8 Bay Area counties now in purple tier: See what's closed now

SAN FRANCISCO - A rising number of coronavirus cases has pushed both San Francisco and San Mateo counties backward into the purple tier.

San Francisco has seen 130 new cases per day. And some of the city’s big attractions are once again closed.

This includes the Sky Star Ferris Wheel. Museums have been forced to temporarily close.

Movie theaters, like the AMC Metreon, are also forced to close, and any exercise will have to be outdoors, as indoor gyms are prohibited.

These changes are affecting many businesses, including those at Pier 39, where they shut down bungee jumping, the carousel, and the Aquarium.

And so is the California Academy of Science, where some families on Sunday showed up, unaware of the changes. 

"Unfortunately, it's closed, which I kind of expected but was hopeful that maybe the Google was right," said Marsha Lutz of Walnut Creek. "But it wasn't.”

Kate Koroleva said that she understood why it was closed. 

"We're OK. We understand all these measures are taking for a reason," she said. 

Retail shops are limited to 25% capacity. And the overnight curfew is from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. 

Any non-essential work and gatherings must stop by 10 p.m.

San Mateo County has also gone to purple and shares similar restrictions as San Francisco.

“When you go to purple it's truly a badge of dishonor,” said San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa.

The county set up a COVID compliance team in October to crack down on a small number businesses not adhering to safety protocols and has fielded hundreds of complaints and issued some fines.

As businesses face even harsher restrictions, Canepa says he believes more may flout safety guidelines as a means to survive.

“Frankly I do. I expect us to see not only a Covid surge but a survival surge of businesses.”

Marin County is now the only Bay Area county outside purple and still in the red tier.