Orange Tier Nearer In Riverside County As COVID Case Rate Falls

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Riverside County inched closer Tuesday to the "orange tier" of the state's Blueprint for a Safer Economy.

California Department of Public Health figures released March 23 show the county's adjusted case rate dropped to 4.8 cases per 100,000 residents, pushing it nearer to the 3.9 or fewer cases needed to progress into the orange tier.

The county moved into the red tier last Tuesday, and if the trend holds — last week's adjusted case rate was 6.1 — the region will likely meet the case rate threshold this month. However, according to state and local officials, Riverside County will need to remain in the red tier for a minimum of three weeks and meet the orange tier metrics for two of those weeks before advancing further.

Riverside County is already meeting other orange-tier metrics. On Tuesday, the positivity rate was 2.7 percent (orange tier); and the health equity positivity quartile rate was 2.9 percent (orange tier), according to state data.

Here's what will reopen when the county moves into the orange tier, according to the state's latest "Blueprint for a Safer Economy - Activity and Business Tiers":

• The capacity limitation on retail, shopping centers and swap meets goes away
• Museums, zoos, and aquariums can increase indoor capacity to 50 percent
• Movie theaters can increase indoor capacity to 50 percent or 200 people, whichever is fewer
• Gyms and fitness centers can reopen pools and increase indoor workout areas to 25 percent capacity
• Hotels and lodging facilities can reopen pools and their indoor fitness centers can increase to 25 percent capacity
• Indoor dining at restaurants can increase to 50 percent capacity or 200 people, whichever is fewer
• Wineries, breweries and distilleries can begin welcoming patrons indoors at 25 percent capacity, or 100 people, whichever is fewer
• Bars can open outdoors
• Family entertainment centers can reopen indoors up to 25 percent capacity
• Bowling alleys can reopen up to 25 percent capacity
• Cardrooms and satellite wagering can resume indoors at 25 percent capacity
• Offices can bring workers back but telecommuting will be strongly encouraged
• Outdoor sporting events, concerts, live entertainment — effective April 1, in-state crowds will be allowed up to 33 capacity; 25 percent capacity per box suite; for smaller venues, 67 percent capacity will be allowed if all guests are tested or show proof of full vaccination
• Amusement parks can welcome in-state visitors up to 25 percent capacity (no matter the size of the venue); indoor capacity will be limited to 25 percent with time restrictions

In order to get the orange tier, officials continue urging Riverside County residents to follow safety protocols (masks, hand washing, distancing), get tested for the virus, and get vaccinated as eligibility allows.

On Tuesday, Riverside County's COVID-19 hospitalizations edged up by four patients over Monday's figures. There were 149 patients diagnosed with coronavirus in hospitals countywide on Tuesday, according to the Riverside University Health System, which also reported 28 patients in intensive care units, down three from Monday.

The total number of COVID-19 cases recorded since the public health documentation period began in March 2020 is 293,436, up 287 since Monday, according to RUHS data.

A total of 4,164 COVID-19 deaths have been recorded in the last 12 months, up 23 since Monday. The fatalities are trailing indicators because of delays processing death certificates.

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