40 California counties in purple tier, including the Central Valley
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (FOX26) — California Governor Gavin Newsom held a news conference on Monday to announce 28 counties have been moved back into the most restrictive stage of the state's color-coded Blueprint to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19.
This move brings the total of counties in California in the purple tier to 40.
Newsom says cases have sharply increased across the country and California, prompting state public health officials to take immediate actions, rather than waiting for the usual Tuesday update.
The state is pulling an emergency brake in the Blueprint for a Safer Economy resulting in 94.1 percent of California's population in the most restrictive tier.
This change is effective as of Tuesday.
With the latest update, the state will review the data continuously and move more counties back if necessary.
“We are sounding the alarm,” said Governor Newsom. “California is experiencing the fastest increase in cases we have seen yet –faster than what we experienced at the outset of the pandemic or even this summer. The spread of COVID-19, if left unchecked, could quickly overwhelm our health care system and lead to catastrophic outcomes. That is why we are pulling an emergency brake in the Blueprint for a Safer Economy. Now is the time to do all we can – government at all levels and Californians across the state – to flatten the curve again as we have done before.”
The rate of growth in confirmed COVID-19 cases is faster than it was in July, which led to a significant peak in cases. This requires a swift public health response and action from all Californians to slow the spread of the virus. Immediate action will help protect individuals at higher risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19 and will help keep the state’s health care delivery system from becoming overwhelmed.
“The data we are seeing is very concerning. We are in the midst of a surge, and time is of the essence. Every day matters and every decision matters,” said California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly. “Personal decisions are critical, and I am I imploring every Californian to stay home if they can, wear a mask whenever they leave their homes, limit mixing, practice physical distancing and wash their hands.”
The 28 counties moved to Purple Tier:
- Alameda
- Butte
- Contra Costa
- El Dorado
- Fresno
- Glenn
- Kern
- Kings
- Mendocino
- Merced
- Napa
- Nevada
- Orange
- Placer
- San Benito
- San Joaquin
- San Luis Obispo
- Santa Barbara
- Santa Clara
- Santa Cruz
- Siskiyou
- Solano
- Sutter
- Trinity
- Tuolumne
- Ventura
- Yolo
- Yuba
9 counties moved to the Red Tier
- Colusa
- Del Norte
- Humboldt
- Marin
- Modoc
- Mono
- Plumas
- San Francisco
- San Mateo
2 counties moved to the Orange Tier
- Calaveras
- Sierra
California will continue to update the Blueprint for a Safer Economy based on the best available public health data and science. For more information about the Blueprint and what Californians can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19, visit covid19.ca.gov.
