WOODLAND, Calif. — After 13 weeks in the most restrictive purple tier, Yolo County received official notice that its coronavirus case rate and positivity rate met the requirements to move to the less restrictive red tier.
The California Department of Public Health released its data showing that Yolo County met the state's requirements to loosen restrictions for select businesses and activities, making it the first county in the Sacramento region to move out of the purple tier.
Yolo County said in a statement on Twitter that while the county's businesses are allowed to make these changes starting Feb. 24, people living in the county need to continue wearing face coverings, distancing physically from others and limiting private gatherings to keep transmission rates in the county low.
Humboldt, Shasta, Marin and San Mateo counties also moved from the purple tier to the red tier. Trinity County moved to the red tier from the orange tier after a rise in cases.
According to state data, eight counties are in a position to possibly move to less restrictive tiers in the next tier update. Those eight include:
- El Dorado County
- Lassen County
- Modoc County
- Napa County
- San Francisco County
- San Luis Obispo County
- Santa Clara County
- Sierra County
To move to the red tier, counties need to maintain an adjusted seven-day average case rate of less than seven and a positivity rate of less than 8% for two consecutive weeks. Counties with a positivity rate of less than 5% and a health equity positivity rate of less than 5.2% for two consecutive weeks could also move to the red tier, according to the state's guidelines.
