San Mateo County on Verge of New Indoor-Business Shutdowns, Supervisor Says
BURLINGAME (KPIX) -- San Mateo County is on the verge of being put on California's "watch list," which could lead to the shutdown of hair and nail salons and houses of worship, among other indoor businesses, according to San Mateo supervisor David Canepa.
"Today's the first day, Friday's the second day and they'll probably shut us down on Saturday," said Canepa, who noted that the leading indicator for watch list placement is the county's numbers of new COVID-19 cases.
"Out of 100,000, we're at 124. The number to beat is to be below 100," Canepa said.
San Mateo and San Francisco counties are the only ones from the Bay Area not already on the watch list. Even if San Francisco gets placed on the list, it won't have much of an impact because the city has not opened indoor businesses.
As for San Mateo County, you can still go to the gym, get your nails done or get a haircut.
"Unbelievable," said Jeff Silverman of UK Hair in Burlingame. "To have a second spell of closing would be detrimental. It would be terrible for everybody."
Silverman said he's worried even more stores will go out of business if they have to close again. Already, there have been some rollbacks. The outdoor restaurant scene is vibrant but it's a step back from where it was less than a week ago. On Monday, the governor ordered all indoor restaurants and bars shut statewide because of the number of COVID-19 cases.
Silverman said he wants people to be more responsible about masking in public. As a KPIX reporter was interviewing him, a couple walked by without a mask and a UK Hair employee confronted them.
"Mask! Mask! Mask! You are the problem. Wear a mask!" shouted Catalina Restrepo.
"If your mask is working then you don't need me," the woman retorted.
"You don't have a mask," Restrepo continued. "We're getting shut down because of you people!"
"I'm frustrated," supervisor Canepa said. "Because people need to wear their damn mask! We can't live in this place of being turned off and turned on. It breeds a lot of uncertainty and that uncertainty is wreaking a little havoc."
