Riverside County Remains In Orange Tier While OC Goes Yellow

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Each Tuesday, the California Department of Public Health updates COVID-19 positivity and case rates by county as part of its Blueprint for a Safer Economy. The framework determines what "color tier" each county is in.

For the first time, Orange County moved into the least restrictive yellow tier, but Riverside County did not budge. Instead, Riverside County's COVID-19 case rate edged up slightly over the previous week, while its positivity rate remained flat.

Orange County joins only Los Angeles County in Southern California in the yellow tier assignment, which allows for expanded reopenings in the two counties.

Last week's coronavirus positivity rate in Riverside County was reported at 1.6 percent, the same as this week, while the state-adjusted case rate was reported Tuesday at 2.8 new cases per 100,000 county residents. Last week's case rate was 2.7 new cases per 100,000 residents.

By comparison, Orange County's average daily rate of new COVID-19 infections was reported at 1.5 cases per 100,000 residents, according to Tuesday's state figures. The county's positivity rate was at .09 percent.

Los Angeles County's average daily rate of new COVID-19 infections decreased to 1.2 cases per 100,000 residents, according to Tuesday's state figures. The county's positivity rate was reported at .06 percent.

On Tuesday, Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer told her county's Board of Supervisors that the continued drop in numbers "is directly related" to the effectiveness of vaccines.

California is preparing to move beyond the Blueprint for a Safer Economy on June 15. The state will fully reopen its economy on that date if there continues to be enough vaccine supply for all vaccine-eligible residents and hospitalization rates remain low, according to state officials.

The CDC reported that California has the lowest positivity and case rates of any state in the nation, per its most recent May 18 update.

On Tuesday, Riverside County Public Health Director Kim Saruwatari told her county's Board of Supervisors that county kids 12 and older who are fully vaccinated against the virus stood at 36.4 percent as of Tuesday morning. County residents 18 and older who are fully vaccinated was 39.8 percent, while fully vaccinated people who are 65 and older was at 61 percent.

Saruwatari told the Board that both of her children in the 12-15 age group were receiving their vaccines this week.