The County of Ventura provided this update on when the County may move into red tier:
The state has announced that once 2 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are administered in the most vulnerable communities in the state that the state will modify the case rate requirements. The case rate requirements are tied into the different colored tiers. If the case rate requirement is adjusted and Ventura County meets the metric we will move to the Red Tier on Wednesday the 17th.
Looking forward. Here’s what can be open (following the state issued guidance for each sector) once the County is in the Red Tier:
Hair salons: open indoors with modifications
Retail: open indoors at 50% capacity
Malls: open indoors at 50% capacity and limited food courts
Places of worship: open indoors at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer
Nail salons: open indoors with modifications
Electrolysis: open indoors with modifications
Personal care services (body waxing, etc.): open indoor with modifications
Tattooing and piercing: open indoors with modifications
Museums, zoos and aquariums: open indoors at 25% capacity
Movie theaters: open indoors at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer
Hotels: open with modifications, plus fitness centers can open at 10% capacity
Gyms: open indoors at 10% capacity 6 feet social distancing
Restaurants: open indoors at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer
Bars, Wineries, breweries and distilleries: Updated state guidance will be released this week.
Family entertainment centers: outdoor only, like mini golf, batting cages and go-kart racing
Non-essential offices: remote work only
Professional sports: outdoor only at 20% capacity starting April 1
Schools: can reopen for in-person instruction after five days out of the purple tier
Theme parks: can reopen at 15% capacity starting April 1
Live performances: outdoor only at 20% capacity starting April 1
As of now, how a county is categorized depends on the number of new daily covid cases and the testing positivity rate. Here’s how it breaks down:
Widespread (purple): Counties with more than 7 daily new cases per 100,000 residents or higher than 8% positivity rate
Substantial (red): 4 to 7 daily new cases per 100,000 residents or 5-8% positivity
Moderate (orange): 1 to 3.9 daily new cases per 100,000 or 2-4.9% positivity
Minimal (yellow): Less than 1 daily new case per 100,000 or less than 2% positivity
Once 2 million vaccine doses have been administered to those living in the “Vaccine Equity Quartile”, a new set of metrics will be used:
Widespread (purple): Counties with more than 10 daily new cases per 100,000 residents
Substantial (red): 4 to 10 daily new cases per 100,000 residents
Moderate (orange): 1 to 3.9 daily new cases per 100,000
Minimal (yellow): Less than 1 daily new case per 100,000
The County of Ventura has a current case rate of 9.1. If the state administers 2 million doses the County will meet the new state metrics and be in red by March 17.
What can you do to help?
Covid is still spreading in our County. Things are looking better but we all must work together to continue to slow the spread. Wearing a mask, social distancing, washing hands frequently, staying home when sick and not gathering are steps that help slow the spread.
Bottom line is we are not in red yet but headed that way.
More info about the state’s tiers at: https://covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy/