Humboldt moves to red tier

As COVID-19 cases sharply increase across the country and California, Governor Gavin Newsom and state public health officials announced immediate actions today to slow the spread of the virus. 

The state is pulling an emergency brake in the Blueprint for a Safer Economy resulting in 94.1 percent of California's population in the most restrictive tier. This change is effective tomorrow. The state will reassess data continuously and move more counties back if necessary. California is also strengthening its face covering guidance to require individuals to wear a mask whenever outside their home, with limited exceptions.  

“We are sounding the alarm,” said Governor Newsom. “California is experiencing the fastest increase in cases we have seen yet –faster than what we experienced at the outset of the pandemic or even this summer. The spread of COVID-19, if left unchecked, could quickly overwhelm our health care system and lead to catastrophic outcomes. That is why we are pulling an emergency brake in the Blueprint for a Safer Economy. Now is the time to do all we can – government at all levels and Californians across the state – to flatten the curve again as we have done before.”

The rate of growth in confirmed COVID-19 cases is faster than it was in July, which led to a significant peak in cases. This requires a swift public health response and action from all Californians to slow the spread of the virus. Immediate action will help protect individuals at higher risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19 and will help keep the state’s health care delivery system from becoming overwhelmed.  

“The data we are seeing is very concerning. We are in the midst of a surge, and time is of the essence. Every day matters and every decision matters,” said California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly. “Personal decisions are critical, and I am I imploring every Californian to stay home if they can, wear a mask whenever they leave their homes, limit mixing, practice physical distancing and wash their hands.” 

The 28 counties moving back into Tier 1(Purple/Widespread) include: 

Alameda 

Napa 

Santa Cruz 

Butte 

Nevada 

Siskiyou 

Contra Costa 

Orange 

Solano 

El Dorado 

Placer 

Sutter 

Fresno 

San Benito 

Trinity 

Glenn 

San Joaquin 

Tuolumne 

Kern 

San Luis Obispo 

Ventura 

Kings

Mendocino 

Merced 

Santa Barbara 

Santa Clara

Yolo

Yuba 

The nine counties moving back into Tier 2 (Red/Substantial) include: 

Colusa 

Marin 

Plumas 

Del Norte 

Modoc 

San Francisco 

Humboldt 

Mono 

San Mateo 

The two counties moving back into Tier 3 (Orange/Moderate) include: 

Calaveras 

Sierra 

Today's action will remain in effect until the State Public Health Officer determines it is appropriate to make modifications based on public health conditions and data. 

California has taken steps to prepare the state for an increase in COVID-19 cases. The state has developed additional testing capacity to allow cases to be quickly identified, recently opening a new laboratory in Valencia that is already processing thousands of tests a day. The state is averaging 164,345 tests over the last seven days. 

The state has been working in partnership with hospitals, clinics and physicians on the COVID-19 response. To support California's health care delivery system, the state has an additional 1,872 beds available at alternate care sites outside of the system that can be made available quickly if needed to respond to a surge in cases.

California will continue to update the Blueprint for a Safer Economy based on the best available public health data and science. For more information about the Blueprint and what Californians can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19, visit covid19.ca.gov. 

Humboldt Press Release:

The State of California today moved a number of counties into more restrictive tiers in response to the fastest increase in cases and hospitalizations seen since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Humboldt County has been reassigned to the “red” or substantial tier.

The state will require various business sectors to reduce capacity or modify operations, while still following COVID-19 safety measures, including facial covering requirements, physical distancing and sanitation procedures. These requirements are expected to take effect within the next 24 hours.  

This move by the state reflects where the county’s data is today, with a case rate of 4.8 and a positivity rate of 2.0%. Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Teresa Frankovich said at the current pace, there is concern that the county will move into the more restrictive purple tier soon. “Since the state first implemented the Blueprint framework, they’ve signaled that they could move faster if conditions warranted. Our recent data shows why that makes sense because this virus is moving faster than we have ever seen, and rapid response can help to slow the upward trajectory.” 

“We need to reduce interactions between people who don’t already live together, and we need to do it now. Travel to visit family and friends as well as bringing out-of-town guests into our homes is driving about half of our cases,” Dr. Frankovich said, adding that gatherings occurring indoors between multiple households is contributing “enormously” to case counts.  

Some of the state’s requirements under the red tier include:

• Bars, Breweries and Distilleries – Closed.
• Wineries – Open outdoors only.
• Family Entertainment Centers – Open outdoors only.
• Retail – Open indoors at maximum 50% capacity.
• Shopping Centers, Malls, Swap Meets - Open indoors at maximum 50% capacity; Close common areas; Reduce food court capacity to 25% or 100 people, whichever is fewer.
• Museums, Zoos and Aquariums – Open indoors at maximum 25% capacity. 
• Places of Worship – Open indoors at maximum 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer. 
• Movie Theaters - Open indoors at maximum 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer.
• Hotels and Lodging – Close indoor pools, hot tubs and spa facilities; Fitness centers reduced to maximum 10% capacity.
• Gyms and Fitness Centers - Open indoors at maximum 10% capacity; Close indoor pools, saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs.
• Restaurants - Open indoors at maximum 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer. 

“We simply need to stop traveling and stop gathering, especially indoors. It isn’t safe, and it is impacting our schools and our business communities,” Dr. Frankovich said. “The upcoming holidays need to be single household celebrations if we want to get through this pandemic with fewer hospitalizations and fewer lives lost.”