County data drops into orange tier
Must go through waiting period before eased restrictions
A week after moving into the red tier, Monterey County’s COVID-19 data has edged into the orange tier, according to the latest state health reporting, and could move into the even less restrictive “moderate” tier by April 7.
On Tuesday, the state Department of Public Health released new data showing the county’s daily case rate had dropped to 3.8 per 100,000 population, falling just below the 3.9 per 100,000 threshold for the orange tier under the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy system.
The county’s test positivity rates also fell, to 1.8% overall and 2.7% for its “health equity” measure, well under the orange tier threshold of 4.9% and 4.2%, respectively. In fact, the county’s overall test positivity rate now qualifies for the “minimal or yellow tier,” the state’s least restrictive.
According to county Health Department spokeswoman Karen Smith, the county needs to remain in the red tier for at least three weeks, and keep its local data under the orange tier threshold to qualify to move into the orange tier. The earliest that could occur is April 7, Smith said, unless the state reaches its next “health equity” vaccination goal of vaccinating four million people living in the hardest-hit areas and eases its tier thresholds.
Smith thanked county residents for continuing to follow public health guidelines, crediting it for the progress on slowing the local spread of the virus, while reiterating that “now isn’t the time to stop wearing masks and taking precautions,” which she said is necessary to continue moving into less restrictive tiers while keeping the community healthy and saving lives.
Board of Supervisors chairwoman Wendy Root Askew said county residents have “worked so hard to reduce transmission of (the virus) here in Monterey County,” and “our ability to safely return kids to school and reopen our economy will depend on our continued commitment to wear masks, get tested, limit exposure, and get vaccinated when your turn comes.”
Supervisor Chris Lopez said the latest data shows the county is “moving in
the right direction” but also urged the community to continue safety measures even as county officials continue to work on getting more vaccine and make the transition to a third party administrator vaccine distribution program.
“I look forward to the day we can scrap the word ‘tier’ from our everyday vocabulary,” Lopez said. “I believe it can be here soon if we all continue to do our part.”
Under the orange tier, restaurants would be allowed to offer indoor dining to 50% capacity, as would places of worship, theaters, museums, zoos and aquariums. Gyms would be allowed to expand to 25% of capacity indoors. Other business and activities would be allowed to resume indoors including wineries, breweries, and family entertainment centers at 25% capacity, along with offices, card rooms and satellite wagering and more.
Outdoor event venues would be allowed to have live audiences and amusement parks would be allowed to re-open with strict limits, while bars would be allowed to operate outdoors without being required to serve food.
As of Tuesday, county health reported a total of 42,794 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county and 338 deaths with the virus since March last year, while 27 people are currently hospitalized with the novel coronavirus.