New data released Tuesday show improving coronavirus conditions in California as most counties remain in the state’s most restrictive reopening tier. Now that California has lifted its stay-at-home order, the focus is returning to the county tier system that determines businesses’ level of restrictions. As of Tuesday, 54 of the state’s 58 counties remained in the state’s purple, most restrictive tier. Alpine, Sierra and Trinity counties are in the moderate, orange tier and Mariposa County is in the red, substantial tier, said California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly. | MORE | Click here to see a breakdown of what is and isn’t allowed in each tierData trendsThe COVID-19 data Ghaly discussed Tuesday represents a “positive trend,” he said.The state’s 14-day positivity rate has dropped to 7.2%, Ghaly said, down from over 12% in January. In the past 14 days, COVID-19 hospitalizations have decreased 28.8% and COVID-19-related ICU admissions went down by 18.9%. In another spot of good news, Ghaly said projected remaining ICU capacity for the state’s five regions is expected to be well over 15% as of next month. The 15% marker was the threshold the state previously used to trigger stay-at-home orders.He said the state anticipated, based on current models, that there would be fewer than half the number of people in hospitals today by March 4.Meanwhile, the state is continuing to monitor and boost surveillance of new variants of the virus. “The chance for another surge in California is real,” he said after a reporter question about the variants. “It’s still circulating, COVID is, in our communities. Our case rates are down, but they’re not low.” Several experts have said that while national COVID-19 numbers may be trending in the right direction, for now, things could change in the next few weeks unless Americans double down on safety measures and vaccinations ramp up.| RELATED | The US is in an ‘absolute race against time’ with new coronavirus variants, expert saysMore than 30 states, including California, have found cases of a variant first identified in the UK, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Experts have said the variant, called B.1.1.7, appears to be more transmissible. There are also two West Coast variants the state is keeping a close eye on. Vaccine equityRegarding vaccine administration, a crucial area where California has lagged, Ghaly said the choice between speed and equity is a “false choice.”“We can do both,” he said.Ghaly said some ways to promote equity may include payments to providers for bringing vaccines to communities of color or payments for targeted outreach. Details of how those payments would work were not immediately available.The state has not yet released a breakdown of vaccine administration by race/ethnicity. Ghaly said efforts are underway to make that data public.More than 3.5 million vaccines have been reported as administered in California, Ghaly said. The state is home to an estimated 40 million people.| MORE | California’s top health official: Don’t make Super Bowl, Lunar New Year celebrations super-spreading events— CNN contributed reporting to this story.
New data released Tuesday show improving coronavirus conditions in California as most counties remain in the state’s most restrictive reopening tier.
Now that California has lifted its stay-at-home order, the focus is returning to the county tier system that determines businesses’ level of restrictions.
As of Tuesday, 54 of the state’s 58 counties remained in the state’s purple, most restrictive tier. Alpine, Sierra and Trinity counties are in the moderate, orange tier and Mariposa County is in the red, substantial tier, said California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly.
| MORE | Click here to see a breakdown of what is and isn’t allowed in each tier
Data trends
The COVID-19 data Ghaly discussed Tuesday represents a “positive trend,” he said.
The state’s 14-day positivity rate has dropped to 7.2%, Ghaly said, down from over 12% in January.
In the past 14 days, COVID-19 hospitalizations have decreased 28.8% and COVID-19-related ICU admissions went down by 18.9%.
In another spot of good news, Ghaly said projected remaining ICU capacity for the state’s five regions is expected to be well over 15% as of next month. The 15% marker was the threshold the state previously used to trigger stay-at-home orders.
He said the state anticipated, based on current models, that there would be fewer than half the number of people in hospitals today by March 4.
Meanwhile, the state is continuing to monitor and boost surveillance of new variants of the virus.
“The chance for another surge in California is real,” he said after a reporter question about the variants. “It’s still circulating, COVID is, in our communities. Our case rates are down, but they’re not low.”
Several experts have said that while national COVID-19 numbers may be trending in the right direction, for now, things could change in the next few weeks unless Americans double down on safety measures and vaccinations ramp up.
| RELATED | The US is in an ‘absolute race against time’ with new coronavirus variants, expert says
More than 30 states, including California, have found cases of a variant first identified in the UK, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Experts have said the variant, called B.1.1.7, appears to be more transmissible. There are also two West Coast variants the state is keeping a close eye on.
Vaccine equity
Regarding vaccine administration, a crucial area where California has lagged, Ghaly said the choice between speed and equity is a “false choice.”
“We can do both,” he said.
Ghaly said some ways to promote equity may include payments to providers for bringing vaccines to communities of color or payments for targeted outreach. Details of how those payments would work were not immediately available.
The state has not yet released a breakdown of vaccine administration by race/ethnicity. Ghaly said efforts are underway to make that data public.
More than 3.5 million vaccines have been reported as administered in California, Ghaly said. The state is home to an estimated 40 million people.
| MORE | California’s top health official: Don’t make Super Bowl, Lunar New Year celebrations super-spreading events
— CNN contributed reporting to this story.