Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday unveiled a new system to track the coronavirus in California,revamping the state’s watchlist for its 58 counties into a color-coded on-ramp to reopening.
The new system focuses on rates for new cases and positive tests and requires counties to meet certain thresholds for a minimum of three weeks before moving from purple, to red, to orange and then yellow.
There is no green level, Newsom said, “We don’t put up green, because we don’t believe there’s a green light that says go back to the way things were.”
Under the new tiered system, the governor said, starting Monday all retail, shopping centers and other businesses like barbers and hair salons can open with modifications, at maximum 25% capacity.
There is one caveat, however: A county can decide to impose stricter requirements than the state, meaning they could limit which businesses may operate outside, and it wasn’t immediately clear Friday afternoon what Bay Area counties would permit.
And there is also an “emergency brake” in case other markers the state had tracked on an old county watch list, like hospitalizations, go up significantly.
“We’re going to be more stubborn this time,” Newsom said.
The state will begin using the new system on Monday but is already featuring a color-coded map on its website at https://covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy/
Currently, 87% of Californians are living in purple counties where the virus is widespread, including most of the Bay Area. The map shows San Francisco and Napa counties are red, where the spread of the virus is substantial.
Newsom said the new system will be to take it slow: Counties may not be able to move forward with reopening, from tier to tier, as fast as under the old system. They will have to remain on each tier for at least three weeks, and demonstrate two weeks straight of “stability” to move forward.
Under the new system, the purple tier means there is still widespread transmission of COVID-19 — more than 7 daily new cases per 100,000 residents or more than 8% of tests returning positive. In the purple tier, counties still must close many indoor operations. The red tier is when there is substantial transmission — meaning a new case rate between 4-7 per 100,000 and a testing positivity rate between 5-8% — and some non-essential businesses must remain closed. Orange means a a new case rate of between 1-3.9 per 100,000 and a testing positivity rate of between 2-4.9%. And yellow is below that, where most businesses are allowed to operate indoors, but with modifications like mask wearing and social distancing.
When any given business can reopen will depend on what sector the state says it’s in — such as clothing stores, florists or jewelry stores. Some businesses, such as breweries that don’t serve meals, will still have to remain closed under the purple tier.
“I appreciate the simple, stringent approach Newsom has taken to bend the curve, but I do have concerns about how ‘slow’ the approach should be considering the high numbers of businesses on the brink of closure and those who have already lost their jobs,” said San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa. “The burden more than ever is on the public to take personal responsibility to limit the spread of COVID, including avoiding large crowds, washing your hands and maintaining social distancing. Most importantly, though, is that we must continue to wear our damn masks.”
“We are carefully reviewing the new framework the governor just announced and assessing its impact on our county and region,” said a spokesperson for Santa Clara County.
Some schools will still be able to move forward with plans to reopen. Once they move to the red tier from purple, they will need to wait two weeks and then can pursue reopening, at the discretion of local health officials and district leaders.
“These are the guidelines to get us through this flu season, to prepare for the upcoming flu season, this twin-demic,” Newsom said, “as we deal with flu and we deal with COVID-19, to work for these next few months in California.”
Check back for more on this developing story.
Erin Woo contributed reporting.
