More California reopenings on way as virus numbers improve

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rapid declines in new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in California have the nation’s most populous state on a path to loosening business restrictions imposed when the deadliest surge of the pandemic was gaining momentum.

“The good news: Parts of the state are already beginning to open back up,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday, adding he expects to allow more counties to reopen more next week.

He spoke at the site of a new federally supported mass vaccination site in Los Angeles, which opened Tuesday along with a similar site in Oakland. The two sites are expected to get about 6,000 doses of vaccine a day, and are intended to vaccinate people in communities hit hard by the pandemic.

The openings of the mass vaccination sites, heralded by a number of state and federal officials, came as California’s virus numbers continue to improve even as demand for vaccine far exceeds capacity.

About 3.5% of people being tested for coronavirus are getting back positive results, Newsom said, a rate that’s dropped precipitously in recent weeks. The numbers of people in hospitals and intensive care units and case rates are declining — all factors in determining when counties can begin further reopening.

Public health director Barbara Ferrer said if positive trends continue, the county could move out of the purple tier and into the red “by the time we get into the spring.”

Meanwhile, California got about 1.08 million vaccine doses from the federal government this week, the governor said. The state expects 1.28 million doses next week and 1.31 million doses after that. The slow increase in the number of doses continues to frustrate local and state officials.

LA County now has the capacity to deliver 600,000 vaccine doses a day, if only there were enough shots. “The big issue in front of all of us is we need more supply,” Ferrer said.

Under a new vaccine distribution contract with insurer Blue Shield, the state set a goal of being able to administer 3 million doses a week, according to contract details released Monday.

But in recent days, mass vaccination sites like Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and the Moscone convention center in San Francisco were temporarily closed due to lack of supply. Newsom said the state’s goal is to build enough capacity so the state can quickly vaccinate people when more doses arrive.