COVID: Oakland Museum Postpones Reopening After Alameda County Re-Enters Purple Tier
OAKLAND (CBS SF) – The Oakland Museum of California announced Tuesday it will postpone its reopening plans, scheduled for later this month, after Alameda County was moved to the state's most-restrictive coronavirus pandemic reopening tier.
The OMCA announced last week that it would reopen Nov. 27 with three consecutive days of free public access after being closed since March, when the Bay Area began locking down because of the pandemic.
However, after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday that the state would move more than two dozen counties into the most-restrictive "purple tier," including Alameda County, the museum said it would remain closed indefinitely.
Counties in the purple tier are also explicitly prevented from reopening indoor museums.
"We need Alameda County residents and businesses to, once again, rise to the challenge and help flatten the curve," Alameda County Health Officer Dr. Nicholas Moss said Monday after the changes were announced. "Stay home for the holidays, wear face masks, maintain at least 6 feet of distance, wash your hands frequently, and get your flu shot. Now more than ever, we must protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our neighbors with these simple strategies. We all must recommit ourselves to the safety measures that helped us lower case rates in September and October."
Museum executives plan to continue monitoring local and state health guidelines to ensure visitors and staff are able to return to the museum safely when it does reopen.
More information on Alameda County's COVID-19 response can be found on the county website.
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