Shasta County returns to less restrictive virus tier

A Northern California county has been moved back to a less restrictive tier for coronavirus infections after pleading with state officials to avoid closing down businesses.

Shasta County will return to the red tier for substantial virus transmission, the Redding Record Searchlight reported Saturday.

State health officials announced last week that the county of 180,000 people would be moved to the purple tier for widespread virus transmission, which would have required business closures. County officials said the state reversed course after evaluating more recent coronavirus data and seeing cases were declining and that local authorities had made progress stemming outbreaks at a nursing home and evangelical college.

“This is a huge relief for our local businesses,” said Public Health Branch Director Robin Schurig.

California has established a four-tier color coded system that lets counties reopen businesses as coronavirus infections and positivity rates decline and puts stricter limits on businesses if virus cases rise. The state put the system in place following a spike in virus cases over the summer after an initial round of business reopenings.

In Northern California, Gilroy Unified school officials canceled athletic activities after about 200 students from two high schools attended an Oct. 16 party where at least one person later tested positive, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

District officials urged all students age 14 to 18 to get tested for the virus.

The district has not yet resumed in-person instruction. Gilroy is about 80 miles (129 kilometers) southeast of San Francisco.