent rise in community spread of COVID-19, the state placed San Diego County on a Monitoring List. After three days on the list, the following businesses need to close unless they can operate outdoors. The closures go into effect in San Diego July 7 and will last at least three weeks.   

  • Dine-in restaurants (outdoor settings, pickup, delivery and drive-thrus still allowed)
  • Wineries and tasting rooms
  • Movie theaters 
  • Family entertainment centers (including bowling alleys, arcades)
  • Zoos and museums
  • Cardrooms

  

All business or activites allowed to open have restrictions on how they operate. Before reopening, you need to take the following steps.

Step 1

Refer to the guidance for your specific business or activity. This is mostly from the state. Links to many are below.

Step 2

Following the guidance, complete the County's Safe Reopening Plan (Spanish | Somali). You need to post the plan at your entrance, and discuss it with employees. 

Restaurants have a separate plan and guidance to follow. See reopening for food businesses.  

Each business's plan may need to be updated and reposted when state guidance changes. The County will not require approval for this plan. 

Businesses with questions can email: COVID19BusinessQuestions@sdcounty.ca.gov

Step 3

Confirm on the list below that San Diego's public health officer has allowed the activity or business to open.

 

What's open and closed?

 

Open Now

The San Diego County public health officer has approved the following to open. Links to specific guidance if available.

Latest approved

The following are allowed as of June 19. All use guidance for Expanded Personal Care Services

  • Nail salons
  • Facial salons
  • Cosmetology
  • Body art, including tattoo parlors and piercing
  • Massage therapy in non-healthcare settings

Approved earlier

Partial list of essential businesses and activities.  

State guidance for essential workforce

  • Restaurants, with modified dine-in service. Starting July 1, they need to close for on-site dining between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. Drive-thru, takeout and delivery service can continue at all hours.
  • Grocery stores, farmers markets, food banks, convenience stores
  • Pharmacies
  • Banks
  • Laundromats/laundry
  • Hardware/home improvement stores
  • Airports and public transportation
  • Gas stations
  • Auto repair
  • Childcare. Updated state guidance goes into effect June 12.

Outdoor recreation

You can go out for exercise if you can keep six feet away from people who are not members of your household. Avoid groups and crowded outdoor spaces. Wear a face covering when within six feet of others.

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  • Beaches

    The County has allowed beaches to open with certain limitations, but cities may have their own restrictions or closures. Check before visiting.

    Beach parking lots can now open and active sports by household members is allowed.

    You can sit and lie down with members of your household. You can walk or run on the beach. If you're within six feet of others not in your household, wear a face covering. You can swim, surf, paddleboard, kayak, snorkel. Activities like football or volleyball are not allowed. You can take dogs where beaches allow them.

     

  • Parks

    At parks, the County will allow:

    • Parking lots to open.
    • Park visitors to sit, lie down, picnic if they practice social distancing.
    • Use of basketball or tennis courts, if played by members of a household or others who can maintain social distance.

    Cities or park managers may have their own restrictions. Check before visiting. 

    Park managers need to create and post a plan for how they will provide for social distancing.

    Social distancing and safety templates for Parks & Beaches   

  • Camping

    Camping is allowed. Each occupied campsite can’t be occupied on either side. Playgrounds or other common amenities are still closed. Operators of individual campgrounds will decide when they reopen. Check before visiting.

  • Boating

    Recreational boating on the ocean, bays and lakes is allowed for members of a household. The managers of any of those locations may have their own restrictions.

  • Golf

    Golf course operators need to create and post a plan for how they will provide for social distancing.

    Golf courses now use the same Safe Reopening Plan as other businesses. They no longer need the separate golf course protocol. 

    Golf courses that follow the safety protocol can reopen. One-on-one instruction with social distancing is allowed. Golf carts can have only one person, unless other golfers are from the same household.

  • Recreational equipment rentals

    Businesses that rent recreational equipment, such as bicycles, surfboards, boats, kayaks and other watercraft can reopen if they prepare a Safe Reopening Plan. If any equipment can be used by multiple people, they have to be members of the same household. All equipment needs to be sanitized with a disinfectant effective against the coronavirus after each use.

  • Tennis

    You can play tennis with members of the same household or others you can stay more than six feet from. 

     

Coming Soon

The state has not provided guidance for additional activities at this time. When available, the guidance will be posted here. 

 


 

Closed

Bars, breweries distilleries and wineries that do not serve food need to close as of July 1. 

These activites are still closed and the state has not provided guidance. They include:

  • Indoor playgrounds, such as ball pits and laser tag
  • Saunas and steam rooms
  • Live theater
  • Nightclubs
  • Concerts
  • Festivals
  • Theme parks
  • Live audience sports 
  • Colleges and universities

 

 

Reinstituting measures

Reopening is based on a variety of COVID-19 trends and the capacity of the healthcare system to cope with the virus's impact on the public. If necessary, restrictions could be brought back to protect people's health.

The County is tracking 13 specific "triggers" that could prompt modification of the health order. See a dashboard with current status of the measures and an explanation of the triggers.