Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino now meet the full range of values to qualify for the red level, but they must stay there for a week before the state allows them to reopen more businesses and activities.
Riverside and Ventura counties are close behind and could also move soon, depending on some additional national targets for vaccination, which are expected to be met soon.
The state usually announces new level tasks on Tuesday. This week, the state announced nine counties – none in Southern California – are now moving to less restrictive levels.
To change levels, counties need to meet several metric targets, such as case rates per 100,000 residents, positivity rate, and a health equity value that focuses on the most disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Los Angeles County
On Tuesday, the state-adjusted average daily rate of new COVID-19 cases dropped to 5.2 per 100,000 population, well below the target of 7 cases per 100,000 to qualify for the red level. The county already met the other values.
The county is expected to move forward after the state reaches the threshold of administering 2 million doses of vaccine to state-affected communities, a total that could be reached by the end of the week.
Los Angeles County officials expect that the transition to the red level could be some, immediately after next week.
The county was initially anticipated to advance to the red level later this month, with the rate of new daily COVID-19 infections falling below the state-imposed threshold of 7 cases per 100,000 residents as of Tuesday. If the county maintained this level for two weeks, it would move from the purple level to the “red” level.
However, the state changed the thresholds for advancing through the Four-Tier Plan for a Safer Economy last week, taking into account the volume of vaccines given to lower-income communities affected across the state.
RELATED: Fully vaccinated people can gather without masks, says the CDC
When this happens, advancement to the red level will require a county to have a new case rate of 10 per 100,000 inhabitants – a LA county rate that would have already met for the required two weeks. The county’s health director, Dr. Barbara Ferrer, said it means the county will likely advance to “red” by the middle of next week.
The transition from the restrictive purple level to the red level will authorize the county to increase the capacity limits at retail units and to reopen indoor tables, fitness centers and cinemas. However, the county is not bound by state guidelines and could continue to impose stricter rules.
For example, while the county currently allows outdoor dining at the purple level, it still prohibits restaurants from turning on TVs in their backyards as a way to prevent sports gatherings. The state has no such restriction on restaurants.
Orange County
Orange County also meets all redshift requirements, including a case rate of 6 per 100,000 population. Its positivity rate is even stronger, meeting the standards for the orange level
If the county can maintain these values until Sunday, it can reach the red level, which allows the relaxation of home orders, until March 17.
The county also reported 108 new cases and declining hospitalization rates on Tuesday, but with another 61 deaths.
Where is your county?
See the map below to find out where your county is and keep reading to find out what can and can’t be opened in each color-coded category.
App users: for a better experience, click here to view the full map in a new window
The red level allows the reopening of many companies and organizations. For example, retail stores could allow half the capacity instead of 25%, and museums, zoos and aquariums could reopen for indoor activities at a capacity of 25%, as could cinemas, gyms and restaurants.
Below is a complete breakdown of what can and cannot be reopened in the red:
- Hair salons: open inside with modifications
- Retail: open indoors at a capacity of 50%
- Shopping centers: open indoors to a capacity of 50% and limited food grounds
- Nail salons: open inside with modifications
- Electrolysis: open inside with modifications
- Personal care services (body hair removal, etc.): open inside with modifications
- Tattoo and piercing: open inside with modifications
- Museums, zoos and aquariums: open indoors at a capacity of 25%
- Places of worship: open indoors at a capacity of 25% or 100 people, whichever is less
- Cinemas: open indoors with a capacity of 25% or 100 people, whichever is less
- Hotels: open with modifications, plus fitness centers can be opened at a capacity of 10%
- Gyms: open indoors at 10% capacity
- Restaurants: open indoors at a capacity of 25% or 100 people, whichever is less
- Wineries: only outdoors
- Bars and breweries: closed
- Family entertainment centers: outdoor only, such as mini golf, batting cages and go-kart racing
- Card rooms: outdoor only
- Non-essential offices: remote only
- Professional sports: no live audience
- Schools: may reopen for personal training after two weeks outside the purple level
- Theme parks: must remain closed
City News Service and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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