Riverside County could be days away from leaving purple level



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Assuming the state of California meets planned vaccination targets, Riverside County could hit case rate levels that would put us in the red level as early as Friday.

However, it remains unclear whether the state will change these measurement thresholds and, if so, how soon after we will see restrictions lifted in Riverside County.

This week, Riverside County qualifies to move to the next level of the state’s reopening framework for the first time since late September. The accelerated progress is due to the low rate of positive tests in the county’s most disadvantaged communities. “said Brooke Federico, Riverside County Public Information Officer.

“The state must meet specified parameters for two weeks before entering the next reopening level,” said Federico, “Riverside County must continue to meet current or lower parameters to officially move to red level on Wednesday ( March 17) or earlier if the state raises the case rate threshold to 10 as expected later this week. “

“It is not yet clear whether the governor’s planned change in the threshold for case rate later this week will allow Riverside County to enter the red level earlier than Wednesday,” county officials said in a statement. online.

Governor Newsom plans to expand the parameters needed to move from the purple level to the red level once the state is able to meet its goal of delivering 2 million doses of COVID vaccine in low-income and harsh communities affected.

Newsom said the state is expected to meet the target of 2 million doses by Friday. California administered 1,926,968 doses to hard-hit communities on Wednesday.

When the state reaches the milestone, the “Blueprint for a Safer Economy” will be adjusted so that a county can level red if the average rate of new daily COVID-19 infections is 10 or less per 100,000 population. , a more flexible standard. than the current 7 per 100,000 inhabitants.

IMPORTANT UPDATE:
This week, Riverside County qualifies to move to the next level of the state’s reopening framework for the first time since late September. The accelerated progression is due to the low rate of positive tests in the county’s most disadvantaged communities.
The state must meet specified metrics for two weeks before moving to the next reopening level. Riverside County must continue to meet current or lower parameters to officially move to red level on Wednesday (March 17).
It is not yet known whether the governor’s planned change to the case rate threshold later this week will allow Riverside County to drop to the red level earlier than Wednesday.
Once the county is downgraded to red, more businesses can resume indoor operations, including restaurants, cinemas, museums, zoos, aquariums, and gymnasiums with specific capacity limitations.
This week, the county’s overall positivity rate is 4.1% and the health equity positivity rate is 4.2%. The adjusted number of new cases per 100,000 is 8.3.

Riverside University Health System – Public Health

As of March 9Riverside County has an adjusted case rate of 8.3, which means the county would now qualify for the red level. What is not yet clear is whether the county needs to be in the new metric level for as long as two weeks before releasing the restrictions. That’s the difference between reopening more businesses by the weekend or next Wednesday.

Riverside County officials hope to have more clarity from the state on this in the coming days.

“And over the weekend and into the next week, you’ll see more activity, more bleachers,” Newsom said during a visit to a mobile vaccination clinic in South Gate.

“Once the county is moved into the red level, more businesses can resume domestic operations, including restaurants, cinemas, museums, zoos, aquariums and gymnasiums with specific capacity limitations.” Federico continued in a statement to News Channel 3, “This week, the county’s overall positivity rate is 4.1 percent, and the health equity positivity rate is 4.2 percent. adjusted number of new cases per 100,000 is 8.3. ”

Los Angeles County Director of Public Health Barbara Ferrer said earlier
this week, it will take 48 hours after the state announced the vaccination threshold has been reached for this county to officially move to “red” level.

If the goal is met by Friday, as Newsom announced, LA County would move forward on Sunday.

Once the county entered the red level, it would be up to county officials to decide whether to fully align with the guidelines for reopening state affairs or maintaining stricter regulations.

Federico confirms to News Channel 3 that Riverside County will remain aligned with state guidelines and will not maintain regulations more stringent than those required by the state.

What changes from purple to red?

  • Indoor restaurants (maximum capacity of 25% or 100 people, whichever is less)
  • All shops inside (maximum capacity of 50%)
  • Indoor shopping centers (max capacity 50%, common areas closed)
  • Indoor museums, zoos and aquariums (maximum capacity 25%)
  • Nail Salons: Can open indoors with modifications
  • Indoor places of worship (maximum capacity of 25% or 100 people, whichever is less)
  • Indoor cinemas (maximum capacity of 25% or 100 people, whichever is less)
  • Indoor gyms and fitness centers (max capacity 10%)

The move to red also means that when outdoor sports and live events can resume on April 1, Riverside County events will have a maximum capacity of 20%, as opposed to a limit of 100 as it would be. case in the purple level. .

Stay with News Channel 3 for ongoing updates.

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Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article indicated that some restrictions could be lifted “as early as 48 hours after” the 2 million vaccine milestone has been reached. County officials confirm they are awaiting clarification from the state on how quickly we might see changes in Riverside County once the vaccination target is met, loosening the threshold to go one level to the other.

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